Our true Self (Consciousness), is beyond the lower and the higher ego
We have two selves the higher and the lower one. The higher is eternal and the lower temporary. The higher or true Self is the Atman (pure Consciousness) which is identical with Brahman the universal Consciousness, (Spirit or God). The lower self is the ego and has two aspects, the lower or rajasotamasic ego and the higher or sattvic ego. In reality and more precisely the ego is not a self but an illusory identity which hasn't any reality in itself.
The higher Self (Atman), our essential nature is Satchitananda (Existence-Consciousness-Bliss absolute) is beyond the three gunas. Atman is causeless, formless, timeless, changeless and immovable.
The lower self is made by the three gunas and the elements (5 subtle and 5 gross), it is temporary (has beginning and end), is changing, has a cause (Divine shakti or Maya), has a form, it is conditioned by the qualities of nature, it is subject to pain and suffering.
Our goal as a human being is to realize that we are the Atman and not the body as we think and feel that we are. Although we are the Atman and never separate from God due to the ego we identify with the body and mind and we live as a separate body-mind entity. The goal of spirituality is the dissolution of the lower self or ego and the reestablishment in our immortal divine nature.
Mind and gunas*
Normally in the mind of every man exist all the gunas. In some prevails the sattva guna (which is very rare), to the majority the rajas and to others el tamas. According the guna that prevails in our mind, the mind it is endowed with certain mental and emotional qualities. The nature of the ego which is part of the mind is also determined by the three gunas. The ego associated with the rajas and tamas gunas it is named rajasotamasic ego and it is the lower ego. The ego associated with the sattva guna it is named sattvic ego and is the higher ego.
Mind and gunas*
Normally in the mind of every man exist all the gunas. In some prevails the sattva guna (which is very rare), to the majority the rajas and to others el tamas. According the guna that prevails in our mind, the mind it is endowed with certain mental and emotional qualities. The nature of the ego which is part of the mind is also determined by the three gunas. The ego associated with the rajas and tamas gunas it is named rajasotamasic ego and it is the lower ego. The ego associated with the sattva guna it is named sattvic ego and is the higher ego.
The lower ego (rajasotamasic)
The lower ego (rajasotamasic) identifies us to the body, drives the attention outwards and connects you with the outer world through the senses. It attaches to the objects, persons and situations and seeks through them pleasure, success, fame, recognition, power, comforts, possessions and money. Its nature is desire, lust, greed, pride, arrogance, vanity. It moves between rajasic and tamasic mental and emotional states.
The rajasotamasic ego feels always discontent, uneasy, anxious, incomplete, insufficient, bored. It always tries to overcome these negative states as well as the anger, resentment, fear, jealousy, hatred, restlessness, depression, by seeking some kind of pleasant or pleasurable experience.
More specific the tamasic aspect of ego doesn’t want and resists any effort for inner change and development of a higher consciousness. It keeps man in an 'animal' like state. All criminality, violence, exploitation, auto-destructive behavior, insensitiveness, drugs, alcohol, sexual and other perversions, dishonest, addictions, psychopath, are related to the tamasic nature of ego and mind.
The rajasic aspect of ego seeks pleasure, fame, power, money, possessions etc..The rajasic ego does thingsto improve the health, the vitality and the mental capacities, but only for the sake of accomplishing its goals for pleasure, fame, power, money, possessions etc.. According the circumstances and the doshic constitution (Pitta-Kapha-Vata) our rajasic ego make us hyperactive, agitated, volatile, restless, disturbed, distracted, nervous, anxious, superficial, noisy, disruptive, false enthusiasm, excitable, impulsive, ambitious, aggressive, controlling, critical, dominating, manipulating, angry, reckless, proud, vain, controlling, attached, greedy, lustful, materialistic, sentimental, needing security, seeking of comfort and luxury.
Due to hyperactivity, agitation, distraction and excitation of the rajasic mind we fall in tamasic states, because it is impossible to maintain our physical and psychological system in stress and hyperactivity for a long time without to collapse soon or later.
The rajasotamasic ego moves between tamasic and rajasic psychological states and activities. If in the mind there is more rajas the rajasic moments will prevail more time and more often than the tamasic ones and the opposite.
The higher or sattvic ego
The higher or sattvic ego which is the direct instrument of our Soul, seeks love, unity, brotherhood, harmony, purity, peace, equilibrium, creativity, auspiciousness. It seeks higher states of consciousness and a conscious connection with the divine consciousness.
By nature a sattvic ego and mind harmonious, adaptable, flexible, has quick comprehension, good in communication, strong sense of human unity,, good enthusiasm, positive spirit, capacity for positive change and movement, clear, perceptive, high capacity to discern the real from the unreal, the true from the false, good will, friendly, courageous, calm, peaceful, content, stable, consistent, loyal, loving, compassionate, forgiving, patient, devoted, receptive, nurturing, supportive, faith.
The sattvic ego and mind is our faithful servant that can lead us to liberation of the lower mind and the realization of our true nature or Atman (pure Consciousness). If we want to overcome suffering and diseases and live a life of fullness, love, happiness and peace, we must by any possible mean to increase the sattva quality in our mind. There is no other way.
We can increase sattva by two ways. Both are necessary. 1. By seeking outside, sattvic relations, associations, sattvic impressions and by eating sattvic food. 2. By practicing regularly in daily basis spiritual practices like study of sacred texts and spiritual books from enlightened beings, repeat mantras, and doing devotional practices, pranayama, meditation, self-enquiry.
Sattva is the fundamental factor for good health (physical and psychological) and for the achievement of Self-realization. We can success in life and spirituality by increasing the sattva quality in our psyche.
Spirituality is a process by which we dissolve our lower rajasotamasic mind by the power of the higher sattvic mind and finally overcome the sattvic one by identifying completely with our true nature (Atman, pure Consciousness) which is beyond the three gunas, (Atman is gunanita: beyond the gunas).
Practice patiently and steadily for your salvation from the lower qualities of nature and realize your ever free true nature, the Atman (Pure Consciousness) which is eternal freedom, peace and bliss without limits!
NOTE:
Mind and gunas*:
Mental Types According to the Gunas
To have Sattva predominant in our nature
is the key to health, creativity and spirituality.
Sattvic people possess an harmonious and adaptable
nature which gives the greatest freedom from disease both physical and mental.
They strive toward balance and have peace of mind that cuts off the psychological
root of disease. They are considerate of others and take care of themselves.
They see all life as a learning experience and look for the good in all things,
even in disease which they strive to understand, not merely to suppress.
Rajasic people have good energy but burn themselves
out through excessive activity. Their minds are usually agitated and seldom at
peace. They have strong opinions seek power over others often regardless of the
means. They are impatient and inconsistent in dealing with their problems and
do not wish to take the time or responsibility to get well. They blame others
for their problems, including their therapists.
Rajasic people can accomplish their
goals and are generally in control of their lives. However, they are not awake
to their spiritual purpose, and are dominated by the ego in their pursuit of
happiness. Life brings them shocks, which can cause them great suffering,
particularly when they lose control. Even when they achieve their goals they
find that they are still not happy.
Tamasic types have deep-seated psychological
blockages. Their energy and emotion tends to be stagnant and repressed and they
do not know what their problems really are. They do not seek proper treatment
and usually have poor hygiene or poor self-care habits. They accept their
condition as fate and do not take advantage of the methods that may alleviate
their problems. They allow other people and negative influences to dominate
them and do not like to be responsible for their lives. They prefer not to deal
with their problems or will not let others know about them, which only allows
the problems to get worse.
The admixture of gunas
However, we must not forget the admixtures of the
gunas. There is a higher rajas and tamas in the field of sattva and a lower
sattva in the fields of rajas and tamas. Similarly there are rajasic aspects of
tamas and tamasic aspects of rajas. The following are some brief descriptions.
1. Rajasic Sattva: the acιive or transformative force of sattva,
the power of, spiritual aspiration that struggles upward, ever seeking greater
growth and unfoldment. It is also any energy of healing that brings about
integration and wholeness.
2. Tamasic Sattva: the destructive force of
sattva that eliminates negativity: It is also the stability inherent in sattva,
its capacity to endure through all obstacles. It is the capacity of a state of
balance to sustain itself and to ward off disease or imbalance.
3. Sattvic Rajas: the type of religion,
spirituality or idealism of rajasic people. It has rajasic traits of
aggression, outer expansion and the seeking of power Religions based upon
militance, exclusivism and intolerance reflect this quality.
4. Tamasic Rajas: the inertia of rajasic
types, their resistance to any higher force, and holding to their own personal
power and impulses regardless of the consequences for themselves or others.
5. Sattvic Tamas: the religion, spirituality or idealism of tamasic
people. It has tamasic traits of destruction, darkness, and delusion. It is the
level of dark cults and superstitions.
6. Rajasic Tamas: the aggression and
violence ·of dull and ignorant people lι is perhaps the most destructive gunic
quality. Tamasic types literally trample over others and, devoid of
sensitivity, delight in harm and destruction. Deep
sexual perversions come at this level.
More about the mind and gunas:
More about the mind and gunas: