Out of the Bhagavad Gita - Three Gunas

Hear me out: One of the concepts discussed in the book Bhagavad Gita is the idea of the three gunas, which are The fundamental qualities or attributes that are said to influence human behavior, thoughts, and actions. They are a part of everything in the material world and describe the qualities of all things. It’s more complicated than I could explain in a short post like this, but I’ll share some examples to show how understanding and working with these Gunas can have a positive impact on your life.

What are the different qualities and attributes?

The Gunas are three fundamental qualities inherent in all things, including our mind and personality.

1. Sattva: Represents purity, wisdom, and harmony. It’s the quality of balance and enlightenment; this correlates to fresh food, clean water, and peace.

2. Rajas: Symbolizes action, energy, and change; It’s the driving force behind movement and desire. Corelates to spicy food, sparkling drinks, alcohol, and burning passion.

3. Tamas: Embodies inertia, darkness, and ignorance; It’s associated with Sleep, lethargy, and resistance to activity. Corelates to deep-fried or stale food, slime, and sluggishness.

Here are a few examples of Gunas on Anger:

• Sattva: Anger out of a cause; Protest

• Rajas: Outward Anger; Rage

• Tamas: Inward Anger; Depression

Here are a few examples of Gunas on Love:

• Sattvic: Love of Knowledge and Harmony; Peace and Joy

• Rajasic: Love of Money and Pleasures; Sensual desires

• Tamasic: Love of sleep and comfort, solitude, and darkness

And Here’s how the Gunas showed through me:

• Sattvic: Nice, respectful, understanding; Meditated sometimes.

• Rajasic: Ambitious, fun-seeking, Creative; Loved Spicy Food

• Tamasic: Confused, Anxious, Aimless, and Tired; Drunk too much.

For a long time, I was in a state I now understand was dominated by - Tamasic Rajas – where Rajas is driving Tamasic qualities, and the Sattvic Guna neglected third place by my actions and habits. Translation: I was very busy yet unproductive, constantly in motion but without clear direction or purpose. Other times, I was a couch potato, neglecting or procrastinating on important things like my future, my health, and my family. I was always a loving and caring person and felt deep regret that I wasn’t a better husband and father. I also worked hard as a successful salesperson and gave 110% of myself to my profession at the expense of family time. This state often led to exhaustion and dissatisfaction with myself, causing friction between what my expectations of myself were, and who I was IRL.

The Gita advises finding inner peace and harmony, which can be achieved by aligning one's actions with their true nature and values and being mindful of the influence of the Gunas. Dominance with the Satva Guna will help you reach more harmony and peace.

The solution then is to rebalance the Gunas and make Sattva more prominent, while suppressing the negative qualities of Tamas. Rajas to serve as the driving force for my transformation. So I strived for an optimized configuration: Mostly Rajasic-Sattva, with a bit of Tamas to maximize sleep and rest.

I realized the first step to going from Tamasic-Rajas to Sattvic-Rajas, was to get moving – physically. This time, instead of partying and getting drunk, and focusing on sensory pleasures, I would focus on movement in exercise with a spiritual and intellectual growth driver by listening to books. Whether it was a morning jog, a gym session, or a kickboxing class, physical activity helped shift my energy from lethargy to dynamic energy.

Once in motion, the next step was finding balance and clarity – the realm of Sattva. Morning affirmations, expressing gratitude, and practicing mindfulness, became a ritual. (This shaped my goalsetting strategy which I will share in my next letter.) Understanding the Gunas and reprioritizing my actions helped me center my thoughts, calm my mind, and guide my actions and purpose every day.

Here’s how the Gunas show through me as of this writing.

• Sattvic: respectful, calm, content; prefer fresh fruit.

• Rajasic: Physically active, fun-loving, productive; Investing money

• Tamasic: still gets anxious, rested, and non-reactive.

Sober Thinker questions:

I’ve met a lot of people like me who like to say - “I feed off other people’s energy” or “I can feel people’s energy.” I think the concept of the gunas has a lot of crossover to that. The Gunas are just another way to represent the idea that there is energy all around us and the Gunas break it down more granularly.

How does the concept of the Three Guna - Tamas, Rajas, and Sattva - resonate with you? 👇🏼Leave your comments below.

If you are interested in learning more check these out!

1. Research: The History of Bhagavad Gita | Krishna.org

2. Book: The Bhagavad Gita: (Chapter 14) is the source of the Three Guna concepts and provides valuable insights into the philosophy and practical application of these qualities in life.

3. Illustrative Video: YouTube: The Three Gunas: The Science of Gunas: An Ancient Wisdom That Can Transform your Life. Made by Asamgoham.

Sober Thinker Meme of the Week:

I’m sending you and your loved ones positive, healing energy to bring you more clarity, focus, determination, and strength to overcome obstacles in 2024!

Cheers!

Amir

Share with a friend: https://soberthinker.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here