Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities Module 1 :: Lesson 4 Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 Universal Qualities • Sattva, rajas, tamas. • How to balance these qualities with the tools that Ayurveda yoga has to offer. • Nature herself is the Divine Mother. • Supports our spiritual growth and development. • We can either expand into wisdom or contract into ignorance. • Can be either enlightening or darkening, healing or harming. Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 Vedic Gods • The three prime deities for the three worlds. • Agni or Fire on Earth (Prithivi). • Vayu or Wind in the Atmosphere (Antariksha) • Surya or the Sun in Heaven (Dyaus). Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 One God :: Purusha • The supreme consciousness principle and higher Self that is pure light. • Deva :: a shining one or form of light. • Dyaus :: Heaven and so refers to the heavenly or celestial lights. • Vedic deities represent the main forms of light (Jyoti) in the universe. Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 Forms of Light • Agni with heat. • Vayu with electrical force. • Surya with pure light. • They also represent the inner light or the forms of consciousness. • They are the three aspects of the Purusha or Cosmic Person. Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 Purusha :: Cosmic Person • Each has its psychological significance. • Agni or fire as speech (Vak). • Vayu or wind as breath (Prana). • Surya or the Sun as the perceptive aspect of the mind (Buddhi). Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 Philosophy of Yoga • Derived from the Samkhya system, all matter in the universe is reducible to one primary substance called Prakriti. • Prakriti :: the original power of action. • The original state of pure potential out of which all things become possible. • is the causal or original form of all substances, from which their subtle and gross forms arise. It is extremely subtle, ethereal and transcendent, forming the basis for space that is its first material form. Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 Prakriti • A composite of three prime qualities. • As sattva, rajas and tamas. • Nature consists of three primal qualities, which are the main powers of Cosmic Intelligence that determine our spiritual growth. • These are called gunas in Sanskrit, meaning “what binds” because wrongly understood they keep us in bondage to the external world. Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 The Three Gunas • 1) Sattva – intelligence, imparts balance. • 2) Rajas – energy, causes imbalance. • 3) Tamas – substance, creates inertia. • The Gunas adhere in Nature herself as her core potentials for diversification. Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 Correspondences of the Three Gunas • Color 1. Sattva – White, purity and harmony 2. Rajas – Red, action and passion 3. Tamas – Black, darkness and delusion Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 Correspondences of the Three Gunas • Time 1. Sattva – Day, clarity 2. Rajas – Sunrise and Sunset, twilight, transition 3. Tamas – Night, darkness Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 Correspondences of the Three Gunas • Energy 1. Sattva – neutral or balanced 2. Rajas – positive, sets things in motion 3. Tamas – negative, retards motion Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 Correspondences of the Three Gunas • Worlds 1. Sattva – heaven or space, the region of peace 2. Rajas – atmosphere, the region of storms 3. Tamas – earth, the realm of gravity and inertia Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 Correspondences of the Three Gunas • Levels of Cosmos 1. Sattva – causal or ideal 2. Rajas – subtle or astral, pure form 3. Tamas – gross or physical Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 Correspondences of the Three Gunas • States of Consciousness 1. Sattva – waking 2. Rajas – dream 3. Tamas – deep sleep Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 Sattva and the Mind • The mind, or consciousness in general, is naturally the domain of Sattva. • Sattva creates clarity. • Rajas creates desire, distortion, turbulence and emotional upset. • From Tamas comes the ignorance that veils our true nature and weakens our power of perception. Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 Sattva • Is the balance of Rajas and Tamas, combining the energy of Rajas with the stability of Tamas. • By increasing Sattva one gains peace and harmony, and returns to Primordial Nature and Pure Spirit in which is liberation. • Does not condemn Rajas and Tamas but understands their place in the cosmic harmony. Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 Health • Sattva as the state of balance is responsible for all true health and healing. • Health is maintained by Sattvic living, which is living in harmony with Nature and our inner Self, cultivating purity, clarity and peace. • Rajas and Tamas are the factors that cause disease. • Rajas causes pain, agitation and the dissipation of energy. • Tamas brings about stagnation, decay and death. Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 • Sattva is the power of harmony, balance, light and intelligence – the higher or spiritual potential. • Rajas is the power of energy, action, change and movement – the intermediate or life potential. • Tamas is the power of darkness, inertia form and materiality – the lower or material potential. Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 The Threefold Purusha • Agni – Earth – tamas – body – speech (vak). • Vayu – Atmosphere – rajas – breath (prana). • Surya – Heaven – sattva – mind (manas). • Sattva – light – mind. • Rajas – energy – prana. • Tamas – matter – body. Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 Vedic Yoga • Agni – physical body and internal organs – speech – mantra yoga – tamas – matter – five gross element. • Vayu – vital body and motor organs – breath – prana yoga – rajas – energy – five prana. • Surya – mental body and sense organs – mind – Dhyana yoga – sattva – light – five subtle element. Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 Sattvic people • Harmonious and adaptable nature which gives the greatest freedom from disease both physical and mental. • They strive toward balance and have peace of mind. • 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. • can accomplish their goals and are generally in control of their lives. Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 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 problem. • They blame others for their problems. Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 Tamasic People • 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. • Do not seek proper treatment and usually have poor hygiene or poor self-care habits. • They accept their condition as fate. • They allow other people and negative influences to dominate them and do not like to be responsible for their lives. Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 Therapies • Sattvic therapies work through Sattvic qualities of love, peace and nonviolence. • Rajasic therapies work through Rajasic qualities of stimulation, energization and agitation. • Tamasic therapies work through Tamasic qualities of sedation, sleep and grounding. Yoga Veda Institute Exploring the Three Gunas and the Physical & Psychological Qualities :: Module 1 :: Lesson 4 Three Stages of Mental Healing • 1. Breaking up Tamas, developing Rajas Moving from mental inertia to self-motivated action. • 2. Calming Rajas, developing Sattva Moving from self-motivated action to selfless