Gunas an elaboration

Prakriti (nature) is the primordial (original) state of matter; it is even prior to matter as we know it in the physical sense. At the instance of creation, when the equilibrium of prakriti is disturbed and thrown into imbalance, it manifests as the three gunas: sattva, rajas and tamas and is present in every state of matter and mind. Sattva is harmony or equilibrium, rajas is activity and tamas inertia.

Classical physics would describe these states as gas, liquid and solid. Tamas is resistance, inertia, just like energy that is locked up; it is bound and rigid; Rajas is like a swollen river, full of uncontrolled power. Sattva can be compared with a river when its power is harnessed.

Gunas consist of the fabric that veils unity. Tamas is maya power of concealment, it is darkness or ignorance that hides unity; rajas scatters and distracts awareness, turning it away from reality toward the diverse outside world.

It is important to realize, that the gunas are essentially born of the mind. When the mind’s activity is stilled, one is able to see life as it is.

Gunas can also be seen as different levels of consciousness.

Tamas as the vast unconscious, a chaotic dumping ground of past mental states.

Rajas can be described as representing a the constant stream of thoughts that race after satisfying desires, that worry, resent, scheme, compete, and frustrate. Rajas can release powerful, uncontrolled ego-centric attitudes.

Sattva, or the higher mind, is detached, unruffled and self-controlled.

Everything in the world of mind and matter is an expression of all three gunas, with one of them always predominant. They are ever present. Their intensity of interplay affects one’s personality often in a dynamic way.

The same individual may have times when he busts with energy and times when inertia paralyzes his will, times when he is thoughtful and times when he moves so fast that he hardly notices anyone that is around him. Yet it is always the same person. He simply experiences the play of the gunas.

As long as one identifies with his body and mind, he is at the mercy of this play. However the Self or the Purusha is not involved in the gunas’ interaction; it is the witness rather than the participant.

The gunas form the basis of human nature. They not only explain differences in character; they describe the basic forces of personality and allow the possibility of reshaping oneself after a higher ideal. Because personality is a process, as human beings, we are constantly remaking ourselves. Yet left to itself, the mind will go on repeating the same old patterns of personality traits over and over.

By observing the mind and being intentional in ones thoughts and activities, old patterns of thinking can be changed. This is one of the central principles of yoga.

There are stages of growth. In the natural state, consciousness is a continuous flow of awareness. But through the distorting actions of the gunas, we have fallen from this natural state into a fragmented, sometimes stagnant awareness.

We cannot make sense of the world when we live primarily in an ego state, even if we try to simplify life. At best we can be intentional in our own physical and mental activities using our sense freedom of thought and of discrimination.

Seeing through a divided mind, we see life divided wherever we look: separate selves, antagonistic interests, conflicts within ourselves. To return to our native state, we need to transform tamas into rajas, rajas – apathy and in-sensitiveness into energetic, enthusiastic activity. But the energy of rajas is self centered and disbursed, it must be harnessed to a higher ideal by the will into sattva, where all the passionate energy is channeled into selfless action. This state is marked by happiness, a calm mind and abundant vitality.

The greater goal is in meditation and to go past the gunas, by stilling the mind and rest in pure unitary consciousness, which is a state of peace and joy. This is complete fulfillment.

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Who then is the doer of all action? According to the Vedas (secret knowledge) all activities, without exception, are enacted by nature. Man by identifying with the body, thinks: “I am the Doer”.

The person of wisdom recognizes that the whole material existence is operating under the influence of the three gunas or the attributes of material nature, whereas the person who is ignorant thinks that he is the doer and that his actions are sense inspired. He is focused on sense satisfaction,

desire and attachment to the outcome of his action, not realizing that the senses are on a lower level then prakriti or material nature and are influenced by the three gunas.

The person of wisdom recognizes that all actions are but the result of the interaction of the three gunas and material nature and remaining free of desires and attachment performs all actions as a matter of duty. He is thus free of karma, knowing that he is not the doer.