A Magazine of People and
Possibilities
Now Celebrating 17 Years In Print and 11 Years Online!
Balancing The Consciousness
by Dr. Raj Rakhra
We live in a universe filled with the great forces of life and
death, creation and destruction. Positive forces are around us
to lift our spirit, to provide peace and understanding. Negative
forces are ever present, working to pull us into confusion, greed
and attachments. There is also truth and falsehood, ignorance
and enlightenment, light and darkness. In this duality of creation,
we struggle not merely to survive but also to find meaning in
our lives. We must learn to recognize our rising spiritual forces
and unspiritual downfalls. Ayurvedic philosophy believes nature
possesses a qualitative energy through which we can either expand
into wisdom or contract into ignorance. Nature functions through
conscious forces, spirit which can be either light or dark, healing
or harmful. Many of these powers elude most of us and we do not
know how to use them. We may be trained in a scientific manner,
but we lack the ability to perceive the subtle forces hidden in
the world around us. However, for any real healing of the mind
to be possible, we must understand and learn how to work with
these forces as they coexist in the world as well as our own psyche.
Ayurvedic Science provides some guidelines for understanding the
primary forces of nature and shows us how to work with them on
all levels. Nature consists of three primal qualities, which are
the main powers of cosmic intelligence that determine our spiritual
growth. In sanskrit these powers are called gunas, meaning "what
binds", because wrongly understood they keep us in bondage
to the external world.
1. Sattva: Intelligence, imparts balance
2. Rajas: Energy, causes imbalance
3. Tamas: Substance, creates inertia
These three gunas are the most subtle qualities of nature that
underlie matter, life and mind. Energies through which the mind
and the deeper consciousness function. They are the powers of
the soul. All objects in the universe consist of various combinations
of the three gunas. Cosmic evolution consists of their mutual
interaction and transformation. They form a deeper level than
the three biological humors and help us understand our mental
and spiritual nature and it's functioning.
Sattva is the quality of intelligence, virtue and goodness creating
harmony, balance and stability. It is light and luminous in nature.
It possesses an inward and upward motion and brings about the
awakening of the soul.
Sattva provides happiness and contentment of a lasting nature.
It is the principal of clarity, wideness, peace and love that
unites all things together. The mind in general is the domain
of sattva. Unless the mind is calm and clear we cannot perceive
anything properly. Sattva creates clarity through which we perceive
the truth and gives light, concentration and devotion.
Rajas is the quality of change, activity and turbulence. It introduces
dis-equilibrium that upsets the existing balance. Rajas is motivated
in its action, ever seeking a goal or an end that gives it power.
It possesses outward motion and causes self seeking action that
leads to fragmentation and disintegration. In the short term Rajas
is stimulating and provides pleasure, due to its unbalanced nature
it quickly results in pain and suffering. It is the force of passion
which causes distress and conflict.
Tamas is the quality of dullness, darkness and inertia, and is
heavy, veiling or obstructing in its action. It functions as the
force of gravity that retards and holds things in specific limited
forms. It possesses a downward motion that causes decay and destruction.
Tamas promotes ignorance, delusion in the mind which yields insensitivity,
sleep and loss of awareness. It is the principle of materiality
or unconsciousness, veiling our true nature and weakens our power
of perception, allowing the ego or separate self that makes us
feel isolated or alone. Tamas prevails in consciousness identifying
with the physical body in a dull and limited manner. As long as
our identity and sense of well being is primarily physical we
will stay in the dark realm of Tamas.
Sattva is the balance of Rajas and Tamas combining the energy
of Rajas and the stability of Tamas. By increasing Sattva, one
gains peace and harmony, and returns to the primary nature and
pure spirit of the self. In order to do this we must remain detached
not clinging to the qualities of Sattva. Pure Sattva does not
condemn Rajas and Tamas but understands their place in the cosmic
harmony. When pure Sattva prevails in our consciousness, we transcend
time and space to discover our eternal self.
Sattva as the true 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 pace.
Rajas causes pain, agitation and dissipation of energy. Tamas
brings about stagnation, decay and death. Rajas and Tamas usually
work together. Rajas brings about the over expression of energy
which eventually leads to exhaustion, in which Tamas prevails
causing disease.
Dr. Rakhra's clinic is located
at 121 - 14 Street North West in Calgary, Alberta.
He may be reached at: 403-270-7033.
See display ad in this issue for more information.
Visit his webiste at: www.aynh.com
A Magazine of People and Possibilities
Now Celebrating 17 Years In Print and 11 Years Online!