Three Gunas or three constituents of Prakriti or three mental qualities are:
Satva
Rajas
Tamas
Satva
A Satvik mind is characterized by being constantly in equilibrium, experiencing peace, purity, and lightness. This state of balance, harmony, and equilibrium is known as sattva. The potential of such a mind is immense in both the physical and spiritual realms. It is a focused mind, and individuals who bring about inventions or make new discoveries, such as scientists, possess this type of mind. Artists like sculptors, painters, musicians, and singers who wholeheartedly concentrate on their craft also exhibit this kind of mind.
It abounds with knowledge and wisdom, showing great discernment.It fosters clarity, innovative intelligence, and a refined form of ethical leadership.It promotes love, compassion, empathy, serenity, forgiveness, and amiability.
Rajas
It is a highly active and work-oriented mindset. The state of being active or hyperactive is known as rajas. This mindset encompasses all our passions, emotions, feelings, and sentiments. It is characterized by ambition, dominance, authority, aggression, and possessiveness.
This type is also characterized by being unreliable, indecisive, manipulative, and cunning. It fosters greed, envy, and anger, seeking to acquire wealth, power, influence, and respect, as well as luxuries and comforts.
Tamas
Tamas symbolizes the mind's darkness, ignorance, and laziness. It is characterized by dullness, lethargy, heaviness and darkness. Tamas is associated with negativity, destructiveness, and sexual perversion.
It leads to fear, dishonesty, violence, and criminal behavior.Driven by animalistic instincts, focusing solely on food and sex. Individuals with a dominant tamas mindset typically engage in various criminal activities. Nature of Gunas
Sattva = happiness
Rajas = misery/pain
Tamas = illusion/Moha. Ability of Gunas
Sattva = capable of illuminating
Rajas = capable of initiating or intensifying (प्रवृत)
Tamas = obstructing, resisting. Understanding Gunas
It is important to recognize that both our nature (Prakriti) and our body and mind are composed of three gunas. Each individual possesses these three gunas, although the proportion of each one may vary. Throughout the day, the dominance of the Gunas shifts - in the morning, Sattva Guna prevails, during work hours, rajas takes over, and by evening, tamas influences us. The Gunas are an inherent part of our character, yet we can change their proportions in our daily lives. The recommended approach is to attain a state of Satva - a harmonious balance of body and mind - that involves observing the condition of your body and mind, and adjusting your lifestyle, diet, physical and mental activities, social circle, and personal values.
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