Question regarding Gunas

[Guest guest]

Namaste All,

As one moves through life, from the passions and idealism of youth

through the trials and losses of adulthood, from rajas to tamas

sometimes passing and certainly holding onto the ideal of

sattva....how to know the difference between the dispassion of sattva,

not experiencing attraction or adversion, and old fashion

disillusionment of adulthood? How to kindle faith and hope after years

of loss and fruitless searching. How to still care when you have seen

the distructive patterns continuing, when like a finger put in and

pulled out of water, one sees the world and the duality continue no

matter what is done. Does any of it really change, get better?

 

I think this is an important discussion for many. To understand

personally and in order to support others in these times.

Jai Maa

[Guest guest]

Yes, Seva and Satsang are the treatment for the blues and for

discouragement. Giving what we have forgotten we have brings that very

thing to the giver and association with Truth seekers in Satsang

awakens that very truth in ourselves. Jai Maa

 

Swamiji made it clear in the Gita class that all three Gunas are

present always in creation, so as long as we are in this world we will

experience the three. Perhaps as noted earlier, there is even a

dominance of one over the others as one progresses through life, and

it is also true that our Vedic charts will reveal which gunas will

dominate a life. It is my observation that youth in general has a

dominance of rajas, as the jiva is on a mission of discovery,

learning, and action. The young want to do, to create, to learn, to

achieve. As I myself have approached middle age, I am observing that

the ability to pull those all nighters on a project, to muster the

adrenaline to push to those amazing limits is decreasing. The body

requires more rest, tamas, to recover. Then it is important to not

let pride or complacency over being balanced and aware (sattvic) steal

the connection with God. Behind it all is the one that never changes,

the I AM, the self that has been the same through it all.

 

It seems that to focus on the bindu of the non-changing self, the

observer, no matter what Guna is dominant, is the path to peace with

life and equanimity in all situations. To not get distracted and

agitated when rajas emerges, to not kick ourselves and get depressed

or blue when needing rest to heal, and to not get seduced into

thinking sattva is the end of the journey. To be calmly active and

actively calm, and to listen for the voice of God.

 

A dear friend, Tanmaya wisely shared that, " Ramakrishna said that

first a Sadhu begins to see the world as a " framework of illusion " ,

and only sometime later as a " mansion of mirth " .

 

I appreciate this sharing because so much of the popular spiritual

media talks about how all this is Maya and Illusion and I think

without the support of Satsang and Guru, a person could easily get

really lost in the transition from being in the world but no longer

enamored with it but not yet fully Self Realized. When one longs for

God and Guru but still has job and family to attend to this is a

delicate time. To have support to understand we are ALL EXACTLY WHERE

WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE and how to make changes constructively rather

than distructively. To understand that we are exactly where God and

Grace have placed us. To understand the stages of Self Realization so

that we can remind ourselves and remind each other seems really

important. Swamiji has described that in-between place as very

difficult, harder than being fully IN the world even. Many are in this

transition now and need hope and support.

 

I think perhaps for the traditional life that moves through the stages

of the householder, the ability to laugh like the crazy hag in the

woods no matter what happens, to lose one's mind and be mad for God,

to move in love and joy and to see the Divine Lila for what it is, is

the wisdom that comes with age, with observation. And of course,

through Grace and Guru such realization can come at any time and any age.

 

Jai Maa,

Sadhu Maa

[Guest guest]

Namaste' Sadhumaa...

 

These are such great questions. I think you are right about how

important this discussion can be. So, remembering that I am speaking

only for myself, from my limited experience, I can say what has been

helpful for me regarding these concerns.

 

Something that is very helpful for me to remember is that God is

everywhere, all the time, and that she wants only that which is good.

She wants us to experience love, joy, beauty, abundance, peace and

anything that leads us closer to Her. Therefore, anything in

opposition to those things is simply our own ignorant egos trying to

take over the universe. I also know that because I live in a body, my

perception is very limited and I am often unable to understand how or

why certain things happen the way they do. So, for me, knowing that my

Mother is running the show allows me to maintain that attitude of non-

attachment to outcome... I know it will all be perfect-whatever it is!

I think that the disillusionment you wrote of comes from not having

this faith and from believing that anything other than ultimate

goodness is even a possibility. She has promised us that whenever we

remember Her in times of adversity She will manifest for us.

 

We keep having the same experience until we stop doing the same thing.

I have never seen any example where the same things kept happening when

the circumstances are changed. Even when the only thing that changes

is our attitude, the outcome changes because we begin to see from a

different perspective.

 

Many people I know accuse me of being too optimistic, or not seeing

things as they really are (meaning filled with pain and suffering) and

although I do see those things, and deeply feel the pain of their

suffering... I KNOW that there is an underlying presense of Love that

is available throughout every tragedy, every heartbreak, every painful

moment, and that is what allows me to not get caught up in my desire

for everything to fit into what I want it to be, but to instead just

watch the lila unfold according to Maa's desire. She knows so much

better than I how to unfold creation. Then all I have to do is trust

Her.

 

I also know that the more of my energy I put into my sadhana the less I

have to put into attachment regarding things that have a beginning and

an end.

 

For me, faith, practice, and Love are the activities which keep me in

Sattwa and away from rajasic worrying and tamasic disillusionment. I

hope this is helpful.

 

OM Shanti

Morningsong

 

 

 

, " Sadhu Maa " <sadumaa wrote:

>

> Namaste All,

> As one moves through life, from the passions and idealism of youth

> through the trials and losses of adulthood, from rajas to tamas

> sometimes passing and certainly holding onto the ideal of

> sattva....how to know the difference between the dispassion of sattva,

> not experiencing attraction or adversion, and old fashion

> disillusionment of adulthood? How to kindle faith and hope after years

> of loss and fruitless searching. How to still care when you have seen

> the distructive patterns continuing, when like a finger put in and

> pulled out of water, one sees the world and the duality continue no

> matter what is done. Does any of it really change, get better?

>

> I think this is an important discussion for many. To understand

> personally and in order to support others in these times.

> Jai Maa

>