The Gunas

Question 1

What are the three Gunas called?

Answer 1

Sattva, Rajas, Tamas.

Consciousness has a balance of the three qualities: Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas.

The 3 Gunas function together.

Question 2

What is Sattva?

Answer 2

Sattva is buoyant and illuminating; the power of harmony, balance, light, and intelligence; the highest spiritual potential.

Question 3

What is Rajas?

Answer 3

Rajas is exciting and mobile; the power of energy, action, change, and movement.

Question 4

What is Tamas?

Answer 4

Tamas is dense and does not move (inertia); it feels heavy, sluggish and enveloping (consuming something).

Question 5

Describe the concept of Purusha and Prakriti (aka Prakruti)

Answer 5

• Purusha** is the “Seer*”
• Prakriti** is the “Seen*”

Prakriti exists so that the Purusha (spirit, the soul, self, consciousness) might understand itself and realize its true nature. The fact that Prakriti is Maya (an illusion) does not diminish its importance.

Analogy: It is like you watching a movie, whereas you are Purusha (the seer) and the movie is Prakriti (the seen.) You may experience a wide range of emotions and learn from them, but ultimately the movie is an illusion, the only thing real is you.

Prakriti is “matter” or everything in the physical world (nature) including our physical bodies.

Prakriti is made up of the three Gunas: Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. One is not necessarily better; they are all needed in varying degrees and we can express them positively or negatively.

Sattva is buoyant and illuminating; the power of harmony, balance, light, and intelligence; the highest spiritual potential.

• Sattva is the spiritual potential

Rajas is exciting and mobile; the power of energy, action, change, and movement. However, it is not sustainable like Tamas.

• Rajas is the life potential

Tamas is dense and does not move (inertia); it feels sluggish and enveloping (consuming something).

• Tamas is the material potential
• Analogy: If Rajas is the “fire,” Tamas is the “wood” that sustains it, and “Sattva” is the “light and warmth*” that we experience from it.

When the soul attains illumination, it goes beyond the confines of Prakriti into the realm of Purusha.