Strands

As I was reading one of my teacher's books called "The Yoga of Discipline". I was reminded of the three qualities that according to yoga philosophy form the basis for every thing in the universe. These qualities are called gunas which is Sanskrit for strand or fiber. There is sattva guna which is the qualities of lucidity and lightness. There is rajas guna which is the qualities of energy and passion. Finally, there is tamas  guna which is the qualities of darkness, heaviness, and inertia. Everything in the universe from the most solid to the most subtle contains a mixture of these three qualities.

Recognizing how these qualities are weaved into our life can help us discern whether the things that we keep close to us  are moving us forward and helping us see what is true. We possibly may be  lost in constant activity and if we are is this activity creating peace or chaos for ourselves. Maybe some things in our life are obscuring the lightness in our heart or creating too much inertia. 

As you read this you may think "well then let's get as much of the sattva guna as we can". The gunas are just the three qualities that form the basis for the universe as we know it. They are not necessarily good or bad. Too much sattva guna can lead to a very ungrounded way of living. On the other hand a life without tamas guna would be a life without rest. We need the quality of inertia to sleep. 

In our yoga practice we want to find the most beneficial combination of these three qualities in order for our practice to bear great fruit. When it comes to finding what works the proof is in the pudding. At the end of your yoga practice ask yourself this question, how do you feel?

I look forward to seeing you in class and I hope that you feel uplifted at the end.

Blessings

Jorge Nihāl