The Three Energies. The Forgotten Canons of Health and Harmony

Everything is Defined by Subtle Energy

Everything we see in this world is a mixture of different energies. All people, places and things radiate some kind of energy. We all need energy to have healthy, creative lives. If certain forms of energy, such as oil or electricity, were to disappear suddenly, our modern civilization would deteriorate within a few days.

There are different types of energy – gross and subtle, material and spiritual, good and evil. If we received a written message saying “I love you”, we would be delighted; but if the “I hate you” written on the same paper with the same pen, it could be devastating.

Similarly, when we enter a place where a quarrel has occurred, the atmosphere often feels stiffed, producing a feeling of coming in contact with something filthy, even if people may be seating, working, or smiling. If we live mainly in tamas and rajas (ignorance and passion), we may feel quite comfortable in such an atmosphere, even finding pleasure in it, and at times creating similar situations out of a pure environment.

Everything is decided by subtle energy. If our subtle body becomes even slightly active by practicing yoga and chanting mantras or prayers, we will start to see and feel this energy.

Origin and Categories of Energies

The Vedas state that God, Adipurusam, is the primeval Supreme Essence, the only Parabrahman from which all energies come.

The three main energies are:

1. Internal (spiritual).

2. Marginal (living entities, souls, living as we do in this material world).

3. External (material or illusory).

The spiritual or internal (1) energy is divided into three types:

A. Samvit – knowledge.

B. Sadhini – existence.

C. Hladini – bliss.

The external or illusory (3) energy is also divided into three energies:

A. Sattva (goodness) – the energy of sustenance.

B. Rajas (passion) – the energy of creation.

C. Tamas (ignorance) – the energy of annihilation.

Four Steps to Understanding the Absolute Truth

The topic of the three gunas will be examined in four main stages, according to the traditional system:

1. What are the gunas?

2. How do they act?

3. How do they cause unity?

4. How can they give liberation?

When a living being enters the material world, he comes under the influence of the gunas. Absolutely everything in the material world is created by these energies. They are like the three primary colours red, blue and yellow; by mixing them, a wide variety of colours and sub-colours are created.

The gunas are the force that gives all beings the opportunity to fulfill their desires, providing an endless variety of ways to do it. This arrangement is made possible by the Supreme Existence.

Knowledge of the three gunas is extremely relevant for us. If we understand it we can achieve liberation, or at least improve all aspects of our life, because these energies are present everywhere.

Sattva is the most important energy, because it determines how happy and successful we can be in life. But it does not come naturally to us: we have to choose it consciously. Rajas and tamas come easily; our civilization welcomes rajas and its qualities of passion, activity and creativity.

The gunas permeate everything – our clothes, food, speech and even our thoughts. When people quarrel, this is a manifestation of the energy of tamas. When a man lusts over beautiful women, this is rajas. When a person meditates, performs yoga and wishes happiness for everybody, this is sattva. It is tamas when we are half asleep or inert, or if we show signs of this destructive energy by thinking negatively about someone or wishing them harm.

When we learn to see the gunas in everything and how to change from one to another, it allows us to control our life and our karma.

We need to see through the eyes of knowledge to recognize the gunas everywhere and to choose the guna of sattva (goodness). The guna of goodness gives liberation from sins and bad habits and enables us to rise to the transcendental (spiritual) level. Conversely, it is possible to be engaged in spiritual practices and yet be in rajas and tamas. In this situation, even many years of spiritual practice will not bring enlightenment but only the opposite – we can destroy our own lives and the lives of those around us.

Success in Life Depends on the Right Choice

I can always choose; but I should know that even if I don’t, I have still made a choice.

    Jean-Paul Sartre

1. When we know the symptoms of the gunas and how they bind, we can determine which energy is controlling us. This can be compared to a map; you look at it and see where you are now and where you need to go. Without a map any journey can become difficult or lead to a tragic result.

2. By knowing what qualities are favourable for becoming a harmonious person, we are in a better position to make the right choice.

3. If we choose the guna of goodness, it will enable us to become happy and successful in all aspects of life.

4. According to Ayurveda, all psychological and psychiatric problems develop when rajas and tamas become active.

5. The ultimate achievement of the guna of goodness is a swift purification and transition to the transcendental level.

6. At this stage we can become free from the influence of all the gunas and achieve true freedom.

Modern western society is considered a free civilization, but from the perspective of enlightened sages, this is a society of slaves entangled by the lower energies and instincts. Everyone serves their senses, especially their tongue and sexual organs, and have a predictable reaction to everything – “if praised we are happy, and if criticised we are unhappy”. Recently I met an American man in California who seriously practiced yoga and various forms of meditation. He noted sadly, “Here in America everyone is crazy about food and sex”.

The Functions of the Gunas

1. Bind: They constrict and restrain all living beings, causing the forgetfulness of their true nature: eternal souls, pure Being, Consciousness and Bliss. Gunas force us to plunge into the temporary illusive life of this world.

2. Create variety: Like the three primary colours – red, blue and yellow – that are the basis of all colours and sub-colours, the three gunas are the foundation of all varieties of manifestations, whose purpose is to attract our attention and keep us here in the material world.

3. Permeate: Everything in this world is in the gunas: our bodies, the air we breathe, words, thoughts, objects, etc… For example, clothing can also be in the three gunas. A dirty shirt made of artificial materials is in ignorance, whereas a clean shirt made of natural materials is in goodness. Thoughts, subconscious agendas and arrangements are also in the gunas. Lazy and aggressive thinking is in ignorance. Thoughts of various desires for food, sex, work and honour are in passion. Thoughts in goodness are calm, magnanimous, and focused on self-realization and helping others to achieve happiness. These people attract others without any special effort. Only a few moments in the presence with this kind of person, who thinks about God and service to others, will bring joy, peace of mind and tranquil breathing.

Our natural environment is also in various gunas. For example, a lake in tamas is dirty, stinky and barely worthy of being considered a lake; it is more similar to a swamp. A lake in rajas is usually in a city, surrounded by different man-made things; a place where lovers meet and modern music plays. A lake in sattva is surrounded by beautiful nature with clean water and wildlife, where one may be inspired to meditate and the air is filled with prana (living energy).

It is considered to be very difficult to overcome the gunas because everything is saturated by them; we need clear vision and consciousness to be able to see how they act and how to become free of their influence.

The guna of ignorance (tamas) is very dangerous because it is destructive from the beginning to the end. The destructive power of tamas can be compared to radiation; it is invisible yet capable of destroying the physical, psychological and spiritual aspects of our lives when we come in contact with it. If we went to Chernobyl for a holiday, we might think we were enjoying ourselves, drinking, eating, etc… but at the same time we would be completely destroying not only our own life but whatever we touch. Although we would be unaware of the effect it has, this kind of trip would bring suffering for ourselves and others, even our clothing would become contaminated.

The guna of passion (rajas) is activity performed with a goal to savour result of those actions. Karma-yoga is the method for overcoming this guna: the act of renouncing the fruits of one’s labour by offering them to God.