The three qualities within and around us

Everyone who started practicing Hatha yoga had different motives to do that. It might have been a discomfort in the back, tight muscles in a specific area, everyday stress, an enthusiastic friend, deeper inner motives of finding who we truly are or just simple curiosity. No matter what the motive, after first couple of month we could start sensing the tiny benefits, again different for each individual. Underneath, we all could feel a calmer mind, a relaxed body, a sense of centeredness. The day after a yoga class would proceed in relaxed way, no matter what troubles would came across. We could stay grounded and be calm, just observe the vortex around us and act from True self.

Why is that? Let’s make a step back and discuss the three qualities or Gunas which pervade the Universe.

On one side the quality that is very obvious in today’s world is the active one, the passionate one, the hot one, where arguments and dissatisfaction among people exist. This Guna can be associated with the Sun’s energy during midday or the fruit that’s not ripe yet and thus sour, this Guna is called Rajas.

On the other hand its opposite, when we lack action and fall into passiveness, is the quality of inertia, dullness, delusion and ignorance. Its’ the time of the day when the dark night is out, and it’s the fruit that is rotten, this Guna is called Tamas.

And there’s a middle way, the joy, the happiness, the calmness, the centeredness, groundness and expansion, forgiveness and truth. It’s the time of the day when the sun rises or sets, it’s the fruit that’s perfectly ripe, this Guna is called Sattwa.

A yoga pose or Asana should bring Sattwa into our being. You know you are in the right Asana when the base is set, when the sole of the foot or the part touching the ground is placed correctly on the floor and the Asana builds up naturally, on its own; not with our mind going into each and single muscle making more tension and thus building the Rajas quality, nor letting go of all tensions and half asleep lying on the mat, thus building the Tamas quality. You know you are in the correct Asana when the active part is present and there’s still relaxation involved; you could hold the Asana for ages as it feels light, grounding and expanding at the same time, with complete stillness of the mind, being in the present moment, neither in the past nor the future. You are there, True self.

As in Asana, so in Life.

You just don’t react anymore from your lower instincts, invasive education and past negative experiences, although you are aware of them arising in you. You just observe them and let them go.

‘’Drop it’’ - you are True self.