Download PDF - Stillness Speaks

Sleep is a symbol for ignorance, and tamasic persons are ignorant, not only ofthe Self but also of themselves and goings-on in the world.Tamas, all that is heavy and sleeping in nature, is the power of inertiaand entropy inherent in things. Physical substance, solidity, substantiality,and insentiency evolve from Tamas. An indispensable force, it is responsiblefor the most universally loved and necessary activity - sleep. Without it themind would never rest and the organism would die.On a psychological level, moderate Tamas conduces to a practicalearthy intelligence, a preponderance to ignorance, dullness, inadvertence,lethargy, depression, and sloth. Just as Rajas is responsible for the universaltendency to project, Tamas is responsible for an equally universal tendency -veiling or denial. When the mind sits under its delusory cloud, the soul can'tdistinguish between the real and unreal, nor accurately assess its ownstrengths and weaknesses, nor keep the mind fixed on goals. Apreponderantly tamasic mind is spiritually useless because its heavy cloudscover the luminous nature of the mind, making meditation and Selfrealization impossible.Tamas inspires the tendency to escape one's duties and responsibilities,discourages ambitious undertakings, and leads to a sensuous, inadvertent andmiserable life, one plagued by accidents, losses, and mistakes. An excess ofTamas in the subtle body creates conditions suitable for disease because itblocks the flow of shakti, the energizing and healing power of the Self, to thephysiological and cellular levels.When the gunas are balanced, the body and mind are healthy and thesoul relatively happy. Unfortunately the gunas are in a state of continualflux; one predominates for a few hours, then a second, and finally a third, sothat throughout the day one may experience intense activity, moments ofclarity, and mind-numbing dullness.Experience has demonstrated a direct connection between mental andemotional pain and a predominance of Rajas and Tamas relative to Sattva.Because the mind is the instrument of meditation and knowledge, it has alsobeen noted that a preponderance of the light element is conducive tomeditation and Self realization. When the mind is covered with tamasicclouds perception is veiled and knowledge, therefore, inaccurate. Like astrong wind rajasic projections whip the mind into frenzied waves, distortingperception and knowledge.Three buckets of water stand in front of a white wall. The sun reflectsoff the water producing three reflected suns on the wall. A strong windroiling the contents of the first bucket produces a dancing image of the sun68