Perspective - the way we look at everything in our life affected by how we are feeling
You may have seen a variation of this image before. It's an interesting example of the often-overlooked power of perspective, which is heavily influenced by Gunas, the three (3) states from which we are always operating.
This cartoon conveys a straightforward but potent message about perspective and point of view. Though the characters appear to be identical on the surface, their interpretations of a single object (the numeral 6 or 9) vary depending on their viewing location.
Each person's perspective influences what they see, which shapes their opinion.
And this has a lot to do with the Gunas concept I’ll be going over in just a bit.
See…
You’re always looking at the world a certain way.
And the lens through which you’re seeing the world is heavily influenced by the state your soul and mind is in.
The way you’re feeling will always have an effect on how you see the world.
Specifically… there are 3 distinct states of awareness or Gunas…Guna means quality, a positive aspect or property that just is, it is neither good nor bad.
According to Vedic philosophy, the 3 Gunas are:
1️⃣ Rajas Guna. It is a state of being proactive, and striving really hard to make things work.
Think of it as fiery action, transmutation or passion.
This state can lead to feelings of worry, anxiety, overwhelm, & fatigue.
2️⃣ Tamas Guna. This Guna refers to a state of rest.
It’s like a withdrawn sort of state where we’re really pulling back from the world & taking a step back.
This state can lead to lethargy, apathy, indifference & numbness.
And 3️⃣ Sattva Guna. This 3rd Guna is the beautiful state which we want to maintain & aim to be in through the day.
It is a state of harmony, In-flow, friendliness and lovingness.
Think of the Sattvic state as the intelligence that guides the Tamas & Rajas states within our daily lives in perfect ebbs & flow.
So…
The next time you’re going through your day…
Try to pause, and take a second to assess the state which you’re in currently.
Checking in even a few times in your day can make a big difference. Opening yourself to experiencing more joy, abundance, stillness & tranquil peace in your life.
And there is an effective way for you to achieve the sattvic state and have a positive mind set…
Meditation.
Practising meditation can help you with your self awareness and achieve that state of balance in your life.
As we all know, meditation is an exercise of focusing the mind, usually toward increased awareness. As such, it can be a useful tool for reducing stress, managing anxiety and even reducing pain.
Self-awareness is important in achieving inner peace. Inner peace is your key to a positive perspective in life.
When you have a high level of self-awareness, you also have inner peace because you let go of a lot of the noise that gets in the way of feeling good about yourself and living the life you want.
It is a very useful skill to be able to monitor and understand your emotions when they arise. When we are at peace with ourselves and always feel positive, our outlook on life becomes bright and pleasant.
A relaxed and calm attitude can assist you in navigating life's often turbulent waters more smoothly.
You see, the benefits of meditation have a cascading effect on the amount of positivity in your life.
This is a video I posted a while ago on Instagram…
Click here so you can watch the short clip I posted on Instagram about the topic of 3 Gunas.
In light & love,
Tom
