Meditate with Urmila: Three categories of thought

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Nature has given us the gift of intention to mould any thought and change any experience

Thoughts are functions of the mind. As thoughts generate in the mind, they go on to impact the body and bodily functions.

For example, when the thought is: ‘Everyone I love leaves me’, it generates a certain kind of response in the body. This response is the impact on the body that it bears from that thought.

Through our sense organs we experience the world, that is, what we see, hear, smell, taste or touch affects us and gives shape to our experience. And the way we experience the world, in turn, shapes our thoughts.

Take another example: “Eating cheesecake gives me pleasure.” This is your experience of pleasure which is associated with the cheesecake. Reaching out for cheesecake is the outcome of that thought. You go on to feed that experience as you indulge in it and hence, in your reality, cheesecake is synonymous with pleasure. And in your world, when you love someone, he/she leaves. Both are your experiences of life.

Some experiences we want to indulge in, and some we don’t. Nature has given us the gift of changing any thought we want and changing any experience we do not like. This freedom, this gift, is available only to the human species.

THREE CATEGORIES OF THOUGHT

Thoughts can be categorised into three qualities or Gunas: Satvik (pure, calm, balanced), Rajasik (activity-oriented, driven, dynamic) and Tamasik (lethargy, sloth, destructive). In fact, the entire manifested universe is a product of, and consists of, these three qualities in different degrees.

Our body and bodily functions are also the outcome of being into one of these states, by way of our predominant thoughts. So, for example, if the body is in good health, it is a result of being into pure, positive, upbeat thoughts. This implies prevalence and dominance of sattvik tendencies in the person. If bodily movement is sluggish, it means somewhere the thoughts are not the favouring kinds, rather have the quality of stressing the mind. Such thoughts are not Satvik.

The food one reaches out to, is also the result of the state of mind one is in. For instance, if the Rajasik tendencies are dominant, that is, it is time to take action, get going, be dynamic, then at that moment, an individual’s food choices will vary from a Satvik’s mind.

As per yogic philosophy, everyone possesses these three gunas in different proportions, which gives an individual his/her unique personality. One’s behaviour, actions, choices, reactions are results of the combination and interplay of these three qualities.

An individual can change the composition of gunas with intention. Yogic texts prescribe enhancing sattvik tendencies. This keeps the body, the mind and the health in a balanced state.

SATVIK THOUGHTS

Mind is saturated by thoughts. But what is the quality of thoughts? Predominance of Satvik thoughts keep the mind purified and in an elevated state. This means one thinks well of others. This goes on to imply that you are spiritually connected to self. Being in a Satvik state, the organs of the body function optimally.

Rajasik state is important for movement and action. When an action is taken in Satvik frame of mind/thought, results of those actions bear positive fruits (hence, positive experiences). In such a Rajasik state, the body is able to take some pressure but function normally until a high level of excitement unbalances the aura of sattvik state.

When consciousness descends and one slips into tamasik mindset; feeling slothful, lethargic and/or harbouring non-purified thoughts, body enters in a discomfort state.

THOUGHTS ARE ENERGY

Thought is an activity that keeps the brain occupied. When the brain is thinking, the body’s physiology is working accordingly. Your adrenal glands, kidneys and digestive systems are stressed because the mind is pressurised from thinking, for example, how to cope up with office work and spend time with family. In stressed situations, the body organs have to overwork. Your exhaustion is the sheer exhaustion of your body organs, working way beyond their natural capacity. When you are advised rest and sleep, it is a call for mind and bodily organs to rejuvenate for normal functioning. Sleep and rest the mind (or limiting thoughts) to rest the body.

In restless sleep, as you wake up with body ache, the organs have not had a chance to recuperate as in disturbed sleep, the mind/thought still wanders. Switching to Satvik thoughts will change this state.

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