Sister Science Lesson 4
Balancing & Healing the Mind

Yoga is the Cessation of the Modifications of the Mind

Lesson Objectives

Ayurvedic philosophy says that all matter comes from the nature, and everything has a Prakriti to it. Now this Prakriti has three main Gunas or qualities, which determine the nature of everything associated with it – energy, matter as well as consciousness. So basically, everything in the world is made up of the three Gunas; after all, the word Guna in Sanskrit refers to “what binds.” These are the three Gunas that Ayurvedic texts talk about:

Sattva or goodness which harmonizes
Rajas or motion which agitates
Tamas or darkness which disturbs

Everything in the entire universe or cosmos consists of a combination of these three Gunas. We too are not exempt from that. We all have Gunas in varying degrees and there is an interaction between all three of them.

In today’s lesson, we will explore these 3 Universal Qualities in detail and modify the way that we perceive our mental state, through the lens of Ayurveda and the three Gunas.

Listen to the Audio Lesson
Complete the Mental State Questionnaire
Complete the Journal Activity
Complete the Challenge
Share your insights in our Yoga Veda Community

Lesson Downloads

Mental State Questionnaire

Transcript

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Audio

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Yoga Veda Community

Journal Activity

According to Ayurvedic Theory, which of the universal qualities (Gunas) is currently most predominant in your mental state?

Reflecting on the results of your Mental State Questionnaire, what do you believe to be the main contributing factors to your current mental state?

Which practices and/or habits do you believe that you need to develop or remove in order to be able to nurture a more peaceful (Sattvic) state of mind?

Challenge Assignment

Mental State Questionnaire

Find out the Mental Prakruti of someone close to you. This exercise will help you to begin to notice the qualities of the mind that are sometimes easier to recognize in others than in ourselves.

Submit your assignment to homework@yogavedainstitute.com for feedback and share your insights, questions and comments inside the Yoga Veda Community for peer-to-peer support.