THE EGO ACCORDING THE GUNAS

The ego along with the gunas rajas y tamas causes identification with the body and make us
forget our true Self (Atman, Consciousness). The rajasotamasic ego apparently covers our true
Self, grounds the consciousness in the body and makes the mind extroverted, seeking sensory
pleasures and mundane success.

The mind* in its totallity or Antahkarana* and the ego which is one of the four aspects of
Antahkarana are made from the three gunas, which are the fundamental substances of everything
that exists in the universe. The quality of minds functioning and the nature of ego depend on the
guna that predominates in them. Each guna has specific characteristics. When sattva for example
predominates in and the mind, it functions according the characteristics of sattva guna i.e. the
mind is luminous, serene, content, harmonious; sattvic emotions and thoughts are manifested in
us during sattvic periods.
ANTAHKARANA

Antachkarana is called the the fourfold internal organ, which is our psychological
instrument. : The eastern spiritual traditions, Ayurveda and Yoga call the Mind in its totality
Antahkarana. Although the Mind is single, it has several functions and aspects. They call it as
fourfold internal organ, because the Mind or Antaharana has four main aspects.

The four aspects of Antachkarana (or the Mind in its totality) are:
1. Manas (external mind)
2. Buddhi (Intellect, Intelligence)
3. Ahamkara (Ego, the illusory identity)
4. Chita (subconscious mind, memory, general field of the mind, conditioned
consciousness).

Each one of these four aspects of Antahakarana or Mind has specific functions and the
quality of its functioning depends on the guna that is predominant*. The innate nature
of mind is sattva thats why the mind functions in its full potential when is free from rajas
and tamas gunas. The rajas and tamas are like toxins for the mind.

COMMENT : predominant guna*: The predominance of each guna has two aspects.

FIRST ASPECT: Mind's gunic constitution. Each of the three gunas according the
development of the mind have a certain percentage in the mind s constitution. For
example, the mind of a tamasic preson can have in his mind 70% tamas, 25% rajas and
5% sattva. A sattvic person can have in his mind 75% sattva, 20% rajas and 5% tamas.
A rajasic person 65% rajas, 25% tamas and 5% sattva. The goal of spirituality is to
eliminate gradually the tamas guna (first of all) and the rajas and convert the mind 100%
sattvic.

SECOND ASPECT: The gunas are constantly in motion in the mind. During the day for
some time may predominate the tamas, after some time the rajas or the sattva.
This alternation of the gunas in the mind happens constantly and it is related to many
things. (In order to understand it better is needed a greater analysis and also attentive
bservation of the mind ).

Which guna predominates more often and for longer periods (when is manifested)
depends on the gunic constitution of the mind (see first Aspect). It is obvious that in a
mind that there is more sattva in its constitution, the sattva periods will last more time
and will manifest more often than the rajasic and tamasic ones. Similarly, the rajasic
mode of functioning and characteristics will manifest more to a rajasic constitution mind
and the tamasic mode of functioning and caracteristics to a tamasic one.

It is of great importance and a great help a good knowledge of the three gunas to
understand and control the mind. The knowledge of gunas will help us as well to
develop the various capabilities and virtues, to dissolve the various egoic defects and to
develop our ability to remain self-aware, and practice successfully self-enquiry and
meditation. Daily practice and a sattvic living is the fundamental background of our
spiritual transformation and Self-realization.

ASPECTS OF THE EGO

According the gunas the ego assumes three aspects, and we can speak about: the
sattvic ego, the rajasic ego and the tamasic ego.

Personally I prefer to classify the ego in two categories. The sattvic ego and
rajasotamasic ego. I prefer this classification because the rajasic and tamasic aspects
of the ego are what impede us to live harmoniously and aware of our true nature, while
the sattvic ego is what is helping us move from the darkness of materialism to the light
of consciousness and the divine life..

Since we are identified with the ego, and we function as the ego, it is certain that the
ego is involved in our spiritual practice as well, in both ways, the positive and the
negative way. The sattvic aspect of the ego and the mind as well are positively involved
and the rajasotamasic one (with the tamasic far more strongly) negatively. The rajas
combined with sattva is what will help us to dissolve the tamasic nature of ego and
mind, and finally the sattva the rajasic one. The tamas and the rajas combined with
tamas are the root cause of our suffering and psychological chaos. They cause
identification with the lower aspects of our existence, distort and preserve the mind and
lead us to misery and suffering.

The sattvic ego or I

The sattvic ego creates the individuality but not the identification with the body. The abstract
sense I am or I exist is due to reflection of Consciousness on sattva. The identification with
the body is created by the rajasotamasic ego. Due to tamas and rajas gunas and lack of
discrimination the abstract I am becomes I am the body.

The sattvic ego allows us to live a healthy harmonious life (at all levels) and in unity,
love, happiness, peace and facilitates our journey towards enlightenment and liberation.
The sattva is the purest aspect of the material creation (material not referring only to the
gross material, but also on subtle levels, mental astral, causal) through which the
Consciousness is expressed clearly in the creation. A pure sattvic mind reflects without
distortions the light of Consciousness.

The sattvic ego as well as the whole Mind (Antahkarana) is the instrument of our Soul
and helps us to walk successfully the spiritual path and attain self-realization (liberation
or enlightenment, are synonymous terms). The foremost goal in the spiritual path and
practice is to overcome and eliminate from the mind the tamas guna (primarily) and the
rajas guna and be established in sattva, and finally through constant meditation and
samadhi to overcome the sattva as well, and be established in our true nature (Atman,
Consciousness) which is beyond the three gunas. Thats why the enlightened one is
called gunannita, i.e. the one who has transcended the three gunas.

The rajasotamasic ego

Iness
The rajasotamasic ego causes in us our illusory identity ('Iness' and 'mineness' as well)
and is the fundamental ignorance. The rajasotamasic ego functions through
identification, projection and imagination, and makes us identify with the body and
everything that exists and happens in the body, i.e. mind, senses, vital energy,
thoughts, emotions, sensations etc. Due to rajasotamasic ego we feel a strong sense of
'I am the body' or more accurately 'the body is me.

This identification with the body creates the illusion that we are separate entities living
as if we were separate from God and the universe and limited by the body and mind. On
this fundamental illusion, are built all other illusions. The ego identifying with the
characteristics of the body makes us think, I am tall, thin, blond, handsome, etc.,
identifying with the mind, I am smart, silly, erudite, learned, etc..identifying with
collective organizations like religions ,I am Muslim, Christian, Buddist etc.. So, this
lower ego make us identify with thoughts, feelings, fantasies, beliefs, memories,
opinions as well as externally with objects, people, teams and situations.

Mineness The ego makes us identify with the external objects and persons. Because of
these identifications and the attachment we develop towards them, they become an
extension of ourselves. So, we feel everything that we relate with (my car, my wife, my
child, my garden, my phone, my tablet, my jacket, etc..) as a part of ourselves (more
precisely a part of our ego). Thats why when we lose them we experience unnecessary
pain or suffering. The intensity of suffering depends on how strong was our attachment
to them.

The ego is the root-cause and creator of numerous identifications, projections,

attachments and delusions, which cause suffering on a personal and collective level.

All the egoic tendencies or aspects (in Christian terminology call them defects and passions),
such as likes, dislikes, lust, desires (for money, fame, pleasure, power, possessions and
comforts), anger, pride, anger , wrath, hatred, resentment, jealousy, envy, rancor, arrogance,
vanity, greed and perversions belong to the lower or rajasotamasic ego. This lower ego, I call it
the Vital ego as well, because the majority of the egoic tendencies are related to the vital body
(energy body, specifically the psychic prana) and the emotional mind.
The rajasotamasic ego (and the rajasotamasic mind as well) it is not interested in spirituality,
self-transformation, virtues and self-realization, but it is interested in sensory pleasures,
comforts, possessions and ambitions. It is this vital ego that resists and reacts against our
intentions and efforts to transform our mind and heart and advance spiritually. The vital ego
wants to prevent us from doing practice and any serious effort for inner transformation and
finally wants to make us abandon the sadhana altogether.

The rajasotamasic ego keeps us tied in the cycle of rebirths into physical bodies as well
as the cycle of pleasure and pain (Samsara).

The rajasotamasic ego and the rajasotamasic mind is the cause of our bondage and our
suffering and obviously it is what resists, reacts to our effort to realize Truth. The vital
ego constantly creates obstacles, and uses various mechanisms to make us fail and
abandon the spiritual practice (sadhana). The rajasotamasic ego knows that through
practice, self-control and a spiritual way of living it will lose the pleasures that until now
could enjoy freely as well as that it will eventually be eliminated. Thus it resists and
reacts with all its strength in order to make us feel impotent, disheartened and abandon
the spiritual life.

In the beginning of our spiritual journey and as long as the rajasotamasic ego is strong
we cannot avoid inertia, resistance and all obstacles that the vital ego puts on us. The
ego at the beginning of our spiritual path can easily fool us; it doesnt need to try a lot in
order to succeed in this, given we are already identified with it, as well as hypnotized
and manipulated by it. But as we advance in self-knowledge, and we develop, self-
awareness, concentration, attention, discernment, dispassionate observation and we
dissolve more and more egoic patterns and tendencies, the ego uses gradually subtler
ways to manipulate us, and thus becomes more difficult to identify and uncover them. It
takes constant and intense vigilance, attention, self-awareness, inquiry, together with
constant application of discrimination to expose the tricks of the ego.
Given that at the early years of our spiritual journey we are strongly identified with the
ego and our intellect-intelligence (Buddhi) is hypnotized and manipulated by the egoic
energies, our inner work is difficult, our transformation and progress slow, with many
ups and downs. We also pass through days and nights of inner work, i.e. periods that
we have enthusiasm, inspiration, determination, aspiration for practice, we have
luminous experiences etc. (day of work), and periods that we lose our determination,
enthusiasm, there is inertia, discouragement, disappointment, resentment lack of
motivation, lack of luminous experiences, cloudy mind etc.. (night of work). It is during of
these nights of inner work that the majority of the spiritual seekers abandon the
sadhana and return to their old way of living. Thats why many follow the spiritual path,
but very few until now have reached the end, liberation (Self-realization or
enlightenment).

During our spiritual journay the ego creates many illusory identifications, projections and
superpositions in order to prevent the Buddhi (intellect, intelligence) to become aware of
its tricks. It tries in every possible way to cloud our buddhi, because it is certain that if
the egos identifications and the illusions are revealed by the power of discrimination
(which is the ability of the buddhi) then the ego would lose the sovereignty over us.
When the egoic patterns are revealed, then by proper means and methods we can
dissolve them. By the force of spiritual practices and the divine powers and energies we
invoke through prayer and the repetition of mantras, little by little the egoic tendencies,
and the tamas and rajas will be eliminated from our psych.

The battle between the higher sattvic ego and the lower rajasotamasic ego

(between the sattvic mind and the rajasotamsic mind as

well)

From all the above mentioned, it is clear that the sattvic ego and mind as well, turns
towards the divine, the harmony, the unity, love and the lower rajasotamasic one, that is
full of contradictions, prejudices, ignorance, disharmony, passions, negativity etc. it
moves towards pleasures, possessions, comforts, sensory experiences, success and
mundane ambitions.
The sattvic ego (buddhi as well) are those who fight on the side of our Soul against the
rajasotamasic me. The battle between the sattvic mind ago withe rajasotamsic one is
the great battle between the light and the darkness that is happening inside each
aspirant.

The purpose of spiritual practice in relation to the ego is: To disidentify from the ego
and dissolve or eliminate the ego in all its aspects (desire, anger, pride, envy,
arrogance, greed etc.) and realize that we are not the body or the mind but the pure,
eternal Consciousness, always peaceful, free and blissful.

The elimination of the ego is directly related to the purification of prana, emotional
energy, the subconscious mind (chitta) because all aspects of the ego and desires are
stored in the various subconscious levels of chitta (according Samael A.W. the number
of the subconscious levels are 49)

It is certain that we cannot dissolve the ego (at least the vast majority) by fighting it
directly. We need to practice systematically with various methods and techniques to
dissolve gradually one by one its various aspects. Only one who has already eliminated
the greater part of the egoic tendencies, who is very skillful in self-enquiry and
meditation, who has control over his mind and senses, is established in self-awareness
and alertness and has fully developed the capacity of discrimination could work directly
with the dissolution of the ego as the sense 'I am the body'. 'I am the feeler'. 'I am the
perceiver', 'I am the thinker' etc..

Read about the gunas, ego and mind

The threee gunas

Our true Self (Consciousness), is beyond the lower and the higher ego
The three Gunas - summary
Gunas and happiness by Sri Aurobindo
THE HUMAN NATURE ACCORDING THE GUNAS in Baghavad Gita

In Bhagavad Gita are also two chapters devoted to the three gunas. Chapters 14 and
18. There are also references about the gunas in other chapters of Gita as well .