Posts Tagged ‘Sattva’
Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011
“Though karma limits us, by cultivating sattvic qualities we change our karma, we step out of our past.”
David B. Wolf
Tags: change, David B. Wolf, Karma, Sattva
Posted in Conscious Living, Quotes | No Comments »
Sunday, May 23rd, 2010
Philosophical Correspondence Coaching
Client: I feel like I’m personally blocking myself from having faith
David: I’m moved to comment on faith as a general principle. In that regard, you do have faith, as do I, as does everyone. We’re not able to avoid faith. It’s only a matter of determining where I place my faith, and our actions reveal where we do genuinely put our faith (or trust). If I check the weather report, this action indicates that I have some faith that I will acquire meaningful knowledge there. Turning the key in the ignition indicates faith that there’s not a bomb in the car (I don’t know for certain that there’s not a bomb in the vehicle). Eating particular types of food, going to my job at 8 am, calling a potential client or customer, all reveal faith that such activities will produce health, or fulfillment, or happiness at some level. So the question, it seems to me, is not whether to have faith, but rather where is the most reasonable, intelligent place, or places, to put my faith.
Client: Because I have failed in the past when I put full faith in the Universe, I am now “Once bitten, twice shy” as they say.
David: I’m reminded of the saying, to work like everything depends on us, and to pray like everything depends on God. (Of course we can replace the word “God” with “Infinite Intelligence”, “universal consciousness”, “divine”, or whatever best represents that concept for us.) So, to just pray, without taking “… things into my own hands…”, can result in a victimy relationship with God, or the Supreme- “You have all the power, I have none…..” At the same time, to only work like everything depends on me, while neglecting profound connection with and supplication of the divine, can result in a magicless existence and life experience.
Client: So does that mean that someone who is paralyzed by fear, a victim of some intense “tape” in their mind, that they place some kind of faith / trust / belief in the comfort they receive from this place of fear?
David: Yes- if I take no action, that indicates my faith in that course of non-action. Now, such faith might be founded in conscious, sattvic* deliberation, or perhaps it derives from tamasic* fear. Whatever the underlying consciousness may be, we’re not able to avoid having faith, and revealing that faith in our behaviors.
Client: I sense that this concept runs very deeply. When I am late for a meeting, I have faith in that? I have faith in that course of non-action… of not making a change. But WHAT am I believing in in this instance? I don’t get it.
David: If I am late for a meeting, that means that I decided, with whatever degree of consciousness or less than consciousness, that something else was more important than keeping my agreement to be at that meeting when I said I would be there. I made it more important to watch till the end of the tv show, or spend an extra 20 minutes at my previous meeting, or stop on the side of the road to assist someone with their broken car. That means that I had faith that giving extra time at my previous meeting, and thus not honoring my agreement to be at my next meeting on time, would be a good course of action, with “good” defined however we define it- eg, it’ll bring me happiness, win me friends, bring in money which will result in a feeling of success and fulfillment, provide me satisfaction from helping someone in need, etc. Our actions reveal our faith. …
* - “Sattva” denotes the mode of goodness and enlightenment, and “tamas” denotes the mode of inertia, as described in Vedic psychology. For additional information about this psychological paradigm, visit www.vedicpersonality.org.
Tags: having faith, intelligent place, meaningful knowledge, profound connection, Sattva, Tamas, types of food, universal consciousness, vedic personalty inventary
Posted in Excerpts From Life Coaching Letters, Life Coaching, Personal Growth, Veda, Vedic Personality Inventory | No Comments »
Friday, May 14th, 2010
Excerpt from “Relationships That Work: The Power of Conscious Living”
By David B. Wolf
Suppose we hear comments from another person about ourselves. Even if these comments seem completely inaccurate to us, we can appreciate the value in knowing that someone, perhaps representing many others, perceives us in that way. With such information we can adjust our presentation (which is different than compromising our genuineness) so that the perception people have of us is consistent with what is inside us. If the feedback we hear does strike a chord, perhaps causing us to react, then that may be an indication of an area for productive introspection. Even if the delivery of the feedback was not as caring and compassionate as we might have preferred, and even if we suspect that the comments significantly reflect on the other person’s issues, still we can use the observations for our own self-realization.
Accepting constructive feedback with an appreciative spirit, we are grateful that this person cared enough about us to be honest. Similarly, by our willingness to share honestly with people in our life, we give them the opportunity to respond honestly to us, to who we actually are. Otherwise, relationships degenerate to a pretentious exchange designed to maintain shallow, false facades, at the expense of vitality and the spiritual fulfillment that results from genuine reciprocation.
There also exists directly appreciative feedback, where we share with each other about qualities and behaviors that inspire and move us. In sharing appreciative comments it is especially enriching to be concrete, to specifically state what it is about the other person that we value and admire. For example, to say to someone, “You taught a good class” is not particularly concrete. In fact, it could be considered to be a judgment. Although it may be regarded as a positive judgment, it still may be a barrier to communication—just as much as a negative judgment is. This sort of compliment does not provide the receiver with as full an experience and understanding of thankfulness as a statement such as: “When you spoke about and demonstrated empathy, and about people not caring what we know till they know that we care, and about the power of completely entering the world of another person, I sensed worlds of possibilities open up for me, and felt so hopeful and grateful to be alive. I teach high school students, and this workshop has provided me so many exciting tools and principles to enhance my service to my students.” With such a statement the receiver clearly knows what he did that was appreciated, and how the person felt as a result.
Expressing appreciation in sattva guna means that our intention is to celebrate the life-enriching qualities of others, with no motive to manipulate or coerce, or to fulfill some personal agenda. Such sattvic gratitude is a cornerstone of spiritual life. Research has demonstrated that an attitude of gratitude is a key element of a fulfilled life … Practicing gratitude, intentionally being thankful, transforms how we view and experience the world. It infuses us with power to convert our most challenging times into sources of meaning and inspiration. Consciously being grateful and expressing thankfulness connects us moment-to-moment with the spiritual self’s sense of wonder and discovery. In giving appreciation we responsibly participate in the celebration and experience of life.
Receiving appreciation is also a wonderful opportunity to give to people. It is a chance to recognize that we contribute to joy and well-being, that we can be an instrument for the supreme spirit to nurture the lives of others. To receive gratitude in a sattvic manner means that we avoid snares such as feeling superior and arrogant, or denying that we are deserving (which deprives others of the fulfillment of having their appreciation gracefully received).
Tags: appreciation, Attitude Of Gratitude, communication, Conscious Living, judgment, relationship, Relationships That Work, Sattva, spiritual
Posted in Excerpts From Relationships Book, Relationships That Work | No Comments »
Sunday, May 4th, 2008
I conduct Life Transformation Skills seminars. These seminars provide an environment for spiritually-based personal development. During one part of the training we ask the participants what are some tangible, material things for which people strive. Typically the resulting list looks something like this: cars, computers, a big house, attractive spouse, children, job, jewelry and vacation time. Then we ask why people endeavor for such things. The resulting list includes experiences such as happiness, security, power, intimacy, fulfillment, balance, love, vitality, freedom, strength, courage, joy and affection.
There Is No Intrinsic Connection Between The Things We Strive For And Our Experience
Next, by observing the two lists we consider whether there are persons who possess a large house, a big car and a prestigious job, but who do not experience much joy, power or fulfillment in their lives. Certainly there are. And we consider whether there are persons who experience an abundance of happiness, intimacy and vitality in their lives, although they don’t have the items on the other list. Clearly, such persons exist. The conclusion is that there is no intrinsic connection between the two lists. Although they sometimes overlap, there is no inherent causal link.
Tamas
With reference to the three gunas, let’s look at the lack of innate correlation between the “things” column and the “experience” column. Tamas is a mode of inertia, where our consciousness clings to a paradigm that may be called Have-Do-Be. In this paradigm we think, “If I could just have $100,000 in the bank, a nicer car, a job with paid vacation…then I could do what I want to do, and then I would be happy, satisfied, appreciated, vibrant…” “If I could just have a nicer boss, then I would be content and peaceful.” In this mindset, our experience is dependent on having. The saying, “What profits a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his soul?” indicates the difficulty with this attitude.
Rajas
Rajas is the mode of activity, where we adhere to the framework of Do-Have-Be. In this way of thinking we consider that if I could just do what I want to do, then I’ll have what I want, and then I would be free, strong, giving and vital. Our consciousness starts from the point of activity, and experience is contingent upon that.
Sattva
Sattva guna corresponds with enlightenment. Sattvic consciousness is the natural state of the authentic self. Steady in sattva we live in the paradigm of Be-Do-Have. Fixed in this way of being, experiencing strength, beauty, security, intimacy, warmth, freedom, etc., is not dependent on doing or having. I don’t need to do or have anything to experience satisfaction, aliveness, courage, clarity, etc., because these qualities are who I am, they are my essential nature. It’s not that, in a Be-Do-Have paradigm, there isn’t doing or having. Rather, our doing and having assume full potency, compared with tamasic or rajasic perspectives, because what we do and have flow naturally from our being. They are not separate endeavors. To experience joy, closeness, radiance, and all other qualities of our self is not dependent on what we do or have. In Be-Do-Have, we naturally do things that bold, enlivened, successful people do, because our nature is bold, enlivened and successful. And naturally we’ll have things that powerful, confident, and trusting people have, such as abundance, rewarding activity and fulfilling relationships.
Personal Development Entails Uncovering Qualities of Our Self
Bhagavad-gita, presenting the essence of Vedic teachings, delineates a Be-Do-Have approach to life. In that book Sri Krsna encourages Arjuna to “Be transcendental..be free from dualities…be without anxiety…and be established in the self.” The process of personal development entails uncovering qualities of our self, our being, that have been covered, and fully manifesting them in our lives.
With one coaching client with whom I was working we specifically focused on him being patient and peaceful, qualities that were missing in his life, and which he wanted to cultivate. With earnest he connected with the patience and calm that are inherent to his being. During our next coaching session he described, with surprise, that his supervisor asked him to accept a position with increased responsibility, involving training others. She particularly mentioned that she offered this because of his patience and ability to be calm in stressful situations. Being patient and peaceful naturally resulted in acting in ways that patient and peaceful act, in this instance a more rewarding career activity, and having things that patient and peaceful people have, in this example an increased income. Be-Do-Have.
Tags: Be Transcendental, Bhagavat Gita, Freedom, Human Nature, increased confidence, Living an Authentic Life, Managing Stress, Personal Development, personal transformation, Personality Assesment, Qualities of Our Self, Raja, Rewarding Career, Sattva, Spiritual principles, Success, Tamas, Transformative Communication, Vedic, Vedic Personality
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