5 0 S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 6 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 2 0 1.1 Vedic Theory of Personality The concept triguna is mentioned in theAtharva Veda , but it is developed as a major explanatory construct in the Sām - khya. Sāmkhya is a dualistic system, which postulates two fundamental interdependent realities that exist simultaneously in the universe – Purusa (consciousness), and Prakrti (nature or matter) . The three gunas are said to constitute Prakrti and underlie all material and mental phenomena, and hence they are employed as a way of understanding the na - ture of material objects as well as mental traits (Murthy and Kumar 2007, 1). Hence, the three subtle basic components of personality, sattva , rājas , and tamas are the fabric of creation and may exist in varying degrees with every individual. Unknown to modern sciences, they permeate through all living and non-living, tangible and intangible things. The ancient rishis are believed to directly perceived the fundamental forces of nature and the universe: they identified the centrifugal and centripetal undulation of the energy field in the atomic and molecular level that strands around a stable core. All vibration is the coiled balance of three gunas (Burger 2012, 8–9). As per Vedic literature, the vibrations emitted by anything depend on its predominant subtle basic component. This also influences the behaviour of all things. Any of the three tendencies like sattvic , rājasic , and tamasic are present in every living organism (Aurobindo 1942). Manas represents all the mental function and processes which are considered being manifestations of triguna (Kalpana 2012, 91). Classical guna theory inAyurveda describes seven types of sattva , six types of rājas , and three types of tamas , so that people can be grouped based on these 16 personality types (Shilpa and Murthy 2011, 15–16; Mukherjee 2007, 435). The proportion of these components in human beings can only be changed by spiritual practice (Kumar 2016, 67–70). Guna sattva is characterised by satisfaction, simplicity, self-control, truthfulness, pleasing, beneficial, and calm ap - pearance ( Bhagavad Gītā17:15–16). It also represents peace, purity, knowledge, happiness, and brilliance (Rao 1979). Guna rājas is characterized by intense activity, desire for sense gratification, little interest in spiritual elevation, dissatisfac - tion with one’s position, the envy of others, and a materialis - tic mentality constitute ( Bhagavad Gītā18:24). A person pre - dominated by the guna rājas is described as “ greedy, always envious, impure, and moved by joy and sorrow ” ( Bhagavad Gītā 18:27). Guna tamasmanifests inertia, darkness in mind and heart, delusion and utter ignorance ( Bhagavad Gītā14:17). 1.2 Triguna and Their Influence on Prānic Energy Experience Nelson express in their writing that emotions may be the driving force behind the flow of magnetic force in the body, which also is prānā (Nelson 1990, 37–39). Prānic energy ex - perience is considered a subset of the wider transcendental experience that most transpersonal research has established, which was not initially classified as an experience relating to the etheric body but an experience that goes beyond the five senses. Burger notes that in the universe, spiraling vortices of vibrating energy field are existing, and they are known as gunas (Burger 2012, 8–9). Gunas , as vibrating fields of energy, repre - sent three universal principles of motion as neutral, positive, and negative forms. The unified living life and consciousness are connected with the guna sattva and it is in an equilibrium state, which sustains the existence. The main source of sattva guna is the reason for the emergence of the positive centrifugal field of force as rājas , it explains passionate, excited, vital and creative expressions. Negative centripetal field, tamas can change the beauty and wisdom into inertia and resistance (Burger 2012, 8–9). The force which pulsates through nerves is not different from the force which vibrates through the universe (Sivananda 2017, 5). In humans, the function of nādī is to transport vital energy throughout the subtle energy system (Sui 2009, 6). While sensitizing the hands, the vital energy can be experi - enced and it can also be transferred using hand or finger (Sui 2015, 52–54). To enhance the guna rājas , in pranic healing red prānā is projected to have stimulating and activating effect on subject’s energy field (Sui 2000, 4). Earlier prānic energy studies concentrated on providing the experience of prānā and finding out the various physiological and psychological sensations resulting from such experience. A study of the effect of prānic energy in between the hands verified the feeling of energy existence. The physical sensa - tion of prānic energy between the hands during sensitizing was documented with the presence of feelings of magnetic, tingling, balloon, electric and rotation sensation (Jois et al. 2020, 504–506). In addition to that, working women employ - ees felt different energy experiences like tingling, warm feeling during their pranic healing sessions prānic energy sensa - tion by breathing, concentration and opening to experience made research participants aware of the existence of subtle energy (Jois et al . 2018, 152–153).
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