Hari Om
Each 'Choose-day' we will investigate the process by which we can reassess our activity and interaction with the world of plurality and become more congruent within our personality.
We are reading the small booklet called "Not Too Loose, Not Too tight - Just right!" This is written by Swamini Vimalananda, and gives a very general overview of Vedanta for the beginner, with emphasis on the sattvic, rajasic and tamasic approaches to life. Remember, we are a mixture of all; use this as your mirror.
त्याग /tyaaga - renunciation.
From our childhood we have learned to acquire, hold on to, collect and achieve. We are respected, awarded and acknowledged for acquiring wealth, degrees and position. However, in life, we also need the ability to give up, sacrifice or renounce. Renunciation is subtler than acquisition and requires great inner strength. the attitude of renunciation is also affected by our inner quality.
Sattvic; this renunciation is the ability to give up or surrender one's life, possessions, relations or wealth for the sake of a noble cause. Moving examples of this are soldiers dying for their country, or a spiritual seeker leaving his or her home in search of Truth. Sattvic renunciation is the giving up of one's attachments to objects, actions, beings and circumstances and performing appropriate actions without any expectations or sense of 'doing'.
Rajasic; this renunciation is when giving up is extremely painful or difficult, but one is forced to do so - like giving up smoking for health reasons. Abandoning one's duties or any undertaking if it is difficult or because of obstacles is rajasic renunciation. Giving up on something because of some hurt or pain without there being extreme and mitigating circumstances is rajasic - for example divorce, unless it is due to one or other partner's life being at risk, would be considered rajasic. To give up an object or relationship out of selfishness, or for name and fame in society, or in shame, is rajasic.
Tamasic; this renunciation is to give up without thinking, impulsively, indiscriminately, out of strong and reactive emotion, or because one is imitating another and therefore not from one's own conviction.
त्याग /tyaaga - renunciation.
From our childhood we have learned to acquire, hold on to, collect and achieve. We are respected, awarded and acknowledged for acquiring wealth, degrees and position. However, in life, we also need the ability to give up, sacrifice or renounce. Renunciation is subtler than acquisition and requires great inner strength. the attitude of renunciation is also affected by our inner quality.
Sattvic; this renunciation is the ability to give up or surrender one's life, possessions, relations or wealth for the sake of a noble cause. Moving examples of this are soldiers dying for their country, or a spiritual seeker leaving his or her home in search of Truth. Sattvic renunciation is the giving up of one's attachments to objects, actions, beings and circumstances and performing appropriate actions without any expectations or sense of 'doing'.
Rajasic; this renunciation is when giving up is extremely painful or difficult, but one is forced to do so - like giving up smoking for health reasons. Abandoning one's duties or any undertaking if it is difficult or because of obstacles is rajasic renunciation. Giving up on something because of some hurt or pain without there being extreme and mitigating circumstances is rajasic - for example divorce, unless it is due to one or other partner's life being at risk, would be considered rajasic. To give up an object or relationship out of selfishness, or for name and fame in society, or in shame, is rajasic.
Tamasic; this renunciation is to give up without thinking, impulsively, indiscriminately, out of strong and reactive emotion, or because one is imitating another and therefore not from one's own conviction.