wardens, and they would conduct themselves in accordance with their roles. After four days the experiment had to be stopped, although it had originally been intended to last for one week. The students in the prisoner group were starting to manifest signs of severe depression and other modes of behaviour similar to real prisoners. Those who were wardens became more aggressive and rude toward the prisoners, although they were friends in real life. One student warden even became physically violent. They had become completely immersed in the mood of prison life.
Even actors who play angry characters become angrier. There are also examples of actors becoming more harmonious and wise after playing the role of a saint. The lives of contemporary actors are often tragic as they rarely play roles of balanced, spiritually advanced people.
On a larger scale, life is a big theatre where we play defined roles, and how we play determines the role we take in our next life. Although we are eternal spirits, because we are embodied in this world, we play specific roles – men, women, French, Jewish, German, Ukrainian, engineer, teacher, boss, etc. It is interesting – we write our own life story, consciously or unconsciously creating the paradigms which govern how we think and behave. The more ignorance is in our life, the more darkness and misfortune there will be. On the other hand, the more goodness, the more light and happiness we will experience; we will be more aware, our lives will be interesting and full of possibilities.
Would you like to play the role of a person who is angry, unhappy, bored, constantly criticizing others and demanding of everyone and everything? Why do we choose such roles?
Association must be Chosen
We need to choose consciously what roles to play and who to associate with. We have already been given some roles in this life; usually we cannot change our nationality, parents, relatives, or radically change the size of the body. But even within these limitations there is a wide range of possibilities and choices. If we want to understand who we are, we must look at the people with whom we spend most of our time and have the closest relationships.
Ayurvedic psychology states that correct relationships are the basis of our psychological wellbeing. It is important to be surrounded by harmonious people who assist us in our progress, bring emotional equilibrium and help to preserve our peace of mind. It is equally essential to avoid those who destroy our nervous system, cause degradation and reduce our mental composure.
We should associate with such people only if and when they are willing to listen to our advice and are ready to make changes in their lives; otherwise, we should just pray for them and wish them well.
Regular association with people who encourage harmonious growth and love is more therapeutic and valuable than visiting a doctor. Even the mere presence of a wise person cools and calms the mind.
By thinking of someone we absorb their energy. This is why Eastern philosophy and psychology says, “Think of God, think of saints, and contemplate what the Holy Scriptures and enlightened personalities say”. These things will influence us with pure sattva – the transcendental stage.
Chapter 8
Philosophy – the Basis of Psychology
How the Living Entity Descends To This World
We will now discuss how the jiva (Sanskrit – living entity) descends to this material world and how it can become entangled there. We consider the gunas in terms of psychology because it can help us to develop proper personalities. At the present moment, the main problem of our civilisation is that the two gunas, rajas and tamas (passion and ignorance), have thoroughly penetrated the consciousness of many people. As a result, there is often no point trying to help someone if they have not been purified.
This table clearly shows how the jiva (living entity) descends to this world.
We are part and parcel of God, a spiritual substance which is united with Him.
Initially living existence was situated in the spiritual world (in Christianity it is referred to as the Kingdom of God) – a place that is unrelated to materialism and where everyone is aware of their Union with God and full of eternity, knowledge and bliss. But living existence somehow (we will not now proceed to discuss this theosophical moment) falls into some kind of stew of material energy. This is the mahat-tattva – the great material energy which consists of the three gunas of material nature.
When the soul descends from the spiritual world, this first embodiment carries the energy of the transcendental world.
But regardless of which part of the material world we are born into, we have a body and begin to associate with others. Then the next step is to identify ourselves with the surroundings – “Now I am in this world. I am such and such, I am a yogi, I am a sage, I am small, I am great, I relate to this family or tribe; others have such qualities…” This is the beginning of self-identification with matter. Firstly the gunas penetrate the intellect and then these conditioning develops.
Degradation of the Intellect
At the first stage, the intellect understands that the soul is eternal, that one needs to live in a loving relationship with God. But the intellect becomes slightly contaminated and then ahankara appears (Sanskrit – “false ego”). With the appearance of false ego, we begin to identify ourselves with something that is not our true self: with the body, subtle body, intellect and mind.
First of all we begin to identify ourselves with the senses and mind. Despite the mind initially being in goodness, it becomes contaminated through passion and begins to plan for sensual gratification. It overflows with passion and loses control over the senses, instead coming under their influence. Then the mind becomes engaged in material activity, despite seeing that this does not give satisfaction. Despite the mind being initially sattvic and mellow – for example, if we perform meditation and remain free of any attachments, then our mind is peaceful and happy – when the energy of the false ego is in effect, the mind becomes impassioned.
In this world there is always someone who is higher or lower than us. For example, our neighbour’s house may be better than ours, so we also begin to want one that is at least as good. When our mind becomes absorbed in mediating on satisfying our senses, it becomes incredibly powerful, even more powerful than our intelligence. As a result, it can engage the weakened intelligence in fulfilling our desires for gratification of the senses. Then the intellect also begins looking for different ways to satisfy the senses. If our intellect is developed, then it can plan many and varied forms to this end. In modern society, many possibilities have been developed for sense enjoyment.
The gunas (mainly, passion and ignorance) influence the mind and intellect through the sense objects – and the mind becomes infuriated because it cannot be completely satisfied with sense enjoyments. As a result the mind becomes more and more agitated. Have you ever seen a person walking the streets of New York or Moscow that is satisfied and peaceful? In large cities, the energy of passion is so strong that just by being there we will eventually start acting more passionately, we will begin to bustle around after only a short while of simply strolling calmly and peacefully. Cities are mostly absent of sattva, with only ignorance and passion. Goodness is found in more natural surroundings.
An Agitated Mind Loses Control of the Senses
By coming into contact with advertisements or something that attracts the senses, or by simply living in a modern metropolis, the mind becomes infuriated and wants countless things. Even if we live peacefully in the countryside, as soon as we come to the city, a desire to buy some object arises, then another, and another.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную