Light on Life: The Yoga Journey to Wholeness, Inner Peace, and Ultimate Freedom

But once there is movement and then momentum, penetration can
start. When effort becomes effortless, asana is at its highest level. In­
evitably this is a slow process, and if we break off our practice, inertia
reasserts itself. What we are really doing is infusing dense matter with
vibrant energy. That is why good practice brings a feeling of lightness
and vitality. Though the mass of our body is heavy, we are meant to
tread lightly on this earth.
We must be clear that the key issue is one of appropriate propor­
tion and balance in the guna according to the material phenomenon in­
volved. For example, it is appropriate for a table to be very tamasic. If
we want it to be more rajasic, we add wheels and call it a trolley.
Tamas gives density and mass, and when these qualities exceed our
needs, we call it dullness and inertia. An inert mass is one that we
cannot energize with rajas.
The negative aspect of rajas is turbulent, frenetic, and agitated. We
want a quick mind, not an agitated one. We also want a calm, clear
mind, which brings us to sattva. These words express a value, rather
than an explicit reality. The truth is that we experience too little of
sattva to know it well. The solidity of tamas and the eye-drawing
movement of rajas eclipse our view. In a world of objects and sensory
excitement, tamas and rajas reign. But if you can come to yoga with a
wish to learn how truly to relax and yet remain alert, you are really
saying that you would like sattva to play a more prominent role in
your life. We use the word luminosity, which is the inner, serene quality
of light, to describe sattva. It is that quality we are trying to elevate and
integrate within us. Luminosity is clear, alert, and tranquil.
The interplay of these three guna forces is of crucial importance in
your yoga practice. You have to learn to identify and observe them in
order to be able to adjust and balance their proportions and as you
penetrate inward, bring the beauty of sattva to the surface. You are like
an artist with three basic pigments on his palette, forever remixing and
blending them in order to express the right combination of color, form,