My Philosophy of Life

by Mariella Silva 

This article was inspired by the book God, by Pandit Usharbudh Arya, along with numerous articles, including Chitta Prasadana: A collection of writings from Swami Veda Bharati. In particular, the translation and descriptions of sattva include wording taken directly from Swami Veda Bharati.

How lucky I am, in this particular moment, to watch the snow fall during this holiday season—and to witness an expansive blanket of purity across my view. How lucky I am that I have created times in my life where I am able to rest.

 

While contemplating purity, I notice an interruption wanting to spring forth—my mind trying to pull me somewhere else, into worry and rushing about everything I have to do today. In moments like these, it becomes essential to remember the strength of having a philosophy of life: to declare, with clarity, that we have the ability to choose—to lean toward purity. A purity that is ever-present, yet so easy to dismiss or simply not notice, both in the external world and within the mind.

 

In the yogic tradition, sattva refers to purity, tranquility, peacefulness, and illumination. We can use our inner strength and will to choose the sattvic way: sattvic thoughts, sattvic actions, and the sattvic tone in which we speak. The yogic sadhana, or spiritual practice, is to continue choosing the sattvic way consistently so that strength of character is developed, as Swami Veda states. We can observe our rajasic and tamasic tendencies—agitation, disturbance, escape, and dormancy—and still return to sattva. And without minimizing the positive qualities of rajas and tamas, which are needed for existence and experience, we can continue to bring ourselves back to the Light—Love and eternity—that lives within us. Through practice, we begin to experience the reality that we are not separated from this Light; therefore, we can touch that purity too, because we are part of that Light.

 

Having experienced that Light within us, we now do our duties and our work with devotion and focus. We take up the path of the Great Ones before us: to love the Light—God—with our mind, body, and soul, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. We begin to view ahamkara—the ego—in a different light. Instead of demonizing it, we recognize its importance in helping us navigate the world. And at the same time, we understand its tendencies: it complains, it judges, and it often views others through a distorted lens. Through practice, these tendencies can be slowly transformed into contentment, compassion, active listening, and being supportive to those who need it.

 

As we dive deeper into ourselves, we continue to grow in sattvic characteristics—so we can take on more responsibilities, more challenges, and still be able to be at peace.

 Knowing this is Yoga.