Sometimes anything negative, be it a complaint or an argument, has hardly any effect on you. And at other times, even a constructive criticism can blow things out of proportion. Have you ever wondered about this?
No, it’s not the effect of the movie you just watched or the shopping expedition that didn’t quite work out. It’s just the mind.
And if you were to go the Ayurvedic way – it’s just a play of energy in us.
We are happy and calm if the energy in us is high and positive. And experience lows, if the energy within plummet.
The good news: the play of energies is temporary and we can, certainly, up the levels. Meditation is a crucial factor here. Very often, conversations can steer towards, “do you know any meditation for positive energy?” Or even, “how do we get rid of negative energy?” The more regular we are in our meditation practice, the more positive energy we gain.
How does meditation work?
Meditation works on many levels:
- Meditation relaxes the body: Some changes happen at the physiological and emotional levels. Metabolism slows down during meditation, providing the much-needed rest to the various organs in the body. This brings in strength and rejuvenates the body.
- Makes the mind feel calm and energetic: Meditation is like vacuum cleaning the mind, mental hygiene. The impressions in the mind are erased, freeing it from unwanted emotional baggage.
- Creates a shift in consciousness: Meditation cultivates a sense of higher awareness. It creates a shift in consciousness, makes you more aware of our connection as human beings. It makes you aware of the highest reality that we are all one.
A healthy body and a happy mind increase the levels of positive energy. Hence meditating every day is highly recommended. You can choose from these online meditations.
The Ayurvedic way
By increasing energy levels, meditation increases the level of sattva in an individual.
According to Ayurveda, there are three gunas in every person:
- Rajo guna: It is the quality which is responsible for activity in the body and mind. We cannot ‘act’ without a certain level of rajas.
- Tamo guna: Responsible for rest in the body and mind. Without a certain level of tamas, one cannot ‘sleep.’ However, when Tamas is not in balance, that is when delusion, wrong understanding, dullness, etc., come forth.
- Sattogun: Sattva is the quality which is responsible for clarity, wisdom and righteous action. When sattva is dominating in our environment, or in the body, that is when we feel light, happy, pleasant, joyful, alert, awake with clearer perceptions are clear.
Why is the play of energies important for us?
| Positive energy | Lack of positive energy |
| Being cheerfulBeing grateful and appreciativeKeeping the self and others around happyBeing enthusiasticBeing centeredHaving better awarenessBeing confident | Tendency to complain constantlyIndulging in self-blame & blaming othersChronic anxiety or worryBeing fearfulGet angry easilyDepressing outlook on life in generalHabitual procrastination |
Enhance your sattva quotient
- Eat right: The food we consume has an impact on the three gunas in us and their domination. For example, foods like the green vegetables, fresh fruits are light, easily digestible and hence are sattvic. Foods that have sugar like sweets, sour and spicy stuff like pickles induce rajasic quality. Non-vegetarian food, fried food, and frozen substances produce tamasic nature.
- Breath well: It is a well-known fact that 90 percent of our nutrition comes from oxygen while food and water constitute the remaining 10 percent. Pranayams enhance our lung capacity, increasing the sattva levels. The Sudarshan Kriya, a powerful breathing technique taught in the Art of Living Happiness program, also harmonizes the body, breath and the mind.
- Meditate: Sattva increases as your meditation gets deeper and vice-versa. Meditation is the simplest and most effective practice. Know more how to deepen your meditation here.
So the next time, just pause when you’re feeling low. There’s nothing that a short meditation session can’t help with. When you make meditation a regular practice, the reason for doing the practise starts fading away. ‘Meditation for positive energy’ or ‘meditation for clearing negativity’ will simply become ‘meditation, because I like it.” And perhaps that’s the best reason for all.
Based on the inputs of Dr. Prema Sheshadri, Faculty of The Art of Living
