Namaste,
There are many ways to increase sattva Guna. It all depends upon your current mindset, situation, nature and path which you are following.
I would be sharing some views, keeping mind mind that you are following bhakti.
People always try to work on bad nature than to increase the potency or enhancing good qualities. Transformation can only be done by God and Guru. To transform yourself alone is very difficult.
See there are 2 lines parallel to each other. One big and one short. To increase the smaller line (of good qualities), you do not need to make first line short. Just extend the second line.
Do not give importance to negative qualities. e.g. If you have anger, do not vent it out. Just let go. If you want to live a spiritual life, then God will hammer and give repeated blows to your ego, for your good, so that you can bend in front of God and be receptive to teachings of guru and God in an unbiased way.
situations come and go, you cannot avoid them, like Arjun, you will have to face them when to run away. Mind and ego will give 100 explanations, as in case of Arjun, that it is better to be a saint then to fight. These type of things are said without maturity. The actual nature is to fight. Had there been no relatives, but shroud enemies, then Arjun would have slaughtered them without mercy for protecting his kingdom. It is his nature to fight. To curb natural instinct and to renounce your actual nature (swadharma) and to adapt a good looking but not suitable nature to you is like a clown searing a happy, smiling mask. but from within he is sad of being a clown.
So, depending upon nature, you may be aggressive. The thing is not to talk of adarsha life and qualities to live in Raam Rajya, but to proceed from where we are.
high ideas, if cannot be followed are of no use and reason for feeling of suffocation and thereby inner revolt (by mind) and thereby a reason for betraying your Guru and yourself.
There are many ways to tackle. If you do not give importance to negative qualities, but focus on positive qualities like let-go, compassion, forgiveness, then anger, irritation, etc will fade away. These are like parasites which feed of similar food. So anger needs anger energy to survive. If it does not get it, it will fade away.
control helps, but it may revolt, as the quality is temporarily subdued. Do not try to force not to be angry or do not get frustrated and ask 'nut WHY' Why am I angry??? . there is no need to get frustrated and increase another negative quality. the key is to neglect anger and focus more on positive qualities when the situation arises. this will help you to gain natural control and keep calm.
another very important thing to do is to pray to God to take away anger. Praying immediately upon realization is extremely powerful. If you sprinkle water on very hot oil, it will create sound, but if you sprinkle water on cold oil, nothing will happen. this is the reason why then situation is hot, you should apply shastras and teachings. Its like you train yourself to fight and when you are thrown into the ring, you do not fight, and close your eyes. What's the use of training when you cannot apply it. How will you test it if situation does not arise. situations will keep coming until you rise above them, by being or staying surrendered to God then to react. You should be immersed in peace and bliss.
Practically, after the incident is over, we generally realize that we have done wrong. At the time, simply pray to God to take away anger and all other negative qualities and give my all divine qualities. Pray to God that you should stay surrendered to you (God) in all conditions and to things that you wish. Let my will be one with your (god's) will.
do you meditate? chant God's name? it is the most potent way to transform yourself. Always remember that you are surrendering to God and not a human being. God is all powerful capable of doing anything and even handling you and your life.
No matter what path you follow, you have to rise above thoughts and emotions and be one with God, stay surrendered. Only god can save you. None other can. Only God can uproot all emotions and desires and thoughts. no shortcut process can up-root desires and transform your nature 'Permanently'
Another thing I do is to just be aware of breathing, or simply just be aware and the force of any thought or emotion will decrease, thereby giving you more control.
To sum up
1. Neglect negative quality and focus on enhancing positive quality
2. Pray to God daily to remove all negative quality and give divine quality, give love for God, surrender, bhakti, faith, etc.
3. Pray to God at the moment or immediately during and after incident to take away anger and or other negative qualities.
4. Be aware of yourself or be aware of breath.
5. If possible chant Gods name (Japa). Not everyone can do japa. But if you can then it will reflect your mind. It helps a lot to understand yourself and to connect with God.
6. Be humble. Mentally join your hands when talking to someone and think that same God is residing in Him. Sometimes simple do namaste mentally, no need to express your humility. This helps a lot. If you give respect to others, their approach changes. This helps one to reduce (your) Ego problems.
7. Be uncaring about the results. I do not say irresponsible. I say that you forget about your work and just let-go. Just let-go
8. If you can, take maun. Silence is Golden
9. Withdraw from situation by saying yes, yes, yes, to all that is thrown at you. When you realize that the person, relative, father, etc is just trying to convince you and will not stop will you agree with him, let him be the big brother. simply say yes. What will he do when you agree with what he is saying. He will stop. Do not literally accept. it's just to finish the chapter. Then it is upto us to to follow or not . Do not care whether you are insulted or not or you are defeated. Until you accept defeat (in your mind), you are not defeated. Let others think anything about you. You are abhakta, you are more concerned about what god thinks of you are not what world thinks about you. All greats bhakta are called 'pagal' 'mad men' with a their screws loose, but it is not the fact. Why try to disturb your hard earned state of peace and bliss, which you got after years of practice, because of just one incident? let the non-spiritual, practical person think that he is victorius. What matters to a true bhakta?
Only if he is trying to defame you, since we live in society, you should take necessary steps. After that forget and forgive. No need to talk to that person and maintain relation after you forgive, you are on your path and he is on his.
You can be angry on your child because you have to for his good, and you can get angry because you are frustrated. The first one is ok and sometimes necessary as we live in society, else in kali yuga, wise men will sell you at the rate of 12 anas (12 paisa / 12 cent ) So snake does not bite but it should make people afraid, else people will throw stones and kill it.
So you take tough stand because you have to not because you are frustrated.
It it upto you how o tackle a situation and interpret situation. Another thing is to accept things are the are.
Negative emotions are as a results of non-acceptance of unfavourable conditions. When things do not work as your your way, devil will enter into your mind. If you accept any situation or person as it is, most problems will not arise.
Where was I??
Re-summing up
1. Neglect negative quality and focus on enhancing positive quality
2. Pray to God daily to remove all negative quality and give divine quality, give love for God, surrender, bhakti, faith, etc.
3. Pray to God at the moment or immediately during and after incident to take away anger and or other negative qualities.
4. Be aware of yourself or be aware of breath.
5. If possible chant Gods name (Japa). Not everyone can do japa. But if you can then it will reflect your mind. It helps a lot to understand yourself and to connect with God.
6. Be humble. Mentally join your hands when talking to someone and think that same God is residing in Him. Sometimes simple do namaste mentally, no need to express your humility. This helps a lot. If you give respect to others, their approach changes. This helps one to reduce (your) Ego problems.
7. Be uncaring about the results. I do not say irresponsible. I say that you forget about your work and just let-go. Just let-go
8. If you can, take maun. Silence is Golden
9. Withdraw from debate and argument.
10. Accept things and person, with positive and negative qualities), 'As It Is'
11. Be humble. Mentally prostate. So not show it. Just be normal. Mind is more important then your body.
character building is also important part.
Hope this helps.
I must have been already looged out. As I will hit 'Submit Reply' button, I have to re-login. Should I get frustrated and angry to retype user name and password - Oh God ...
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