Seeker: Dear James, two years or more have passed without writing to you. Last time, in 2012, I wrote to celebrate the anniversary of February 8, 2010, when the aha moment occurred (to the apparent me) in your Vedanta class in Tiruvannamalai. Then I saw you for a short while on February 8, 2013, as I spent only two days in Tiru that year. As I follow you on ShiningWorld website I feel we have contact all the time, so I know about your operation and moving to US and I am happy that you are well.

These four years after self-realization I have spent in the process of self-actualization and I am doing well. All questions that may arise are answered either from within (through constant inquiry) or in the e-satsangs I am continuously reading. I want to express, to you and Sundari, my admiration for and appreciation of the love, compassion and patience in all your answers to seekers’ questions.

As I told you before I have a very quiet and peaceful life with flow and small miracles every so often. My nature is devotional so I spend time morning and evening in worship and gratitude. The bliss of the self is present no matter what happens.

I don’t have a question regarding Vedanta this time, I only want to tell you that I am looking forward to read Sundari’s coming book about the gunas (I hope I got that right, that she is working on a book on this subject). I think I have understood the guna teaching but only recently I saw a little bit more of the role of tamas in my life. You told me my mind is sattvic; okay, very good, who wants tamas? But this year I have had some weeks now and then when my body didn’t fall asleep immediately when it reached the bed. The body was tired, the mind was silent and at peace but it took hours for sleep to come. Then I remembered that you said once that without tamas we would not be able to sleep. And today I got it confirmed in one of the e-satsangs. A woman with insomnia got the advice from you and Sundari to balance the gunas by becoming more tamasic, i.e. eating some heavier food. I will try that too. Normally I eat very little, only a tiny salad without bread in the evening and go to bed on an empty stomach (not feeling hungry though). At lunch I can have fish or egg and vegetables, perhaps it is not enough to make me more tamasic. I am 76 and have a short and tiny body. In Ayurveda it is said that vata increases with age and perhaps more so if you tend to be very sattvic (the least, that’s my assumption).

So more counseling on balancing the gunas is appreciated, either in the new book or as an answer to this email.

Thank you so much for being a great teacher.

James: Lovely to hear from you! I will never forget your aha moment, nor will the many people in that satsang in Tiruvannamalai at the foot of the holy mountain Arunachala. I am so happy that self-actualization is proceeding nicely. It is inevitable when you really understand. I knew immediately that your seeking was over and that your life would increase in holiness and bliss.

Yes, we still intend to write the book on the gunas but ShiningWorld has become so successful that it is still on the back burner.

It is hard to get tamasic when you are so sattvic. Probably the small dietary changes will not work. You will just have to experiment. Sleep is often a problem for self-actualized people because they virtually have no vices. The mind sits still and reflects the light of awareness and does not want to sleep. I am lucky in that I have a fair degree of tamas and tend to sleep like a baby.

In any case, I think of you fondly and often, and this email is a great treat. I am sorry for the tardy reply but I just can’t keep up with the emails these days. Your appreciation is much appreciated. Really, you should thank yourself because you stuck with your spiritual vasana through thick and thin and were rewarded by Isvara with this great knowledge. Still, appreciation is much appreciated. Take care of yourself.

~ Much love, James