Glossary 1

Tamas is the lowest of the three Gunas (qualities - Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas). Tamas is a force which promotes darkness, dissolution, death, destruction, ignorance, sloth, and resistance.

Tattva is a Sanskrit word meaning 'thatness', 'principle', 'reality' or 'truth'. According to various Indian schools of philosophy, a tattva (or tattwa) is an element or aspect of reality. In some traditions, they are conceived as an aspect of deity. Although the number of tattvas varies depending on the philosophical school, together they are thought to form the basis of all our experience. Typically, the five tattvas (elements) depicted in the picture below are as follows: Akasha (Spirit or Space) - black oval symbol Vayu (Air) - blue circle symbol Tejas (Fire) - red triangle symbol Apas (Water) - white moon symbol Prithvi (Earth) - yellow square symbol

Grandfather; colloquial: Grandpa.

Thayumanavar or Tayumanavar, Tamil: தாயுமானவர் (1705–1742), pronounced Thāyum-ānavar, is one of the spiritual giants and a Tamil philosopher from Tamil Nadu, India. Thayumanavar's key teaching is to discipline the mind, control desires and meditate peacefully. He went on to say that "it is easy to control an elephant, catch hold of the tiger's tail, grab the snake and dance, dictate the angels, transmigrate into another body, walk on water or sit on the sea; but it is more difficult to control the mind and remain quiet".

Turiya is the background that underlies and transcends the three common states of consciousness of waking consciousness, dreaming, and dreamless sleep.

Giving up unselfishly. Renunciation. Willingness to give up things. Willingness to give things to others unconditionally..