If you’re curious about yogic philosophy and how it can broaden your perspective and impact your well-being, there’s possibly no better place to start than with the three gunas.

This concept, which appears in the Bhagavad Gita as well as other Hindu texts, is part of our subtle anatomy, or the energetic body that’s beyond what the eye can see. Through understanding the gunas, we can better understand our own inner landscape and the forces at play in the universe.

What Are the Gunas?

Guna is a Sanskrit word that has been translated in many ways, most commonly as quality, attribute, tendency, or element. According to yogic philosophy, all of life is composed of the three gunas: tamas (inertia or ignorance), rajas (energy or vitality), and sattva (clarity or harmony). A combination of the three attributes makes up our thoughts, actions, personalities, even the foods we eat.

Like the chakras, the three gunas are always present and exist in all people. Each person has a natural tendency toward one of the three, but they are constantly shifting in relation to one another. We need all three of them, but a goal of the yogic path is to cultivate sattva while maintaining the ideal gunic balance.

What is Tamas?

Tamas is a state of inertia, ignorance, and darkness, and is associated with sadness, lethargy, and delusion. People who often feel tired, have a hard time getting out of bed, lack enthusiasm, or experience depression or addiction are said to be dominant in tamas. On a more subtle level, people dominated by tamas may be deluded or ignorant of spiritual truth and unable to discover their true higher self.

Tamas is often dismissed as the “bad” guna, and it certainly has many undesirable characteristics. But it’s also the guna most associated with mass and physicality; it has even been translated as “matter.” Tamas is solid and stable, and it’s what gives us a sturdy foundation.

What is Rajas?

Sometimes considered the opposite of tamas, rajas is a state of energy, activity, and vitality. Rajas is the tendency that allows for action, change, and passion. At the same time – and especially when in excess – rajas is associated with anger, euphoria, and obsession.

People who tend to work too much, exercise too hard, or take on too many responsibilities may be dominated by rajas. Rajasic dominance can also manifest as anxiety, extreme ambition, and strong emotional responses. Those with an excess of rajas may need to nurture the stillness of tamas to moderate their passion and energy.

The passion and determination of rajas can lead to accomplishment and success, but they also tend to create attachment, binding us to our beliefs and to the fruits of our effort. This attachment is ultimately a cause of suffering, and it stands in the way of spiritual growth.

What is Sattva?

How sattva relates to tamas and rajas depends on who you ask. Some think of sattva as the state of perfect balance between tamas and rajas, while others consider it to be the opposite of tamas, with rajas as a stepping stone in between. Other yogis see it as a higher state that transcends the lower two gunas entirely. In any case, cultivating sattva is often considered the goal of the yoga practice.

Sattva is associated with harmony, balance, clarity, bliss, peace, freedom, and light. It is the state of sattva that makes liberation possible. The presence of sattva reduces both the darkness of tamas and the energy of rajas, creating a state that is steadier and less reactive.

Analogies of the Three Gunas

If you’re new to studying the subtle body, concepts like the gunas can feel extremely abstract. It can be helpful to use some analogies and symbols to understand how the three gunas relate to each other.

Tamas is thought of as a downward flow of energy and represented by the exhalation. Meanwhile, rajas is thought of as an expansion of energy and represented by the inhalation. And sattva is the upward flow of energy and the space in between the exhale and the inhale.

Similarly, we think of tamas as relating to the past, rajas to the future, and sattva to the present. Some associate tamas with the body, rajas with the mind, and sattva with the spirit. Tamas is also depicted as black, rajas as color, and sattva as white.

Balancing the Three Gunas

Cultivating sattva and reducing the presence of tamas and rajas is a broad goal of yoga, but it’s not quite that simple. We need all three of the gunas, not just sattva. Instead of trying to be only sattvic, we must accept the presence of all three and work to bring them into balance.

Finding gunic balance requires practicing moderation and discernment – for example, not oversleeping or being inactive, but also not overworking or overthinking. It also means honoring the season, our cycles, societal circumstances, and our own daily mood and energy level.

For most of us, eating a diet of fresh and nourishing sattvic foods and practicing asana, breath work, and meditation will move us toward the ideal balance. You may also benefit from making changes to your environment, work, relationships, and daily activities. But, it’s essential to find the right foods and practices that balance your specific tendencies.

How Personal Coaching Can Help

Even if you understand what the gunas are, it can be difficult to apply this understanding to your own life. The work of balancing the gunas will look different for each person, depending on your specific personality, lifestyle, and tendencies. That’s where working with a teacher or coach can help.

A knowledgeable guide can help you understand your personal constitution. You’ll see which of the gunas you’re dominant in and how it manifests. This personalized approach will help you learn the appropriate foods, practices, and lifestyle changes to help you cultivate sattva while balancing the gunas in a way that’s right for you.

Do you want to learn more about how the Moksha coaching program can support your personal growth? Book your free consultation call now!