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The 3 Gunas of Nature
In the philosophy of Yoga, all matter in the universe arises from
the fundamental substrate called Prakriti. From this ethereal
Prakriti the three primary gunas (qualities) emerge creating the
essential aspects of all nature—energy, matter and consciousness.
These three gunas are tamas (darkness), rajas (activity), and sattva
(beingness).
All three gunas are always present in all beings and objects
surrounding us but vary in their relative amounts. We humans have
the unique ability to consciously alter the levels of the gunas in
our bodies and minds. The gunas cannot be separated or removed in
oneself, but can be consciously acted upon to encourage their
increase or decrease. A guna can be increased or decreased through
the interaction and influence of external objects, lifestyle
practices and thoughts.
Tamas is a state of darkness, inertia, inactivity and materiality.
Tamas manifests from ignorance and deludes all beings from their
spiritual truths. To reduce tamas avoid tamasic foods, over
sleeping, over eating, inactivity, passivity and fearful situations.
Tamasic foods include heavy meats, and foods that are spoiled,
chemically treated, processed or refined.
Rajas is a state of energy, action, change and movement. The nature
of rajas is of attraction, longing and attachment and rajas strongly
binds us to the fruits of our work. To reduce rajas avoid rajasic
foods, over exercising, over work, loud music, excessive thinking
and consuming excessive material goods. Rajasic foods include fried
foods, spicy foods, and stimulants.
Sattva is a state of harmony, balance, joy and intelligence. Sattva
is the guna that yogi/nis achive towards as it reduces rajas and
tamas and thus makes liberation possible. To increase sattva reduce
both rajas and tamas, eat sattvic foods and enjoy activities and
environments that produce joy and positive thoughts. Sattvic foods
include whole grains and legumes and fresh fruits and vegetables
that grow above the ground. All of the yogic practices were
developed to create sattva in the mind and body. Thus, practicing
yoga and leading a yogic lifestyle strongly cultivates sattva.
The mind’s psychological qualities are highly unstable and can
quickly fluxuate between the different gunas. The predominate guna
of the mind acts as a lens that effects our perceptions and
perspective of the world around us. Thus, if the mind is in rajas it
will experience world events as chaotic, confusing and demanding and
it will react to these events in a rajasic way.
All gunas create attachment and thus bind one’s self to the ego.
“When one rises above the three gunas that originate in the body;
one is freed from birth, old age, disease, and death; and attains
enlightenment” (Bhagavad Gita 14.20). While the yogi/nis goal is to
cultivate sattva, his/her ultimate goal is to transcend their
misidentification of the self with the gunas and to be unattached to
both the good and the bad, the positive and negative qualities of
all life.
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