3 Gunas and Yoga

Understanding the ancient Vedic (Indian) view of the world and how it works is important in understanding yoga philosophy and what the various practices of yoga are trying to accomplish. From the Vedic perspective, all of material nature (Prakriti) is thought to be made up of three primary qualities or “gunas.” These three gunas make up the essential aspects of all nature—energy, matter and consciousness.

These qualities of nature, or gunas, are:

Sattva -  the power of harmony, balance, light and intelligence; higher spiritual potential.


Rajas - the power of energy, action, change and movement. 


Tamas - the power of darkness, inertia, form and materiality

Now it can take a bit of contemplating to understand what these “qualities of nature” are and how they are relevant to our lives and our sadhana (yogic practice). Perhaps the simplest way for us to understand the gunas is that matter is tamas, energy is rajas and light is sattva.  These qualities are described as the main components or elements of our physical universe.

The Earth Element is the realm of tamas or darkness, of physical matter. 

The Fire Element is the realm rajas, of action and change, symbolized by storms with their process of lightning, thunder and rain. It indicates energy or subtle matter on all levels.

The Air Element is the realm of sattva, of harmony and light. It indicates light as a universal principle that is the origin of all matter and energy. The entire universe is thought to consist of light that moves in the form of energy and condenses into physical matter.

So how does this relate to us as people? On a macro level, from a Vedic perspective, the universe and all of nature is inextricably linked to the gunas and are formed from them. On a personal level, these same qualities and processes are at work within each of us. Both our bodies and our minds are subject to the ebb and flow of the gunas within us. Each of us is thought to have an intrinsic mix of these qualities (called doshas). It is the aim of yoga practice, in all its various forms, to bring into balance our individual mix or the three qualities of sattva, rajas and tamas. Yoga of course favors the cultivation of sattva, the guna of higher consciousness, yet all three gunas must be considered and brought into balance in both the mind and body.

 A teacher of mine once aptly compared the body of a yogi to a clear, running stream. When we regularly practice asana, meditation and pranayama, (breath techniques) all the systems and functions of the body line up in an optimal flow of energy. In other words, the gunas are in balance and everything begins to work well and we start to feel the radiant, vibrant health that is our birthright. Our usual aches and pains disappear, we begin to feel naturally more flexible and strong, our sleep and digestion improve and we may sense a serene calmness or peacefulness of heart and mind. The over all “tone” of our being feels more exuberant and at the same time grounded and steady. The aging process becomes one of continual growth and discovery rather than a falling apart. A feeling of being more connected to ourselves and to others may develop, and we may begin to see the world and how we live in it in a kinder, more gentle way. Yoga, in all of it's forms, is about brining the various aspects of our self into balanced harmony. The result is that we tap into a higher, clearer energy positively affecting all aspects of our health and well-being.

Recommended sources:
The most relevant classic source for yogis may be from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Yogi Swatmarama. There in verse six, the gunas are mentioned in relation to hatha yoga practice. (I like Swami Muktibodhananda’s translation).
The Bhagavad Gita speaks of the gunas in detail in Chapter 14. This chapter reflects much older, established Vedic teachings. It’s a short chapter and gives good overview and context. (I like Eknath Easwaran’s translation).
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali – Again, this text reiterates teachings from the much older Vedic texts such as the Upanishads. The gunas are mentioned in sutra 17, 18, 19 in chapter one and again in chapter four, sutras 13, 32, 34. None of these are especially definitive but only reference information Patanjali expects the reader to be already familiar with.
For an Ayurvedic perspective on yoga and the gunas, see David Frawley’s book Yoga & Ayurveda and Ayurveda and the Mind
Also see Robert Svoboda’s book Ayurveda.

Comments

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[Yogi Satyanaryan]

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