According to yoga philosophy and Ayurveda, all of nature, including body and mind, is made of three qualities or gunas. All three are always present, but in changing proportions.
Sattva: light and harmony
The quality of clarity, calm, serene joy and goodness. When sattva predominates, we feel light, present and open. Yoga practice seeks to cultivate it.
Rajas: movement and passion
The energy of action, desire and ambition. We need it to move and create, but in excess it brings restlessness, anxiety and scatter.
Tamas: inertia and heaviness
The quality of stability and rest, necessary for sleep and grounding. When it dominates, laziness, confusion and sadness appear.
In daily life
- If you feel agitated (rajas), slow practice, long breaths and relaxation will bring you back to balance.
- If you feel heavy (tamas), a more dynamic practice, sun salutations or kapalabhati will wake you up.
- Fresh food, time in nature, silence and service nourish sattva.
Noticing which guna dominates each day is a simple tool for choosing what you need.
