The Gunas Chart
The yoga tradition tells us that prakriti is an intermingling of three entities, or gunas, that are constantly shifting in relation and proportion to one another. They have differing qualities, and their activities either conceal or reveal the presence of purusha, which is the observer of their movements.
| Sattva | Rajas | Tamas | ||||
| Key Features | light, upward moving, pure, transparent, inspiring, warm | active, moving, agitated, restless, throbbing | dark, heavy, inert, downward-moving, opaque | |||
| Mind | clear, content, inspired to spiritual pursuits, concentrated, accepting | flooded with thoughts, excited, hyperactive, nervous, wordly | unclear, heavy with depression, hopeless, no inspiration, dull | |||
| Emotions | faith, devotion, peace, humility, contentment, cheerfulness, detachment, yearning for liberation, love | desire, anger, greed, hypocrisy, arrogance, jealousy, egoism, envy, ambition, competitiveness, expectation | sadness, lack of enthusiasm, stubbornness, clinging, apathy, hopeless, dejection | |||
| Energy | light, joyful, supple | energetic but restless | dull, heavy, listless | |||
| Body | energetic, light, and composed | unsteady, too active | heavy, stiff, immobile | |||
| Food | light, fresh, easily digested, neither under- or overcooked, calming | strong taste, heavily spiced, pungent, overly salted, disturbs sleep, causes dreams | stale, heavy, full of additives/preservatives, overly sweet, induces sleep, overcooked | |||
| Attached to | knowledge and happiness | action | negligence, sloth, and sleep | |||
| Works | without desire for fruit according to scriptures, faith in duty, happy | seeking fruit, hypocritical, ostentatious, anxious/stressed | with foolish obstinacy, fails to observe scriptures or right practice, without faith | |||
| Environment | clean, fresh, quiet, peaceful, harmonious, cooperative, green, uncongested | conflicted energies, exciting, busy, plays music constantly, argumentative | dull, dark, stale, unclean, congested with old ideas, depressing, slothful | |||
| Understanding | knows virtue | unclear virtue/vice | obscured thinking |
About the Teacher
