Balancing the Three Gunas
We need Tamas for deep rest (Savasana), stability in a pose, and the ability to be still.
We need Rajas for the motivation to get on the mat, the strength to hold a challenging pose, and the heat to make the body pliable.
The aim of asana practice is to consciously manage of these energies:
Use Rajas to overcome Tamas (find the drive to practice).
Use Sattva to temper Rajas (to guide the drive into mindful action instead of frantic striving).
Use Sattvic awareness to know when to invoke Tamas for rest and integration.
In yoga, the “Three Gunas" can be understood as fundamental energetic forces that shape both our psychology and behaviour.
Satva : Mental Clarity and Focus; Mindfulness and Presence.
Rajas : Motivation and Drive; Stress and Anxiety
Tamas : Lethargy and Procrastination; Depression and Low Mood
The goal in asana practice is not to eliminate Rajas and Tamas, but to cultivate Sattva to achieve balance.
A pose like Thread the Needle (Parsva Balasana) can hold all three qualities at once:
Tamas: the heaviness of the shoulder melting into the floor, the grounding of the torso, the stillness that allows release.
Rajas: the initial action of reaching the arm under, the spiral of the torso, the engagement needed to maintain stability.
Sattva: the awareness that holds it together—breath guiding the release, attention observing the stretch, clarity in noticing when to deepen or when to ease off.
This pose demonstrates that Gunas aren’t always separate, they often co-exist dynamically in a single moment or posture. What shifts is which one dominates.
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