The Gunas • Yoga Philosophy Explained

When you attend a yoga class or practise yoga at home, you might notice a slowing of the breath and mind and a sense of calm settling over you . As you move through the poses and focus on your breath, or sit in the meditation, you might experience tension softening and thoughts quietening and within that stillness and silence, a sense of peace and ease emerges. What is that sensation? This sensation is the quality of sattva. Sattva is a state of balance and clarity and is one of the three Gunas, or fundamental qualities of energy that underpin all experiences, as described by yoga philosophy.

The Gunas are the subtle forces that shape not only our thoughts, moods and actions, but also the world around us. The Gunas influence the way we perceive life, how we respond to challenges, and the way energy flows in the body and mind. Every moment is coloured by the interplay of the Gunas and through yoga and meditation we learn to recognise these forces and respond to them.

In this article, I will be explaining the Gunas, or energetic forces, and how they influence our yoga practice, our minds and our experience of life.

What are the Gunas?

The Gunas are the foundational qualities of energy that influence all aspects of life. The word Guna  means "strand" or "quality" and they are said to always be present in varying proportions, shaping the mind, body, and the natural world. Everything we experience arises from the interplay of these forces. Each Guna expresses itself differently and influences are mood, actions and perceptions.

The three Gunas are:

1. Tamas: The principle of inertia.

2. Rajas: The principle of dynamism.

3. Sattva: The principle of lucidity.

1. Tamas

Tamas is associated with inertia, heaviness, and resistance. In the body, tamasic energy gives structure and stability and is found in the density of muscles, bones and flesh. Tamas relates to solidity, stability and mass and in a yoga practice, tamas grounds the feet and helps with balance and steadiness in yoga asana (or poses). When tamas predominates in the mind, we may feel lethargic, confused and weighed down and we might be consumed by self-doubt, shame and guilt. Feeling tamasic is the state of being stuck, resistant to change or blaming others for our own circumstances. At an extreme, tamas can bind us to delusion and ignorance, making it hard to clearly discern or act wisely. However, the force of tamas is also an essential part of life; tamas is essential for rest and recovery. Without the heaviness of tamas we would not be able to sleep, relax or create the space for healing within the body. Tamas is a grounding quality that gives stability and form, facilitating feeling rooted and secure. Movement and energy are key for balancing excessive tamas. Movement, shaking, walking and fun and playful activities can help to shift heaviness. Eating light foods, spending time in nature, singing and chanting as well as engaging with uplifting activities bring the vitality required to shift tamasic energy.

2. Rajas

Rajas is the quality of activity, passion and movement. Rajas is energy in motion; striving, transforming and changing. Without rajas, there would be no growth, evolution or action. In the body, rajas fuels metabolism, circulation and vitality. This force brings strength and dynamism to the nervous system. When rajasic energy dominates, the mind is restless, ambitious and driven by desires. Rajas can manifest as creativity, enthusiasm and excitement, and when in excess, as agitation, stress or narcissistic attachment. Rajas binds us to action resulting in difficulty with stopping and resting. Rajas gives us the drive to act and create. This force motivates us to get out of bed in the morning, fuels our ambitions, and motivates us to move, change and grow. Without rajas, there would be stagnation. The antidote to excess rajas is slowing down. Gentle and grounding pranayama (or breathwork), meditation and restorative yoga will help to ground agitation. By becoming aware of our drive for motion and action, we can use rajas to wisely fuel purposeful endeavours without burning the candle at both ends.

3. Sattva

Sattva is the quality of clarity, lightness and harmony. Sattva is the state of balance where the mind is calm, perception is clear and the heart is compassionate. Unlike tamas and rajas, which bind us to action or inertia, sattva reduces suffering and opens the way to freedom. Sattva brings vitality and ease and brings physical lightness, balanced energy and the absence of strain. In a yoga practice, sattva emerges as effortless movement, steady breath and a sense of integration between body and mind. In the mind, sattvic energy manifests as serenity, awareness and discernment. Sattva enables us to seek truth and peace, to act selflessly and to rest in presence. Sattva nourishes the mind and spirit with clarity, happiness and feelings of calmness. This force allows us to experience harmony within ourselves and with others and it supports deeper meditation, insight and freedom from suffering. Sattva is the quality that enables spiritual growth. You can cultivate sattva by making wholesome choices and living consciously. Eat fresh foods, spending time in nature, meditation, devotion and selfless service promote the quality of sattva.

The Gunas in Action

The Gunas are never static. At times, tamas may dominate and we feel sluggish. At other times, rajas may dominate and we feel restless. And, sometimes, sattva dominates and we may feel clarity and peace. Sattva dominates when rajas and tamas are transformed. Rajas dominates when sattva is weakened and tamas is to be overcome. Tamas dominates when both rajas and sattva are dormant. The interplay of the Gunas is a part of the rhythm of life. Instability, although uncomfortable, is fertile ground for growth. We can gain freedom when we become aware of these shifting cycles of the Gunas; we learn when to rest, when to act and when to simply be.

The Gunas in Yoga Asana

Yoga practice reveals the dance of the Gunas. At the beginning of practice, tamas may weigh heavily, making the body feel stiff or resistant. Rajas helps us push through inertia, fuelling action and engagement. Over time, the practice settles into sattva, a state of lightness, vitality, and mental clarity. Yoga practice is rarely linear. We often shift between tamas and rajas, with occasional glimpses of sattva that inspire us to continue. Good practice brings not only exertion of the body but also penetration of the mind, where true transformation occurs.

The Gunas are the subtle energies underlying everything we do, think, and experience. Each Guna plays an essential role: tamas grounds, rajas energises, and sattva illuminates. Life depends on their interplay: tamas helps us rest, rajas helps us rise and act, and sattva helps us see clearly. The practice of yoga is not about rejecting tamas or rajas, nor about clinging only to sattva, it is about recognising the dance of these forces within us, learning how to balance them, and cultivating the clarity to act with wisdom. Through yoga and meditation, we nurture sattva so that clarity and peace become more accessible. When we are not guided by the oscillations of tamas and rajas, we can approach our lives in a more intentional and balanced way. We naturally let go of things that are not good for us, we begin to align our life with our own values and we become connected to our own inner guiding essence.  

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I hope that you enjoyed learning about the yogic model of the Gunas. Explore creating the sattvic state within the Online Yoga Studio. Find out more about the Online Yoga Studio here.