During a recent class at Yoga Circle my instructor, Bob Whittinghill, presented a philosophical concept that was brand new to me and made quite an impression: the three gunas. As is often the case when I’m inspired by an idea, I unwittingly expand the scope of its meaning, as if I’m viewing the abstract notion through a wide-angle lens… Indeed, in Bob’s explanation of the three gunas, I immediately sensed a practical application for daily life beyond bringing depth to my yoga practice: The three gunas could also bring balance to my everyday thoughts and actions! Such balance in one’s life, I believe, benefits us all, yogis and non-yogis alike.

Bob, responsive and articulate as ever, was pleased to answer my questions:

What is a guna?

According to Hindu philosophy, the entire cosmos, including man and consciousness, are emanations of cosmic matter, called prakrti. These emanations manifest through the predominance of or combination between three different qualities or attributes, called the gunas. The gunas are:

1) Sattva: the quality of luminosity, clarity, serenity

2) Rajas: the attribute of mobility, activity

3) Tamas: the characteristic of inertia, gravity, stability

I find Parivrtta Trikonasa, Revolved Triangle, to be one of the more challenging standing asanas. Can you point out how/where in the pose each of the three gunas should prevail?

Bob demonstrates Parivrtta Trikonasana

As with all of the standing poses, one’s legs should provide a stable and steady base, firm with the earth element and the gravity of tamas. Passion, the fire element, should prevail in the revolving movements of the torso, reflecting the constructive qualities, the mobility of rajas. The face, eyes, tongue and brain emanate the clarity, ease, nobility of sattva.

Often, a beginning student will be light in the legs and heavy in the head. Regular practice of the asanas should cultivate the reversal of this tendency, and others like it, so that the gunas can be properly expressed within the asanas.

How does a yoga practitioner learn to balance the three gunas?

Through the rigors of self-study and practice, the yoga practitioner learns which thoughts and actions are prompted by tamas, and which by rajas, and works with unceasing effort to achieve a sattvic frame of mind. Within the context of asana practice, the yogi should observe that the qualities of tamas and rajas find appropriate expression.

While the attribute of tamas, or gravity, can lead to physical inertia or mental torpor, it can and should be expressed constructively as a firm foundation, or gravity, in the asanas; for example, steadiness and stability in the legs when practicing standing poses, as illustrated in the photo.

Similarly, rajas, unchecked and unbalanced, can promote greed, pride, ambition in the ego—but has a rightful place in the practice of postures. Constructively, rajas can fuel the fires and efforts to maintain a zealous pursuit of yogic practices. As well, the mobility provided by this second guna allows for correct and appropriate movement within the poses.

The ultimate goal of the yogi is to be free from the pull of the gunas, transcending these qualities through the rigorous discipline of practice and self-study.