They are our hidden resource and treasure, as well as challenge.
Everything in prakruti (nature) is constituted of each of these categories. The gunas and prakruti are dependent on each other and thus, one cannot exist without the presence of all other components. The combination of these three gunas is thought to make up the characteristics of all beings. They make up prakruti similar to the way the three primary colors are able to make up the colors of the entire spectrum.
The Gods who symbolize these gunas are Vishnu the sustaining force, Brahma the creative force, and Shiva, the destroyer.
Vishnu presides over the Sattva Guna, Brahma presides over the Rajo Guna and Shiva lords over the Tamo Guna.
Sattva is pure intelligence with no polarity, it is symbolized by the color white - literally means “true essence.” It represents qualities like strength of character, wisdom, and brilliance. When we want to be healed on every level of our being, the desire is realized through sattvic awareness. Sattva activities allow the mind to be still and move towards a state of balance or equilibrium. If we bring forward more sattvic qualities of mind, we’re more likely to respond with love, compassion, wisdom, open curiousity.
Rajas is for fiery transmutation, passion, and attachment, for this it is considered Red. If you are in a rajasic state of mind, you could be fiery and passionate, get infuriated over injustice, speak out loudly for your truth.
Tamas for darkness, rest, sleep, inertia and ignorance (literally being in the dark, not knowing) is the color, Black.
The three Gunas are ever in dynamic interaction with each other, one gaining dominance and then receding, collapsing into each other, always maintaining the overall balance.
Tamas - The Serenity. It signifies Illusion, ignorance, mental dullness, laziness, greed, confusion, attachment, and heaviness.
Rajas - Courage. It signifies desire, fear, depression, and anxiety, selfish, excited, workaholic, ambitious, chaos, restlessness and angry.
Sattva - Wisdom. It signifies happiness, wisdom, spiritually connected, compassionate, lightness in body & mind, self-control, concentrated, gratitude and selflessness.
Most importantly, these Gunas effect our mental health and our outward personalities.
Sattva is perfection, Rajas is angry, hateful at times, but passionate, searching, and selfish, and Tamas is something to avoid at all costs because of it's darkness, ignorance, destruction, chaos and the horrific aspects.
Tamas does have a very important function in bringing us serenity which transmuted into the yogic consciousness it is essential at balancing the firey eruptions of things hidden in Tarpaka kapha (unconscious/subconscious mind). For those who are suffering with Trauma of any category, it can give them the endurance, we need to see life through all its ups and downs. Rajas, is not only passion, rage, and mania. Rajas gives us the momentum to change, to break free from oppression both self-imposed and external. It gives us a taste for adventure and the strength to love and protect the people we care about. Sattva then retains its ‘jewel’ like status in that it embodies the wisdom to harmonize the other two gunas.
If we observe the Universe carefully we will see the gunas in action all around us, the creation, sustaining, and the dissolution of all things living and nonliving, relationships, dreams, activities, everything rises, plays its life out and then dissolves.
Based on the Samkhya philosophy, the gunas arose as the unmanifest turned to the manifest, and consciousness split into two, ego and intellect of all conscious beings.
Sattva and Rajas guna created the sensory and motor organs called the Indriyas of the living beings.
Vata and Mahagunas
Sattvic Vata – inspired, enthusiastic, healer.
Rajasic Vata – fearful, anxious, worrisome, over-reactive, ungrounded
Tamasic Vata – paranoid, pyschosis, addictions, self-harms
Pitta and Mahagunas
Sattvic Pitta – clear perception, spiritual teacher
Rajasic Pitta – judgmental, critical, intense, envious, willful, aggressive
Tamasic Pitta – violent, hateful, vindictive, extremist views
Kapha and Magagunas
Sattvic Kapha – unconditionally loves, nurturing, compassionate
Rajasic Kapha – overly attached, desirous, controlling, stubborn, overly emotional
Tamasic Kapha – melancholic, apathetic, dull, severely under-reactive, lethargic
Trigunas combines in different composition to develop the 5 elements of the body, which known as Pancha Mahabhutas. Rajas and Tamas gunas which further split into Air, Space, Fire, Earth, and Water, the Pancha Mahabhutas, the five great elements. These five elements have evolved in man to form the different body organs and organ systems, out of which the five sense organs - ears, skin, eyes, tongue, nose - form the senses through which man perceives the external world in five different ways.
The Mahabhutas, came together to create the three biological forces called Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. They are called the Tridoshas, the basis for all disease to take root wherever they are out of balance in the Universe, whether in a human body or in a plant or an object.
When a person’s Vata, Pitta and Kapha energies reach the highest expressions of Prana vital force, Tejas, luminous cellular metabolism, and Ojas, optimal immunity and strength. Such a person’s health is not just a blessing to themselves but a benefit to all he/she comes in contact with.
When studying the gunas of the mind, Acharya Sushruta, one of the great teachers of Ayurveda attributes a predominance of :
* Space mahabhuta with Sattva
* Air with Rajas
* Fire with Sattva–Rajas
* Water with Sattva–Tamas
* Earth with Tamas.
Both Charaka and Sushruta Samhitas, classical texts of Ayurveda from 200 BC and 1000 BC, have a description of seven types of Sattva, six types of Rajas, and three types of Tamas qualities of the psyche, totaling sixteen types of personalities under which all people can be grouped. This is the basis of Ayurveda psychology.
Besides the basic seven types of Prakriti (Vata, Pitta and Kapha and their blends), Ayurveda recognizes 16 types of personalities based on the classical Guna theory. Both Charaka and Sushruta Samhitas have a description of these types. According to them, there are 7 types of Sattva, 6 of Rajas and 3 of Tamas, totaling 16 types of personalities under which all people can be grouped.
The seven types of Sattva are: Brahma Sattva, Mahendra Sattva, Varuna Sattva, Kubera Sattva, Gandharva Sattva, Yama Sattva and Rishi Sattva.
The six types of Rajas Sattva are: Asura Sattva, Rakshasa Sattva, Paisaca Sattva, Sarpa Sattva, Praita Sattva and Sakuna Sattva.
The three types of Tamas Sattva are Pasava Sattva, Matsya Sattva and Vanaspatya Sattva.
Sattva exists only as itself, it is neither positive nor negative, like the Divine qualities of Truth, Love, and God.
There is no good or bad Sattva however Rajas and Tamas, as described so far have both positive and negative aspects and their misuse leads to suffering.
Ayurveda Acharya Sushruta, who is said to have lived around 1000 BC in Varanasi, defines health as:
“Sama dosha, sama agnischa sama dhatu mala kriyah
Prasanna aatme, indriya, manaha, swastha ithi abhidheeyate” ||41||– Sushruta Samhita, Sutra Sthaana, Chapter 15, verse 41
Means...
“health is the state of equilibrium of the three subtle gunas of the body, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. This intelligence is connected to the Supreme consciousness and correspond to the fundamental dosha energies of Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
All three forces affecting each other in various ways. Rajas and Tamas exist in the field of Sattva, Tamas and Sattva are found in the field of Rajas, and Sattva and Rajas move in the field of Tamas. The essence of the three qualities is their interplay. Rarely is seen pure Tamas, pure Rajas or pure Sattva. There must ever be readiness for the Gunas to change. The second law of the Gunas is 'the law of continuity'. The Gunas tend to hold their particular natures for a certain period once they come into dominance. Substances stabilize on the level of one of the three Gunas. While it is initially is difficult for Tamas to become Rajas, or for Rajas to become Sattva, once they do so they will continue in that same quality.
The universe, which is based on the triple nature of time and which is sustained by the Trinity (Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara), is permeated by the Divine in the form of the three gunas--SatVa, Rajas, Tamas." (This was the meaning of the Sanskritsloka with which Bhagavan began His discourse).
Nature presents a marvellous picture. No one can fully comprehend it. Whether it is blessing or bereavement, joy or sorrow, gain or loss, it comes from Prakriti (Nature). Nature presides over the destinies of all creatures. This Nature comprises the three gunas. The Trinity represent the three gunas. The three qualities account also for the processes of creation, sustenance anddissolution--Srishti, Sthithi, and Laya. All the varied experiences in the world arise from the three gunas.
The concept of Ayurveda is focused around the idea of equilibrium and balance. When the elements, humoural qualities and gunas that make up prakruti(nature) are in balance they are thought to create harmony, longevity and good health, but while they are imbalanced, they are believed to cause negative effects.
"Three Gunas to Know Your Personality"
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