Gunas

Vinyasa practice focusing on Lateral Extensions of the right and left sides to draw your attention to the centre of the embodiment and symbolism of the teachings of the Gunas. This will leave you feeling the equanimity of body, energy and mind.

The Gunas are the mental, physical, emotional and energetic attributes of everything in nature. There are three of them called Sattva, Rajas and Tamas.

Sattva is a state of harmony, balance, joy, and intelligence. Sattva is the guna that yogis achieve towards as it reduces rajas and tamas and thus makes liberation possible. Other sattvic qualities are delight, happiness, peace, wellness, freedom, love, compassion, equanimity, empathy, friendliness, focus, self-control, satisfaction, trust, fulfillment, calmness, bliss, cheerfulness, gratitude, fearlessness, selflessness.

Rajas is a state of energy, action, change, and movement. The nature of rajas is of attraction, longing and attachment and rajas strongly bind us to the fruits of our work. Other rajasic qualities are anger, euphoria, anxiety, fear, irritation, worry, restlessness, stress, courage, rumination, determination, chaos.

Tamas is a state of darkness, inertia, inactivity, and materiality. Tamas manifests from ignorance and deludes all beings from their spiritual truths. Other tamasic qualities are laziness, disgust, attachment, depression, helplessness, doubt, guilt, shame, boredom, addiction, hurt, sadness, apathy, confusion, grief, dependency, ignorance.

This Class has a separate Preamble where Zephyr introduces the concept of the Gunas and discusses its application to the practice.