In Ayurveda we meet the principle of 3 Gunas - qualities that categorize behavior and impact of food or activity upon one’s body and mind. By understanding these categories and their influence we are able to build the diet and activity we need to reach a particular state of mind and body. People living in Western countries are not used to such an abstract categorization, but from my experience I can confirm that it brings more clarity into my doings and food I chose.

- sattva (”being”, “entity”) - lucidity, purity, balance, light, consciousness. Dominance of this guna usually means that individual is optimistic, kind, compassionate and thoughtful. Think: do you know any people of this kind? How often do you experience this state of mind? What is it connected to?

- rajas (”air”, “atmosphere”) - force, activity. Rajas guna creates our desires, aspiration to own something. It also brings us fears for losing things we have and people we love. Individual with rajas dominance loses tranquility; if rajas force gets very strong, person becomes a hostage of own desires. Look around. Isn’t rajas the type of most people we meet nowadays?

- tamas (”darkness”, “obscurity”) - negative, lethargic, dull, sleepy. Tamas guna brings person into passive state of mind, when desires and aspirations become misty and distant. Person may gain a self-destructive mood following ruinous ideas and actions (smoking is a tamas action in long time perspective). Everyone has experienced tamas increase after a heavy meal, when the only thing you want is a short nap. Try to remember: do you know someone with a permanent tamas dominance?

Try to recollect, what food and activity brings you to the state of sattva? rajas? tamas? How did you feel yourself after the last meal, - can you pick one guna to describe the state or was it a combination of gunas?

The easiest way to balance gunas is by proper cooking and diet.

Sattva foods

- juicy, fresh, tasty, naturally (!) sweet, easy to digest and light

- will feed conscious states of mind, not producing toxins

Examples: fruits and fresh vegetables which are easy to digest for your stomach; beans, grains and nuts, dairy foods, some oils (unrefined olive, sunflower, linseed, coconut, sesame oils), some spice (ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, fennel, coriander). Sattvic state may be changed by rajasic or even tamasic if one eats too much.

Rajas foods

- salty, hot, dry, bitter, sour (strong taste)

- will rise your activity and excitement, feed desires and fears

Examples: overeating any foods creates pressure and heaviness; overroasted foods cause same effect and are hard to digest. Misuse of spices and salt will also rise our emotions. People who is not used to pure sattva diet will consider it plain and tasteless (although it creates best conditions for healthy digestion), - try adding some spices to grains and veg. It will make your meal balanced and tasty.

Tamas foods

- old, tasting bad, rotten, too dry

- will take much energy to digest (and stay healthy, heh), will rise state of indifference, stupidity, pessimism

Examples: incompatible foods (I will list them in later posts); foods containing variety of toxins, alcohol, old foods, heavy foods like meat; foods with too much oil.

In the same way we can categorize our activities basing on the state of mind we observe. Watching TV all day long will make your mind rajasic or tamasic (depending on movies); going in for sports will probably cause rajasic effect; meditation, a yoga class or a long walk may give you a sattvic state.

With this knowledge you are able to watch yourself more consciously, notice state and mood you gain, compare it with activities done and foods eaten. It is very challenging

Yoga is learning to control all aspects of your being. Try to categorize foods you eat and activities you do day to day. Are you happy with the state of our mind and body?

Have a great day and I hope you found it useful..

First photo displays Indian ceremonial dance Odissi taken by Flickr user 18655811@N00; other photos by wordridden, jessicafm, benny_lin

More to read:

Wiki about Gunas

Principles of Ayurveda

12 healthy eating rules from Yoga teachers

Overeating may destroy Yoga practice

Gunas in personality