Week 3 GUNAS

I think we are to talk about the Gunas this month. I will describe the best to my understanding what they are.

Gunas are the three ways in which Prakriti (Shakti) manifests herself into the physical. They are the three energies that govern anything happening on the physical plane. They show up in everything we do.

1. Rajastic Energy: Rajas currents, movements or feelings are spirals seen from the side with a forward and backward, inward/outward movement. Rajas movement is dynamic, insistent and passionate. A Rajastic approach to practicing yoga would be the seeking of power, stimulation, and esternal engagement by how cool the yoga posture looks.

2. Tamasic Energy: Tamas currents, movements or feelings are long lines, upward and downward. Tomas are strong, deep and internally focused. The Tamasic approach to yoga practice is dominated by subconscious forces and motivated by fear which may keep one from trying a pose or resisting receiving touch or hands on adjustments.

3. Sattvic Energy: Sattvic Currents, movements or feelings are transvers from east to west or movement in space from side to side. Sattvic movement is light, delicate, clear, and graceful. The Sattvic approach views yoga practice as a journey, with each yoga posture as a potential for both steady joy as well as challenge.


The Gunas are relevant to the Yoga asanas (poses), in relationship to:
* lines of energy
* edges of pactice
* struggle and intention of each pose

The Guna is present in the temperament and approach we use in a pose or series of poses.

In each pose we explore the movement of the Gunas and feel a sense of which Guna needs pacification and which needs to magnified to reach the potential union of Body, Mind and Spirit for a true "Yoga".

The Gunas are manifested through Prakriti (Shakti- Mother Nature) and illuminated by Purusha (Shiva -God or higher power)


http://www.gobodhiyoga.com/whatisbodhiyoga.shtml