In a commentary on the Patanjali Yoga Sutras, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says, “The three gunas come into our life in cycles. When sattva comes; there is balance, alertness, knowledge, interest, lightness and joy in everything. When rajo-guna comes; more desires, selfishness, restlessness and sadness arise in us. When tamo-guna comes; delusion, attachment, lack of knowledge, lethargy, all these come. These three come in life, turn by turn.”
You may think that if the gunas‘come turn by turn’, there is little you can do to balance them. You couldn’t be further from the truth. You do have a say in the matter of stabilizing your gunas.
Start by raising your sattva level and reducing rajas and tamas. The trick is to meditate and practice a few yoga asanas and pranayamas diligently. And tweak your diet a little. When all of this is in place, your system will calm down and ease into a harmonious state of well-being.
Yoga asanas boost sattva
Yoga is a complete science; it unites body, mind, spirit and also the universe. If you practice yoga daily, any restlessness or rajas will ease away and sattva will rise up. Your behaviour, thoughts and attitude will undergo a positive transformation. The result? A healthier and happier you!
Pranayamas balance your gunas
Your breath has a deep seated impact on your physiological state. Use it to your advantage! You could try Nadi Shodhan pranayama. The Sudarshan Kriya is also a very powerful breathing technique that can transform your life. It can help you master your gunas and reduce their fluctuations.
Meditation influences health and happiness
Just 20 minutes of meditation everyday can tune up your sattva level significantly. There is proof that meditation can impact your physiological and psychological well-being. Meditation reduces stress, nurtures clear thinking and increases capacity for empathy and compassion. It influences your state of mind and promotes health and happiness.
Eat your way to a sattvic state
Sattvic food is full of prana (life), light and easy to digest. Try and eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables; nuts and seeds; raw honey and ginger. To keep rajas levels in balance, avoid stale cooked food, excess oil, spices and sugar. If you do not wish to stimulate tamas, stay away from non-vegetarian food and too much garlic and onion. Frozen, canned and processed food also fall into the rajasic category.
All of the above measures will ensure that your gunas are balanced and your sattva high. A healthy sattva means a happy you. And a happy you means a healthy you.
As Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says, “Health is not a mere absence of disease. It is a dynamic expression of life – in terms of how joyful, loving and enthusiastic you are.”
