What are Gunas?
Gunas translates from Sanskrit to English as quality, peculiarity, attribute or property.
Gunas are words that describe innate properties of everything that exists in the world. This includes but isn’t limited to: mind, body, energy, food, environment, season, age, time, actions, sensations, feelings, thoughts and more!
Gunas exist as poles of opposites on a single continuum that create both the duality and unity of life. They are very important to finding balance that allows for consciously aligned being. When contrasting gunas or conditions arise, they equalize or harmonize one another.
One of the most basic concepts in Ayurveda is that like attracts like and opposites balance.
List of Gunas
- Heavy & Light
- Slow/Dull & Sharp
- Cold & Hot
- Oily/Unctuous & Dry
- Slimy/Smooth & Rough
- Dense & Fluid
- Soft & Hard
- Static & Mobile
- Subtle & Gross
- Clear & Sticky/Cloudy
Remember, societal influences can shape the connotation or way we feel about these adjectives. If you find yourself thinking of one as good or bad, consider why. Ultimately, they are just ways of describing people, places and things.
“Ayurveda teaches us to cherish our innate-nature – to love and honor who we are, not as what people think or tell us who we should be.”
Prana Gogia
Considering the Gunas
Which gunas exist most prevalently for you in mind?
What gunas exist most prevalently in your body?
Which gunas describe your spirit?
Do any of these gunas show up in your routines?
Does your consumption (food/media/substances) lean into any of the gunas more than others?
What gunas do you have in your environment?
How might you cultivate the opposite?
Try and think of something that can’t be characterized by these:
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