In day by day life, we regularly expertise moments of heaviness laziness, dullness, oversleeping, lack of motivation, or psychological confusion. In yogic philosophy, these states are linked to Tamas Guna, the standard of inertia and darkness.
In nature, all the pieces has two points. If there’s movement in an object, rigidity can also be part of its nature. The states of motionlessness, rigidity, and inertia exist due to Tamo Guna in nature.
Understanding Tamas Guna helps us recognise why we really feel caught at occasions and the way we are able to gently transfer in direction of stability.
Tamas (Tamo Guna)
Tamo, derived from the basis phrase “Tama,” represents darkness, and Guna means high quality. Tamo Guna is among the basic qualities of nature from which all the pieces has emerged.
In nature, it exists together with the opposite two Gunas as Trigunas and helps type matter, inertia, and the static vitality of objects. It’s generally known as Tamas, and an extra of Tamo Guna in an individual is considered a tamasic character.
A tamasic character refers to these qualities in an individual that result in carelessness, recklessness, overthinking, and overindulgence. The qualities of Tamas Guna come up from negligence, delusion, and ignorance.
Nevertheless, it can’t be stated that Tamas is just an indication of negativity.
Among the many three constructing blocks that represent Manas (the thoughts), Tamo Guna combines with Rajas and Sattva Guna to assist manifest all the pieces in its gross or clear type. The side of nature that brings stability and an entire sense of relaxation or leisure for some time can also be part of Tamo Guna.
Easy methods to Establish the dominance of tamas
To recognise Tamas Guna, one must analyse oneself. Observe your actions, reactions, and thought processes in numerous conditions and at totally different occasions of the day. You’ll then discover when Tamas Guna is dominant in your nature.
The next traits are generally seen when Tamas Guna is dominant:
1. Careless and unbalanced
A tamasic particular person neither cares about themselves nor about others. They don’t take note of what they’re doing or how they’re performing an motion. Consequently, they change into unbalanced, each in day by day routine and at work.
2. Lazy and Boring
Tamas Guna will increase rigidity and inertia in an individual, making them lazy and boring. They always need sleep and relaxation. Relating to work, they change into moody. Whether or not the work is vital or not, they do it solely after they really feel prefer it.
Then again, they usually crave sensual pleasures and are lively primarily in issues of lust or when their wishes are fulfilled.
3. Confused
The dominance of Tamas Guna will increase ignorance. A tamasic particular person is unable to know what is sweet or unhealthy for them. On this state, the thoughts turns into confused whereas making choices. Subsequently, tamasic folks usually really feel puzzled and unsure.
4. Loneliness loving and disconnected
A rise in Tamas Guna can improve ego. Tamasic folks could contemplate themselves superior and keep away from the corporate of others. This results in disconnection and a way of loneliness.
5. Stuffed with anger
The dominance of Tamas Guna brings out the darker aspect of an individual. It may possibly trigger intense anger and promote harmful actions.
When an individual is overwhelmed by anger, nothing else appears to matter, they usually could act in dangerous or harmful methods.
6. Irregular weight-reduction plan
Tamasic individuals are usually keen on junk meals. They could choose alcohol, eggs, purple meat, and dry or tasteless meals, and normally present much less curiosity in contemporary, home-cooked meals.
Observe: Naturally, Tamas Guna, together with the opposite two Gunas (Rajas and Sattva), is current in all of us. These traits change into clearly seen solely when Tamas Guna is dominant.
Constructive points of tamas guna
Primarily based on the traits described above, it might appear that there is no such thing as a want for Tamas Guna in an individual. Nevertheless, Tamas Guna can also be important in sure points of life.
1. Rest
At some moments in life, we want a break from all actions. We want moments of silence with ourselves. Equally, after a day’s work, we want sleep to loosen up and recharge the physique.
Tamas Guna is accountable for sleep and relaxation. With out this Guna, an individual would stay stressed and unsettled.
2. Grounded and steady
To practise yoga, an individual must be steady and grounded. Tamas Guna inside helps keep grounding and stability throughout yogic practices. In circumstances of an imbalanced root chakra, Tamas Guna is commonly inspired.
It is a crucial component within the religious journey. With out Tamas Guna, a yogi can’t progress additional in spirituality.
Varieties of Tamas
The tamasic kind of character could be categorised into three sorts:
1. Pasava (Sharing traits of animal)
Aggressive or forbidding nature
Lack of intelligence
Extreme sexual wishes
Extreme sleep and lack of self-discipline
2. Matsya (Sharing traits of fish)
Cowardly and timid nature
Lack of intelligence
Greed for meals
Robust need for water
Fixed anger
3. Vanaspatya (Sharing traits of vegetable life)
Laziness
Low intelligence
Fixed starvation and overeating
Dependence on teams
Easy methods to scale back extra tamas guna
To start with, there was nothing, nothing however the silence of infinite darkness. Then got here the sunshine!
Ebook of Genesis
To flee darkness, one must make an effort that brings gentle. Gentle represents movement and is the other of darkness (or Tamas Guna).
Together with the next yogic practices and way of life adjustments may also help scale back extra Tamas Guna and stability its proportion among the many three Gunas.
1. By Including vinyasa in asana follow
To scale back Tamas, add extra motion to your follow.
Yoga asanas are invigorating and produce movement to the nonetheless physique. Vinyasa provides a higher vary of motion to asanas, which removes rigidity and encourages exercise.
The next asana methods assist scale back Tamas Guna:
Maintain poses for a shorter length and embrace extra Vinyasa movement in your follow.
The Solar Salutation sequence works properly when Tamas Guna is elevated.
Ahead bends are typically extra stress-free than backbends. For those who really feel lazy or boring, practise extra backbends resembling Bow Pose and Bridge Pose.
Minimise the time spent in Shavasana or Balasana throughout a yoga sequence.
2. By regulating breathe by means of pranayama
Pranayama vitalizes vitality within the type of Prana (life power) in each cell of the physique. After performing Pranayama, you’ll higher conscious of your actions, your ideas, and ultimately, that can scale back anger, which is a typical attribute of Tamas Guna’s dominance.
3. Adopting shifting meditation strategies
Tamo Guna is critical to enter meditation, however extra Tamas can result in unintended sleep throughout follow.
Meditation strategies that contain mild motion assist scale back the consequences of extra Tamas Guna. Examples embrace strolling meditation, shifting meditation, and practising mindfulness whereas doing day by day duties or family chores.
4. Keep away from oversleeping or sitting for lengthy hours
Correct sleep is crucial for good well being. Nevertheless, extreme sleep makes the physique lazy and sluggish, growing Tamas Guna.
Equally, sitting in a single place for lengthy hours also can improve Tamas Guna. Taking quick breaks and stretching the backbone helps forestall drowsiness and stiffness throughout work.
5. Change modes of leisure
These days, a lot time is spent in entrance of TVs, laptops, and video video games within the title of leisure. This reduces bodily exercise and will increase laziness (Tamas Guna).
As a substitute of passive leisure, interact in sports activities or different bodily actions. This step by step reduces laziness and extra Tamas.
6. Change your weight-reduction plan
The meals impacts well being, the way in which you behave, and is accountable for your vitality stage. So it’s known as,
You might be what you eat.
Tamasic meals will increase Tamas Guna. This contains purple meat, eggs, alcohol, and different heavy or offensive meals. Any meals that’s overeaten, stale, or leftover additionally turns into tamasic.
Such meals promote anger, fatigue, and low immunity. In response to Ayurveda, tamasic meals just isn’t helpful for bodily or psychological well being.
Tamasic meals drains prana and fills the physique with unfavorable vitality. Keep away from these meals and select sattvic meals which can be gentle, contemporary, pure, and nutritious.
7. Spend time with nature
Nature is a supply of vitality and therapeutic. Take breaks from day by day routines and spend time in pure environment. Nature helps restore stability and vitality.
Conclusion
A balanced proportion of all three Gunas is crucial for creating a optimistic angle and a wholesome character.
Tamas is a high quality of stability and groundedness, however when it turns into extreme, it might negatively have an effect on one’s character. With slightly dedication and self-awareness, you possibly can work on tamasic tendencies and scale back extra Tamas Guna.
