In every day life, we frequently 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, every little thing has two features. If there may be movement in an object, rigidity can 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 will gently transfer in direction of steadiness.
Tamas (Tamo Guna)
Tamo, derived from the foundation phrase “Tama,” represents darkness, and Guna means high quality. Tamo Guna is among the basic qualities of nature from which every little thing has emerged.
In nature, it exists together with the opposite two Gunas as Trigunas and helps type matter, inertia, and the static power of objects. It’s generally known as Tamas, and an extra of Tamo Guna in an individual is thought to be 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.
Nonetheless, it can’t be mentioned that Tamas is simply 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 every little thing in its gross or clear type. The facet of nature that brings stability and an entire sense of relaxation or leisure for some time can be part of Tamo Guna.
Methods to Determine the dominance of tamas
To recognise Tamas Guna, one must analyse oneself. Observe your actions, reactions, and thought processes in several 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. Because of this, they change into unbalanced, each in every 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. With regards 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.
Alternatively, they typically crave sensual pleasures and are energetic primarily in issues of lust or when their needs are fulfilled.
3. Confused
The dominance of Tamas Guna will increase ignorance. A tamasic particular person is unable to grasp what is nice or dangerous for them. On this state, the thoughts turns into confused whereas making choices. Due to this fact, tamasic individuals typically really feel puzzled and unsure.
4. Loneliness loving and disconnected
A rise in Tamas Guna can enhance ego. Tamasic individuals might think about themselves superior and keep away from the corporate of others. This results in disconnection and a way of loneliness.
5. Filled with anger
The dominance of Tamas Guna brings out the darker aspect of an individual. It could trigger intense anger and promote damaging actions.
When an individual is overwhelmed by anger, nothing else appears to matter, and so they might act in dangerous or damaging methods.
6. Irregular weight loss program
Tamasic persons are typically keen on junk meals. They could favor alcohol, eggs, pink meat, and dry or tasteless meals, and normally present much less curiosity in recent, 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.
Optimistic features of tamas guna
Primarily based on the traits described above, it might appear that there isn’t a want for Tamas Guna in an individual. Nonetheless, Tamas Guna can be important in sure features of life.
1. Leisure
At some moments in life, we want a break from all actions. We’d like moments of silence with ourselves. Equally, after a day’s work, we want sleep to calm down 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 secure
To practise yoga, an individual must be secure and grounded. Tamas Guna inside helps preserve grounding and stability throughout yogic practices. In instances of an imbalanced root chakra, Tamas Guna is usually inspired.
It is a vital factor within the religious journey. With out Tamas Guna, a yogi can not progress additional in spirituality.
Forms of Tamas
The tamasic sort of character will be categorized into three varieties:
1. Pasava (Sharing traits of animal)
- Aggressive or forbidding nature
- Lack of intelligence
- Extreme sexual needs
- Extreme sleep and lack of self-discipline
2. Matsya (Sharing traits of fish)
- Cowardly and timid nature
- Lack of intelligence
- Greed for meals
- Sturdy need for water
- Fixed anger
3. Vanaspatya (Sharing traits of vegetable life)
- Laziness
- Low intelligence
- Fixed starvation and overeating
- Dependence on teams
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 mild. Gentle represents movement and is the other of darkness (or Tamas Guna).
Together with the next yogic practices and life-style adjustments may also help scale back extra Tamas Guna and steadiness its proportion among the many three Gunas.
1. By Including vinyasa in asana observe
To scale back Tamas, add extra motion to your observe.
Yoga asanas are invigorating and convey 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 embody extra Vinyasa movement in your observe.
- The Solar Salutation sequence works nicely when Tamas Guna is elevated.
- Ahead bends are usually extra stress-free than backbends. For those who really feel lazy or boring, practise extra backbends corresponding to Bow Pose and Bridge Pose.
- Minimise the time spent in Shavasana or Balasana throughout a yoga sequence.
2. By regulating breathe via pranayama
Pranayama vitalizes power within the type of Prana (life drive) in each cell of the physique. After performing Pranayama, you’ll higher conscious of your actions, your ideas, and ultimately, that may scale back anger, which is a standard attribute of Tamas Guna’s dominance.
3. Adopting transferring meditation methods
Tamo Guna is important to enter meditation, however extra Tamas can result in unintended sleep throughout observe.
Meditation methods that contain light motion assist scale back the consequences of extra Tamas Guna. Examples embody strolling meditation, transferring meditation, and practising mindfulness whereas doing every day duties or family chores.
4. Keep away from oversleeping or sitting for lengthy hours
Correct sleep is important for good well being. Nonetheless, extreme sleep makes the physique lazy and sluggish, growing Tamas Guna.
Equally, sitting in a single place for lengthy hours may enhance Tamas Guna. Taking quick breaks and stretching the backbone helps stop 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 an alternative of passive leisure, interact in sports activities or different bodily actions. This progressively reduces laziness and extra Tamas.
6. Change your weight loss program
The meals impacts well being, the best way you behave, and is accountable for your power stage. So it’s known as,
You might be what you eat.
Tamasic meals will increase Tamas Guna. This consists of pink 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 accordance with Ayurveda, tamasic meals just isn’t useful for bodily or psychological well being.
Tamasic meals drains prana and fills the physique with destructive power. Keep away from these meals and select sattvic meals which can be gentle, recent, pure, and nutritious.
7. Spend time with nature
Nature is a supply of power and therapeutic. Take breaks from every day routines and spend time in pure environment. Nature helps restore steadiness and vitality.
Conclusion
A balanced proportion of all three Gunas is important for creating a constructive perspective and a wholesome character.
Tamas is a top quality of stability and groundedness, however when it turns into extreme, it may well negatively have an effect on one’s character. With a little bit willpower and self-awareness, you’ll be able to work on tamasic tendencies and scale back extra Tamas Guna.