The Atma Jyoti Blog

Central to the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita is the concept of the gunas. Many of these blog posts contain references to the these qualities of nature. For those unfamiliar with these terms, here are the definitions from A Brief Sanskrit Glossary:

Guna: Quality, attribute, or characteristic arising from nature (Prakriti) itself; a mode of energy behavior. As a rule, when “guna” is used it is in reference to the three qualities of Prakriti, the three modes of energy behavior that are the basic qualities of nature, and which determine the inherent characteristics of all created things.

The three gunas are:

1. sattwa–purity, light, harmony;
2. rajas–activity, passion; and
3. tamas–dullness, inertia, and ignorance.

For an in-depth explanation of the gunas, read the article, The Three Gunas–Part One.

Also, read You Eat What You Are for an explanation of diet as influenced by the gunas.

And finally, Worship and Discipline and the Gunas.