Hustle, Flow or Stillness
Sunrise. Lake Michigan. Chicago, IL 2020
In yoga philosophy these energies are known as the 3 Gunas (qualities or tendencies). Rajas (active/passion/confidence), Sattva (consciousness, balance) and Tamas (thick/stable/dark). These energetic forces weave together the universe and everything in it. Every action, thought and event is created due to the interaction of the 3 gunas. A great example is nature. Right now we are in a tamasic state with the downward, grounding energy of winter. Spring will bring an upward sattvic flow and summer invites in rajas, active movement inspired by the energy of the sun promoting change and transformation. The food we eat have these qualities as well (wine is tamasic, great for my taste buds but heavy in my body).
The company we keep is also affected by the gunas. Do you have someone in your life that just by being near them, brings you calm or agitation? The mind can have these qualities too. Too much rajas creates an unfocused scattered brain causing nervousness and anxiety. When the mind is in a tamasic state, there is dullness, depression and ignorance. A sattvic mind has a sense of balance, harmony, self control, trust and gratitude. It's important to note that one quality is not better or worse. They are all present and all serve us when we need them. It's in the awareness, knowing when they are unconsciously controlling or binding us. This is the practice of focus towards your subtle body, your energetic body.
How do these 3 energies effect a yoga practice?
Tamas is used when we need to find stability in balancing postures. It's taking childs pose when we get too heated up. It's the exhale portion of your breath. When we need to move from posture to posture or for those extra breaths in plank pose, rajas is activated. It's the inhale portion of your breath. And sweet Savasana is the ultimate sattvic energy. The moment of harmony, ease and consciousness. It's the pause between inhalation and exhalation. The pause when you are free of worries or judgement. It's the yoga “high"!!!
Which of these 3 energies of being are you in right now?
Or perhaps would like to BE in? While I was in California recently, I realized I had created too much hustle/rajas energy. This is my default mode, I naturally fall into it, it's comfortable, I know how to do it, it's survival. I recognized a pattern of habit and while it served me well as a young adult and struggling dancer, I can feel in my body that this way of being dosen't serve me in this moment. I am craving stillness, the steadiness of tamasic energy. So here I am grounding in winter, into my body, and directing my hustle towards my online business. Towards creating abundance and more sattva in my life. Comment and share which guna you are experiencing. I'd love to hear from you!
As you move into your holidays and celebrating the new year, notice where you might need a shift in energies. Listen to your body, it reveals more than you know.
If yoga and movement is part of what you need, I’ve got ya covered!