The Gunas are the three fundamental energetic components of the universe. Gunas constantly change and affect our surroundings, including energy, matter, and consciousness. Rajas is an energy state, a state that involves action, movement, and change. Rajas have a nature of attraction, attachment, and longing. In excess, rajas may cause anxiety, hyperactivity, and excessive thinking. Yoga, Meditation, diet, and lifestyle changes can help reduce and balance rajas.
It depends on the environment, the type of work, the physical constitution, and the spiritual goals of a person to determine how much of each gun they need. People who work in creative fields or live in humid/wet environments are athletes and need stimulating practice. People in creative professions will benefit from a higher level of rajasic energies.
Too many rajas may lead to emotional distress, frustration, stress, and anger. Rajas drives you to accomplish goals that will only bring temporary happiness. This guna distorts the heart and mind with passions and attachments. It makes it hard to transcend into a higher state, sattva.
Yoga practitioners can use a variety of tools to balance and reduce rajas. But don’t do it all at once. Make one or two small changes daily and note their effect after a few days. Observe which ideas evoke the strongest reactions or resistance. They will likely have the greatest effect in shifting your focus away from rajas. You can experiment and make adjustments to your approach as needed.
Asana adjustments reduce rajas
Practicing at least one restorative pose is very helpful each day. It is important to hold all poses longer and reduce or eliminate sun salutation and vinyasa sequences. Forward bends and side-bending poses are calming and soothing. Lower back bending positions (such as the fish pose, the sphinx position, or the snake pose) will help to reduce anxiety.
Use pranayama with rajas to cool and calm them
It is possible to eliminate the agitating energies of rajas by practicing 10-15 minutes of pranayama every day. Try practicing ocean-sounding breath if you are distracted by outside sounds or stimulation. You can cool down Rajas-driven hotness by practicing shitali or scary.
Meditation can help you relax and calm down, rajasguna
It is possible to reduce the overstimulating effects of rajas by practicing seated Meditation. Try calming meditations such as inner peace, third-eye, and Heart Chakra meditation. Try mantra mediation if your mind is overactive, and you think excessively. Practice meta-mediation if you have a lot of anger or bitterness.
Rajas: Lifestyle changes for the Rajas
Slow down, sleep more, and do less. This is the biggest lifestyle change you can make to reduce rajas. Avoid busy and stimulating environments–instead, seek out nature and find places that promote serenity, contemplation, introspection, and pratyahara. Engage in mindful communication by talking less and listening more. Turn off the radio or listen to slow, calming music. Avoid excessive exercise, excessive work, and excessive consumption. Avoid wind and choose dimly-lit, cool environments. Volunteer a few hours per week at a charity and perform one small act of kindness daily.
Changes in diet to reduce Rajasguna
Adjusting your diet can have a significant impact on the balance of rajas. Eat slowly and avoid eating on the run. Before eating, feel grateful and bless your food for a few moments. Bitter, salty, and sour foods are all rajasic. Instead, focus on the sweet, spicy, and astringent Ayurvedic flavors. Avoid spicy, fried, or greasy food. Also, avoid foods that are warming. Eat dark green leafy veggies like spinach, kale, arugula collards, and romaine lettuce. Watermelon, cucumber, mint, and seaweeds are cooling if you feel hotheaded. Avoid sugar, caffeine, and chocolate.
It is important not to move too far into tamas guna as you move away. When you begin to feel the effects of Rajas diminish, your focus should shift towards cultivating the energy of Sattva Guna. It may take enormous inner strength to escape the hyperactive, overstimulating, and destructive power of rajas. However, it will reward you with a happier, healthier, calmer, and more grounded life.