Last updated: December 21, 2023
What Does
Rajasic Mean?
Rajasic, according to yogic philosophy, is an adjective that refers to the quality of one of the three gunas, or qualities of nature. All of the three basic gunas — tamas, rajas and sattva — are present in every individual. As the Hindu god, Brahma, is described to have said, “None of the three gunas can be considered separate. They are in union, attached to and dependent upon each other.”
From Sanskrit, rajas translates as “passion” in English. As such, the rajas guna is also associated with energy and ambition. Someone who is rajasic displays these qualities and may even have a rajas guna that is out of balance.
The practice of yoga helps to restore and maintain balance between the three gunas.
Yogapedia Explains Rajasic
The five elements — fire, earth, water, air and ether — are characterized by the three gunas. Each guna is associated with certain characteristics:
- Tamas: Negative energy and inactivity
- Rajas: Frenetic energy
- Sattva: Intelligence
Higher levels of heat energy and movement are associated with rajas. It represents the quality of action. Those with a dominant rajas in their nature (rajasic individuals) are energetic, enthusiastic and ambitious.
Foods can also be classified based on their nature. Rajasic foods are sour, bitter and/or hot. They have a stimulating effect on both the body and mind, causing the mind to become restless.
In yoga, the individual can stimulate the rajas guna by engaging in a rajasic asana practice. This is any sequence that forces the body to move and remain energized, such as a vinyasa style of yoga.
During These Times of Stress and Uncertainty Your Doshas May Be Unbalanced.
To help you bring attention to your doshas and to identify what your predominant dosha is, we created the following quiz.
Try not to stress over every question, but simply answer based off your intuition. After all, you know yourself better than anyone else.