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Ayurvedic Psychology
Ayurvedic Psychology explores the tones — or qualities — of the mind and how they shape our inner experience.
Through understanding the three Guna — Tamas, Rajas, and Sattva — we begin to recognise where we are, and how we can gently move toward greater clarity, balance, and joy.
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Ayurveda teaches that just as the body has digestion, the mind has qualities.
These qualities are called the Guna. They describe the tone or condition of our inner world. We all move between them.
None of them make us mentally good or bad. They simply describe how the mind is operating.
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Tamas is the quality of dullness and inertia. When tamas is present, the mind can feel heavy, foggy or stuck. We may feel unmotivated, withdrawn, resentful or overwhelmed.
Tamas is a natural part of being human. Confusion and tiredness happen. But when tamas lingers, we can feel lost inside it.
In simple terms, tamas feels like sitting in a dark room with the curtains closed.
Journaling during tamas helps us bring light in. It encourages honesty. It helps us name what feels heavy instead of silently carrying it.
Writing creates movement. It gently shifts us from stuck-ness toward taking action.
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Rajas is the quality of movement and activity. When rajas is present, the mind is busy. Thoughts race. Emotions rise quickly. We may feel reactive, ambitious, restless or irritated. Rajas gives energy and motivation, but too much creates imbalance.
In simple terms, rajas feels like standing in strong wind. Everything is moving, but nothing feels steady.
Journaling during rajas helps us slow down. It allows us to observe our reactions rather than act on them immediately. It supports balance.
Writing helps us see patterns, extremes and emotional swings with more calm and kindness.
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Sattva is the quality of balance, harmony and light. When sattva is present, the mind feels clear and steady. We experience compassion, patience, gratitude and peace. There is space between thoughts. There is less inner conflict.
In simple terms, sattva feels like standing in open air with a clear sky above.
Sattva is not something we can force. It arises when heaviness has lifted and agitation has softened. When the mind is clear and balanced, joy becomes natural.
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Journaling with sattva means writing from a place of steadiness rather than from reaction. It does not ignore difficulty, but it approaches it with gentleness, honesty and balance. When the mind is relatively clear and calm, writing becomes less about discharging emotion and more about deepening awareness.
In this state, journaling helps us elevate the mind because we are no longer entangled in every thought. We begin to observe rather than identify. Instead of saying, “This is me,” we notice, “This is a thought passing through.” That small shift is powerful. It creates space between the thinker and the thought.
Journaling then, draws attention to the heart. In Ayurvedic psychology, the heart is not simply emotional — it is the seat of deeper awareness. When we write with sattva, themes naturally turn toward gratitude, forgiveness, compassion, acceptance and purpose. We are less concerned with proving, defending or controlling, and more concerned with understanding and connecting. Writing becomes a way of listening inwardly, allowing quieter truths to surface.
As we continue to journal from this place, we strengthen the observing principle within us. We begin to recognise patterns without judgement. We can admit fault without shame. We can hold opposing feelings without becoming destabilised. This strengthens discernment and steadiness. The mind becomes less reactive and more reflective.
Over time, journaling with sattva supports a subtle but important shift. We realise that we are not the turbulence of the mind. We are the awareness that can see it. From this perspective, the heart feels more open, the mind feels lighter, while clarity, balance, and joy begin to shape every aspect of our life.
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All of life is made up of five elements:
Space (ether) — the openness that holds everything.
Air — movement and flow.
Fire — warmth, energy, and transformation.
Water — fluidity, softness, and cohesion.
Earth — steadiness, structure, and strength.
These elements shape both the outer world — the seasons, the weather, the land — and our inner world — our bodies, energy, and emotions.
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The world can also be described through twenty qualities, paired as opposites:
hot/cold, heavy/light, dry/oily, dull/sharp, smooth/rough, dense/liquid, gross/subtle, stable/moving, soft/hard, murky/clear.
These qualities show up everywhere — in the food we eat, the climate we live in, even our moods.
Ayurveda teaches that balance comes when we use opposites to heal — cooling when hot, moisturising dry skin, resting when restless, moving when fed up.
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Ayurveda says each of us has a special body–mind type, made from three energies called the dosha.
The dosha are how the five elements live inside us — shaping the way our bodies grow, the way we think and feel, and even the way we move through the world.
Vata (air + space) — light, quick, full of ideas and movement.
Pitta (fire + water) — warm, focused, good at changing and transforming.
Kapha (earth + water) — steady, strong, caring, and calm.
Everyone has their own mix of these three — like a personal recipe that makes you you.
When the dosha are balanced, we feel healthy and happy. When one takes over too much, things can wobble — we might feel tired, restless, moody, or unwell.
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At the centre of health is Agni, our inner fire. Agni digests not just food, but also experiences and emotions.
When Agni burns steadily, we feel energized, clear, and strong. When it weakens, toxins and confusion build up in body and mind.
Protecting and supporting Agni is one of Ayurveda’s greatest teachings.
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Ayurveda says the mind can be seen in three shifting tones, like the colours of the sky.
All of them are natural and needed in life — but balance matters.
Tamas — the heavy tone
Slow, dull, heavy, sleepy, or confused.
Like a dark night sky without stars.
Brings rest and grounding — but too much can lead to inertia or fogginess.
Rajas — the restless tone
Always moving, changing, chasing, never still.
Like a sky filled with rushing winds and shifting clouds.
Brings energy, passion, and drive — but too much can create stress or distraction.
Sattva — the clear tone
Calm, bright, peaceful, joyful.
Like a clear morning sky filled with light.
Brings harmony, balance, and understanding.
These three tones are each a part of life.
We need all of them — rest from Tamas, motivation from Rajas, and clarity from Sattva.
Ayurveda guides us to Sattva.
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Ayurveda sees true health as a balance in four dimensions:
The body — everything physical and tangible.
The senses — how we connect with the world through sound, touch, vision, taste, and smell.
The mind — our thoughts, feelings, and inner world.
The spirit — the deeper self, where life energy, joy, and intuition flow.
When these four are in harmony, we experience real well-being.