Your Nervous System Has a Name in Yoga: Understanding the Gunas Through the Lens of Polyvagal Theory

I have been sitting with this idea for a while now, because it is one of those things that once you see it, you cannot unsee it.

The ancient science of yoga has a way of describing the quality of our inner state at any given moment. Modern neuroscience has its own way of describing the same thing. And when you put them side by side, they are essentially saying the same thing, just in very different languages.

One is thousands of years old. The other is a few decades old. Both are pointing at something true about how we experience life from the inside.

This post is my attempt to bridge them, in plain language, for anyone who practices yoga, works with the nervous system, or simply wants to understand themselves a little better.

First, What Are the Gunas?

In yogic and Ayurvedic philosophy, the gunas are three fundamental qualities that exist in everything in nature, including us. They describe the texture of a moment, a mood, a food, a season, a thought, or a state of being.

The three gunas are:

Tamas is the quality of heaviness, inertia, and stillness. Think of mud, of night, of deep sleep, of the feeling after you eat a very heavy meal and cannot move from the couch. Tamas in its healthy form is rest and groundedness. In its excess, it becomes stagnation, numbness, or depression.

Rajas is the quality of energy, movement, and activation. Think of fire, of wind, of a busy city, of that buzzing feeling before a big presentation. Rajas in its healthy form is motivation and vitality. In its excess, it becomes anxiety, restlessness, or burnout.

Sattva is the quality of clarity, balance, and ease. Think of a calm lake at sunrise, of the feeling after a really good meditation or a nourishing meal. Sattva is the state yoga is always pointing us toward, not because it is perfect, but because from here, we can actually see clearly and respond rather than react.

We move between these three states constantly throughout the day. None of them is inherently bad. We need all three.

Now, What is Polyvagal Theory?

Polyvagal Theory was developed by neuroscientist Dr. Stephen Porges, and it changed the way many therapists, including myself, understand the nervous system.

The theory describes three states that our nervous system moves between, depending on how safe we feel in our environment.

The Ventral Vagal state is the state of social engagement, connection, and safety. When you are here, you feel calm, present, curious, and open. You can laugh, connect with others, think clearly, and make good decisions. This is the state where healing and growth happen.

The Sympathetic state is the state of mobilisation, better known as fight or flight. When your nervous system perceives a threat, real or imagined, it activates this state to help you respond. Heart rate increases, muscles tense, breathing becomes shallow, and the mind narrows its focus. This is survival mode.

The Dorsal Vagal state is the state of shutdown or freeze. When the nervous system decides that fighting or running is not possible or safe, it conserves energy by shutting down. This can look like numbness, disconnection, fatigue, hopelessness, or a kind of foggy flatness.

Again, like the gunas, none of these states are wrong. They are intelligent responses. The nervous system is always doing its best to keep you safe.

The Comparison That Changed Things for Me

When I first mapped these two frameworks side by side, I genuinely stopped and stared at my notes for a moment.

Tamas corresponds with the Dorsal Vagal state.
Both describe shutdown, heaviness, and disconnection. The Ayurvedic tradition says too much tamas leads to dullness and despair. Polyvagal theory says the dorsal state can lead to depression and dissociation. The experience from the inside is the same: a heaviness that is hard to shift, a sense of not quite being present, a motivation that has gone quiet.

Example: You wake up and cannot get out of bed, not because you are physically tired, but because everything feels pointless and far away. You scroll your phone without really taking anything in. Time passes but you are not really there.

Rajas corresponds with the Sympathetic state.
Both describe activation, urgency, and reactivity. Too much rajas in yogic terms creates a scattered, agitated mind that cannot settle. The sympathetic state in polyvagal terms creates the same: a body that is ready for danger, even when there is none.

Example: Your mind is racing at 11pm. You feel behind on everything. A small comment from someone sends you into a spiral. You are busy but not productive. Wired but exhausted.

Sattva corresponds with the Ventral Vagal state.
Both describe the sweet spot of regulation, presence, and clarity. Yoga says sattva is where wisdom arises. Polyvagal theory says the ventral vagal state is where connection, learning, and healing become possible.

Example: You wake up feeling rested. A problem that seemed enormous yesterday now has a clear solution. You are patient with the people around you. You feel like yourself.

Why This Matters in Practice

Understanding these states, by whatever name you call them, is the beginning of being able to shift them.

When you know that your heaviness has a name (tamas, dorsal), and that it is a nervous system state rather than a character flaw, something loosens. You stop fighting yourself and start working with yourself.

When you recognise that your anxiety and racing thoughts have a name too (rajas, sympathetic), you can meet them with a little more compassion, and reach for the tools that actually help.

Yoga, breathwork, and somatic practices are so effective precisely because they speak directly to the nervous system. A long slow exhale activates the vagus nerve and begins to shift the body from sympathetic activation toward ventral regulation. A grounding practice or restorative pose can gently invite the system out of dorsal shutdown. A mindful, flowing movement practice can help burn off excess rajas energy in a healthy way.

The ancient yogis did not have the language of neuroscience. But they were observing the same human experience, and what they built works.

A Simple Way to Use This Today

Next time you notice a shift in your mood or energy, try asking two questions instead of one.

Instead of just "how am I feeling?" ask: "what state is my nervous system in right now?" and "which guna is most present?"

You do not need to fix it immediately. Just naming it creates a small but important distance between you and the state. And from that distance, you have a choice.

That choice, repeated over time, is what yoga has always been about.

Want to Explore This Further?

If you are curious about how somatic therapy and nervous system work can support your mental health and wellbeing, I would love to connect. I offer a free 15-minute introductory call to anyone who wants to explore what working together might look like.

[Book your free call here →]

Fernanda Megda is a somatic therapist and counsellor working online across Australia. She integrates nervous system science, yoga philosophy, somatic therapy, and Ayurvedic principles to support people navigating anxiety, burnout, grief, and life transitions.