The ancient teachings of yoga talk about three essential qualities of nature called the Gunas. Gunas in Sanskrit means a strand or a rope. According to the Samkhya philosophy, all of creation (known as Prakriti), on all levels of manifestation, is made up of different combinations of these three strands or qualities. They are present in all beings, matter, thoughts, personalities and experiences in different and everchanging proportions.
1. Tamas