By Mahadeva Ishaya

www.essential-yoga-for-men.com 

It has often been said that “we are what we eat”. With the widespread rise in obesity, and the persistence of conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer, then it would seem that something is not right in the diet of the population at large.

What I would like to explore in this essay is if the ancient teachings of yoga have anything relevant to say to modern men and women with regards to diet and correct eating.

I intend to do this by looking at some of the key principles of a Yogic Diet.

The aim of yoga is to unit the individual self with the Universal Being. To the yogi every action is determined by its relationship with this goal. “If I do this, or that, does it take me closer or further away from what I truly want?”, becomes the question when faced with a choice. This is also the case when it comes to diet.

The yogi eats to nourish his physical body and only consumes foodstuffs that s/he considers to be consistent with good health and spiritual aspirations.

Prana

Prana is the name given to the Life-Force, that energy which animates all living things and forms. The greater the level of prana in food the higher the health and spiritual benefits that particular food offers.

Foods that are high in prana help bring mental clarity and inner peace as well as helping the physical body systems operate optimally.

Modern nutritional thought typically looks at food as a collection of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals. The Yogic approach is to look at food in its potential to promote life and consciousness, in other words it’s Vital Essence (prana). This is the key consideration of a Yogi with regards to food.

The Gunas

To a Yogi, Creation is the interplay of three fundamental forces, named the gunas. These are;

Sattva guna which is the embodiment of the pure, creative force;

Tamas guna which is the embodiment of the destructive force;

And Rajas guna which maintains the balance between these two fundamental forces, and is the active principle.

With relation to food then the Yogi will find himself naturally drawn to foods which are primarily Sattvic in nature. Sattvic foods are easily digested and leave the body nourished, calmn and feeling light and supple. They also help quieten the mind and maintain equilibrium between the mind and body. Fruit, vegetables, grains, milk and butter are amongst those foods considered sattvic.

Eating food slowly is also considered sattvic.

Tamasic foods such as meat, or stale foods create heaviness in the body and lethargy in the mind, and help produce emotions such as anger and greed. They are best avoided.

Rajasic foods are foods which are stimulating such as eggs, fish, tea and coffee They over-excite the body and produce a busy and restless mind. It is best to minimise the intake of rajasic foods. Eating quickly is considered rajasic.

Vegetarianism

One of the foundations of the yogic life (listed as one of the 5 Yamas (observances) by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras) is the principle of Ahimsa (non-violence). Hence most yogis traditionally follow a lacto-vegetarian diet. This does not involve the killing of any animal yet allows the diet to be varied enough to receive the benefits of consuming milk and cheese, etc.

Eating meat is also considered to be inefficient as most life-force (prana) is contained within plants or fruits. These have a direct relationship with the earth and with the sun, receiving the energy from both. Most of the animals that humans eat are themselves non-meat eaters. They receive the pranic benefits from their herbivorous diets and utilise most of this within the time-frame of their own lives. When an animal is killed then there is very little, if any, energetic vitality in its dead flesh. Animal flesh contains a number of toxins and acids many of which have been shown to contribute to conditions such as arthritis.

The human system closely resembles that of non meat-eating animals, particularly primates, and the teeth and intestines are not designed to efficiently deal with meat.

There is also considerable cruelty involved in the production of meat, particularly on the industrial scale of production that we have nowadays. Animals are housed and grown purely for yield of meat, with little consideration for their welfare, are filled with dangerous hormones and chemicals (dangerous not only for the animal, but for those who consume their flesh or drink their milk), they are transported under conditions of extreme stress, and are slaughtered in a production line method that often does not provide them with adequate anaesthetic at the point of death or dismemberment.

In response to public concern about this process there has been a move to organic or kinder methods of rearing animals but even this can involve stress for the animals.

On a personal note I remember being in Kathmandu, Nepal, and walking back to my hotel late at night and seeing a cow and a calf tied up outside a butcher shop (which was closed). The calf was obviously scared by the strange environment and was tucking itself under the cow as people and motorcycles and cars whizzed past.

The following morning we were up early to catch a bus and walked past the butcher’s shop, which had now begun its daily activities. The cow was no longer standing there. It’s head lay on the ground whilst it’s body was being chopped and hacked into the cuts of meat that would be sold to the customers. The calf was still tied up, almost stiff with tension, barely able to breath, eyes wide open, staring at the scene before it, a pool of urine below where it stood.

That fear, and the karmic consequence, would according to the Yogic viewpoint be within the flesh that would later be eaten. A yogi, aiming to transcend suffering and exist from a place of pure love, would not wish to “nourish” themselves with something which was the result of suffering.

Eat according to the needs of the body

Another principle of yogic diet is eating only when hungry and not consuming too much for the digestive system to handle.

Modern men and women have lost the link between hunger and eating. Typically s/he puts food in the mouth at all times of the day, regardless of the condition of the body and digestive system. Our meals are ordered by the clock, by time – breakfast time, lunch time, dinner time, late night supper time, and a constant supply of snacks and drinks in between those times. This is too much for the digestive system to handle and it also covers up our awareness of what and when our body is actually asking us for nourishment.

The yogic way is to eat in response to the signs of natural hunger. Most modern people have lost the ability to recognise this, but it can quickly be re-established with sufficient discipline and commitment.

According to Indian legend, God allocates a certain amount of nourishment to each individual person to last the duration of their lifetime. If that is consumed quickly, we die sooner. If that is consumed sparingly, the longer we live. Many spiritual traditions have similar guidance about the wisdom of avoiding over-indulgence.

Eat with attention

A yogi eats food with awareness. It is the one thing s/he is doing at the time of eating, experiencing the textures of the food, noticing the flavours and savouring the lingering tastes in the mouth. Contrast this where modern men and women eat whilst watching the TV news, driving a car, reading a newspaper, or a multitude of other activities.

Most people are unaware of the food they eat simple because they pay little attention to it. This is the same with most of our daily activities as generally people have their attention in the past or the future. Yoga and meditation helps one become more “mindful” and present in the moment.

It is also important in the Yogic tradition to acknowledge and be appreciative of the food we eat. This vibration is transferred to the food and boosts its health-giving properties. In many traditions saying “Grace” before a meal is an important ritual.

An important consideration is to ensure that we are in a positive emotional state when eating. We are literally feeding our emotions, and if we eat when angry or upset then we are fuelling these emotions within ourselves. Many people in modern society eat as a way of dealing with difficult emotions. The Yogis would ask them to cultivate an experience of awareness of these emotions and not to consume food or drink until such time as they have passed. Meditation practice is a great aid to this.

Chew food properly

Chewing food properly is a key principle of Yogic eating. The Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi once said, “one should drink one’s food, and chew one’s juice.” This is an indicator to chew one’s food until such time as it becomes liquid in nature. There are a number of reasons why this is important.

The delicate walls of the stomach cannot impact enough force to break down large portions of food. In order to do this it needs to produce large amounts of gastric juices and stomach acids. This can lead to health problems.

Also undigested food lying in the stomach and the digestive tract can begin to ferment causing long term health problems and adds toxins to the internal systems.

Proper chewing not only helps break down food into smaller and smaller pieces it also helps prepare food for its journey to the stomach. There are enzymes released from within certain foods (particularly uncooked natural foods) that help break down the food to best release its nutrient potential. There are also specific enzymes contained within saliva that help this process also, but they need to be given enough time to begin to act. If food leaves the mouth and heads to the stomach before these enzymes have the opportunity to begin to function then we set ourselves up for potential health problems and don’t receive all of the nutrition we could otherwise get from the foods we consume.

Interestingly those who chew food properly tend to eat less and put on less weight. In part this is because it takes some time for the message that the stomach has received enough to get to the conscious mind, so the slower we eat the less chance we will overeat. Also because we release more of the pranic, vitamin and mineral content of the foods we consume then our body receives what it requires from less volume of food. So, for those who are overweight, chewing thoroughly and eating slowly may provide a simple solution to reducing some of it.

Another benefit of properly chewing is that it stimulates dental health. Chewing stimulates blood flow to the gums and roots of the teeth. Many yogis recommend taking time to chew on the left side, then the right side of the mouth to ensure stimulation across the gums and teeth.

Natural and simple diet

The traditional Yogic diet is has an emphasis on plant-based foods, as well as items such as milk and honey. It is a very simple diet that also is very efficient in that much moisture and prana is contained within it. The sun and the elements directly act to produce vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and pulses, and as such this energy is directly received by the yogi when s/he consumes these foods. Nuts also provide a rich source of oils and fats, as does milk.

(Side note: The milk we commonly consume in the Western world has been processed to the point it has seriously compromised nutritional value. The yogis of old would have consumed raw milk which contains enzymes which help the human system break down lactose and other components – absent in modern, pasteurised milk. Therefore, the modern yogi should seek out a source of organic, raw milk).

Fasting

Giving the digestive system time to catch up with the food we have consumed and to give it a rest are an important part of the Yogic tradition. Fasting has a place in most spiritual traditions as a means of purifying the body and allowing energy to be directed to the spiritual quest.

Many Yogis will undertake periods of fasting, particularly at auspicious periods in the calendar, to celebrate particular festivals, or astrological phenomena. For the modern Yogi with householder responsibilities it may be more challenging, but many find that taking one day per week is a manageable discipline. This aids health, and frees up considerable time and internal energy for yoga and meditative or philosophical pursuits.

Conclusion

Einstein is reputed to have said that a problem cannot be solved by the same level of consciousness which created it. With this in mind it is clear to me that the current eating habits of the majority of people in the developed world are contributing to an epidemic of ill health and unhappiness. Pharmaceutical or surgical solutions to these problems do not address the causes of this or offer a solution which provides physical, emotional or spiritual wellbeing. Yoga does.

The yogic principles have stood the test of time and have produced many individuals who are testimony to its effectiveness. However for many people it may be a challenge to know where to begin making changes or to find support for doing so. Fortunately in this internet age information is more freely available and there is increasing awareness of the need to find a healthier relationship with food and eating.

One group who are very important in this are yoga teachers. Through classes and by their example they have the ability to inspire, support and encourage people to investigate the ancient Yogic knowledge which can make such a difference for modern men and women.

Om Shanti

Mahadeva Ishaya is a certified Yoga teacher. He teaches Yoga classes in Edinburgh, UK. His web site can be found at: www.essential-yoga-for-men.com