Sattva Yoga Society

sattvik food

Start by simply observing the effect of each food choice we make and, from our experience and awareness, begin to make small changes. As we progress in this practice we can recognize three broad categories of the gunas.

Some foods leave us feeling tired and sluggish. This is called the tamasik effect. Other foods leave us feeling agitated or over-stimulated – the rajasik effect. The third category belongs to foods that leave us feeling calm, alert and refreshed. This is the sattvik effect and the basis of the sattvik diet.

If we persist in this practice, we will arrive at our personal version of the sattvik diet. The Bhagavad Gita describes the sattvik diet as “promoting life, virtue, strength, health, happiness and satisfaction”. Sattvik foods are “savory, smooth, firm and pleasant to the stomach.” By contrast, the Gita describes the Rajasik diet as “excessively pungent, sour, salty, hot, harsh, astringent and burnt,” leading to “pain, misery and sickness.” The Tamasik foods are described as “stale, tasteless, smelly, left-over, rotten and foul”.

The true test of our foods comes when we meditate. All those who meditate know that there are two main problems. One is falling asleep–the tamasik effect. The other is an over-active mind-the rajasik effect. If we want to be able to quieten the mind and maintain our alertness to explore our subtle nature, we need to follow a sattvik diet. “When Sattva predominates, the light of wisdom shines through every gate of the body” (Bhagavad Gita 14: 11).

According to Ayurvedic philosophy, food is the “Prana” or life force of the body and mind. Prana also enters, and is distributed throughout the body via the breath – hence the reason why proper use of the breath through Yoga, breathing exercises or Pranayama is essential to good health.

References: Mr Gary Gran (USA), Ayurvedic Cooking for All (Amadea Morningstar), Yoga for promotion of Positive Health (Dr R Nagarathna, Dr HR Nagendra)