Diet for a yogi

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A Sadhaka should observe perfect discipline. He must be civil, polite,

courteous, gentle, noble and gracious in his behaviour. He must have

perseverance, adamantine will, asinine patience and leech-like tenacity in

Sadhana. He must be perfectly self-controlled, pure and devoted to the Guru.

A glutton or one who is a slave of his senses with several bad habits, is unfit

for the spiritual path.

“Mitaharam vina yastu yogarambham tu karayet; Nanarogo bhavettasya kinchit yogo na siddhyati

“Without observing moderation of diet, if one takes to the Yogic practices, he

cannot obtain any benefit but gets various diseases” (Ghe. Sam. V-16).

Food plays a prominent place in Yoga-Sadhana. An aspirant should be very careful

in the selection of articles of Sattvic nature especially in the beginning of

his Sadhana period. Later on when Siddhi is attained, drastic dietetic

restrictions can be removed.

Purity of food leads to purity of mind. Sattvic food helps meditation. The

discipline of food is very very necessary for Yogic Sadhana. If the tongue is

controlled, all the other Indriyas are controlled.

“Ahara-suddhau sattva-suddhih, sattva-suddhau dhruva smritih; Smriti-lambhe

sarva-granthinam viprarnokshah—By the purity of food follows the purification

of the inner nature, by the purification of the nature, memory becomes firm and

on strengthening the memory, follows the loosening of all ties and the wise get

Moksha thereby.”

Sattvic Articles

I will give you a list of Sattvic articles for a Sadhaka. Milk, red rice,

barley, wheat, Havishannam, Charu, cream, cheese, butter, green dal

(Moong dal), Badam (almonds), Misri (sugar-candy), Kismis (raisins), Kichidi,

Pancha Shakha vegetables (Seendil, Chakravarty, Ponnan-gani, Chirukeerai and

Vellaicharnai), Lowki vegetable, plantain-stem, Parwal, Bhindi (lady’s finger),

pomegranates, sweet oranges, grapes, apples, bananas, mangoes, dates, honey,

dried ginger, black pepper, etc., are the Sattvic articles of diet prescribed

for the Yoga Abhyasis.

Charu: Boil half a seer of milk along with some boiled rice, ghee and sugar.

This is an excellent food for Yogins. This is for the day-time. For the night,

half a seer of milk will do.

Milk should not be too much boiled. It should be removed from the fire as soon

as the boiling point is reached. Too much boiling destroys the nutritious

principles and vitamins and renders it quite useless. This is an ideal food for

Sadhakas. Milk is a perfect food by itself.

A fruit diet exercises a benign influence on the constitution. This is a natural

form of diet. Fruits are very great energy-producers. Fruits and milk diet help

concentration and easy mental focussing. Barley, wheat, milk and ghee promote

longevity and increase power and strength. Fruit-juice and the water wherein

sugar-candy is dissolved, are very good beverages. Butter mixed with

sugar-candy, and almonds soaked in water can be taken. These will cool the

system.

Forbidden Articles

Sour, hot, pungent and bitter preparations, salt, mustard, asafoetida, chillies,

tamarind, sour curd, chutnee, meat, eggs, fish, garlic, onions, alcoholic

liquors, acidic things, stale food, overripe or unripe fruits, and other

articles that disagree with your system should be avoided entirely.

Rajasic food distracts the mind. It excites passion. Give up salt. It excites

passion and emotion. Giving up of salt helps in controlling the tongue and

thereby the mind and in developing will-power also. Snake-bite and

scorpion-stings will have no influence on a man who has given up salt. Onions

and garlic are worse than meat.

Live a natural life. Take simple food that is agreeable. You should have your

own menu to suit your constitution. You are yourself the best judge to select a

Sattvic diet.

The proficient in Yoga should abandon articles of food detrimental to the

practice of Yoga. During intense Sadhana, milk (and ghee also) is ordained.

I have given above several articles of Sattvic nature. That does not mean that

you should take all. You will have to select a few things that are easily

available and suitable to you. Milk is the best food for Yogins. But even a

small quantity of milk is harmful for some and may not agree with all

constitutions. If one form of diet is not suitable or if you feel constipated,

change the diet and try some other Sattvic articles. This is Yukti.

In the matter of food and drinks you should be a master. You should not have the

least craving or sense-hankering for any particular food. You must not become a

slave to any particular object.

Mitahara

Heavy food leads to Tamasic state and induces sleep only. There is a general

misapprehension that a large quantity of food is necessary for health and

strength. Much depends upon the power of assimilation and absorption.

Generally, in the vast majority of cases, most

of the food passes away undigested along with faeces. Take half stomachful of

wholesome food. Fill a quarter with pure water. Leave the rest free. This is

Mitahara. Mitahara plays a vital part in keeping up perfect health. Almost all

diseases are due to irregularity of meals, overeating and unwholesome food.

Eating all things at all times like a monkey is highly dangerous. Such a man

can become a Rogi (sick man) easily; but he can never become a Yogi. Hear the

emphatic declaration of Lord Krishna: “Success in Yoga is not for him who eats

too much or too little; nor for him

who sleeps too much or too little (Gita VI-16). Again in the Sloka 18 of the

same chapter, He says: “To him who is temperate in eating and in sleep and

wakefulness, Yoga becomes a destroyer of misery.”

A glutton cannot at the very outset have diet regulations and observe Mitahara.

He must gradually practise this. First let him take less quantity twice as

usual. Then instead of the usual heavy night meals, let him take fruits and

milk alone for some days. In due course of time he can completely avoid the

night meals and try to take fruits and milk in the daytime. Those who do

intense Sadhana must take milk alone. It is a perfect food by itself. If

necessary they can take some easily digestible fruits. A glutton, if he all on

a sudden takes to fruit or milk diet, will desire at every moment to eat

something or other. That is bad. Once again I reiterate, gradual practice is

necessary.

Do not fast much. It will produce weakness in you. Occasional fasting once a

month or when passion troubles you much, will suffice. During fasting you

should not even think of the various articles of food. Constant thinking of the

food when you fast cannot bring you the desired result. During fasting, avoid

company. Live alone. Utilise your time in Yogic Sadhana. After a fast do not

take any heavy food. Milk or some fruit-juice is beneficial.

Do not make much fuss about your diet. You need not advertise to everyone if you

are able to pull on with a particular form of diet. The observance of such

Niyamas is for your advancement in the spiritual path and you will not be

spiritually benefited by giving publicity to your Sadhana. There are many

nowadays who make it a profession to

earn money and their livelihood by performing some Asana, Pranayama or by having

some diet regulation such as eating only raw articles or leaves or roots. They

cannot have any spiritual growth. The goal of life is Self-realisation.

Sadhakas should keep the goal always in view and do intense Sadhana with the

prescribed methods.

 

Yours

George Pillai

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