Beyond Three Gunas

We are what we eat, and this statement is true in more senses than one. Thousands of years ago, this fact was already known to people living in India, who eventually developed the intricate postulates of nutrition based on the teachings of Yoga and Ayurveda. Even now, it is highly unlikely that you can meet an overweight person in India or even in our highly industrialized world, if those are yogi aspirants who have acquired the basic principles of the Ayurvedic diet. In accordance with this ancient teaching, a natural diet is based on fresh, light, nutritional food such as fruits, grains, vegetables, and dairy products. It not only keeps the body lean and limber, but also ensures that the mind stays clear and sharp and that the spirit is getting closer to enlightment. Full of subtle live energy, prana, this pure and moderate diet is a practical instrument against obesity and the best possible guarantee of physical and mental health.

The yogic way of eating is simply the most natural. It is based on the teaching of three Gunas that exist in equilibrium and characterise certain qualities of the universal energy: Sattva (purity), Rajas (passion, activity, and change), and Tamas (inertia and darkness). Once energy takes a physical form, one of the three qualities predominates - the process that we can easily observe in people who prefer particular products in their everyday diet. Let us consider the example of an apple. “Sattvic” personalities will prefer to eat the fruit in its natural, fresh form; Rajastic people will give a preference to its processed form, like in an applesauce, while Tamastic personalities would choose its fermented form - apple cider. By observing people around us, we can easily identify their dominant Guna. An alert, quiet, satisfied, and calm person with a lean and flexible body certainly exhibits Sattvic qualities; a passionate, angry, greedy, and unstable person who craves money, power, and possessions (the characteristics, which are quite typical for the Western societies) exhibits a usual Rajastic personality. Finally, an overweight or even obese person, lethargic and depressed, with a dull mind and a lazy body, will give us a miserable picture of a Tamastic personality, which, unfortunately, more and more dominates nowadays in the industrially developed countries.

The three Gunas encompass all existence, all actions, and they are also ever-changing. Therefore, no matter which Guna predominates in you now, you can change that by changing your actions, thoughts and, of course, your diet. If today you decide to cut down on the amount of Tamastic foods and choose to eat more Sattvic products, your body eventually will react to that by losing weight, becoming more flexible, and exhibiting more calmness and satisfaction. Let us have a look at particular foods that correspond to each of the three Gunas so that you can make a right choice about your everyday menu.

Sattvic foods represent the purest products that nourish the body, purify the mind, lead to true health, and help us achieve optimal weight. Sattvic products include wholesome grains in the form of breads and cereals, fresh, organically grown fruits, vegetables, pulses, seeds and nuts, pure fruit juices, milk, cheese, butter, honey, spring water, and herbal teas.

Rajastic foods are very hot, sour, bitter, dry or salty. They tend to destroy the harmony between the mind and the body, stimulate and excite passions, desires and emotions, and lead to restlessness and discomfort. Rajastic menu includes strong spices, coffee, fish, eggs, salt, and chocolate. Eating hot foods and “gulping down” your meals is also considered Rajastic.

Tamastic foods are your worst choice that eventually leads to obesity, depression, inertia, and disease. Try to stay away from such Tamastic items as overripe fruits, meat, alcohol, vinegar, tobacco, garlic, and onions. Overeating is also considered Tamastic.

Only the enlightened Self, the state of consciousness known as Samadhi, has a power to transcend the three Gunas. For the majority of us, is it still about choosing the right foods if we want to achieve the most optimal weight, gain health, and acquire a peaceful state of mind and harmony with the world.

Tim Ford

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