Food for thought

In the Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Krishna has spoken about three difference types of characteristics viz. Sattvik, Rajasik and Tamasik. People with Sattvik character are pure in thoughts, charitable, kind, non-violent etc. Their minds are tuned towards good things and towards God. People with Rajasik character have high levels of competitiveness, energy, anger and ambition. Tamasik people are lazy, indolent, confused, lethargic and given to base tendencies. Most of us have a combination of various characteristics and the mix differs from person to person.

Lord Krishna also describes the kinds of food preferred by each type of person. The sattvik person prefers fresh fruits / vegetables / nuts, food cooked without much seasoning and food offered first to the Lord. The rajasik person likes hot, pungent and spicy food which tickles her taste buds and ignites the passion in her. The tamasik person like food which are stale, kept overnight, already tasted by others or intoxicating. So, food also can be categorised as Sattvik, Rajasik or Tamasik based on who prefers it.

Our character gets influenced over time based on what we eat. So, if we are the adventurous and sporty type, we can consume Rajasik food to lift our spirits and make us energetic and competitive. If we want to turn spiritual, we should cultivate a habit of eating only / mainly sattvik food. If we consume any food which seems tasty without understanding the nature of it, we may be unknowingly creating a barrier for ourselves. So, if a sportsperson is tending to eat food that is either stale or not fresh, she is likely to feel lethargic and not competitive.

As people focussed on living a life of values, it would be right to redefine what we eat. Focus on sattvik food. It will slowly but steadily improve your character. You will find yourself less excitable and more balanced. You will find good positive thoughts arising more often than before. Sattvik food will facilitate you in your journey towards values based living.