THE DIET OF PATANJALI
Though the texts offer no prescribed
menu for yogis, there is a yogic diet,
says Gary Kraftsow, the founder of the
American Viniyoga Institute. “These
are ingredients that enhance clarity and
lightness, keeping the body light and
nourished and the mind clear,” he ex-
plains. In other words, a diet that offers
your body a great basis for practice or
encourages the same effects as practice
makes for a great yogic diet.
Foods that are considered sattvic
(light, clear) in clude most vegetables,
ghee (clarified butter), fruits, legumes,
and whole grains. In contrast, ta masic
foods (such as onions, meat, and garlic)
and rajasic foods (such as coffee, hot
peppers, and salt) can increase dullness
or hyperac tivity, respectively. But a
wholesome diet doesn’t necessarily
mean eating only sattvic foods. You
need to know your con stitution (vi kriti)
and your current state (pra kriti) to
choose wisely. It takes more than a little
savvy to figure it out.
Many modern yoga practitioners
suggest that a yogic diet should take
into account the values of yoga. Many
people name ahimsa, the yogic precept
of nonharming, as a primary influence.
Jivamukti Yoga co- founder David Life
says, “Not ev eryone can do Headstand,
but everybody eats. Because of this,
what you eat has more im pact and mat-
ters more than whether you can stand
on your head.”
With this in mind, we asked several
well-known teachers how they arrived at
their current food choices.FREEDOM FOOD
As you think about the teachers’ sug-
gestions, take a minute to see whether
they resonate with you. There isn’t one
absolutely right way to eat for everyone,
but there is a right way for you.Dayna Macy is Yoga Journal’s
communications director. She
can be found at daynamacy.com.When she was 21 years old, Mythic Flow
Yoga creator Sianna Sherman
became a vegan as part of her prac-
tice of ahimsa. For seven years, she
followed an animal-free diet, includ-
ing two years on a macrobiotic diet,
which consisted largely of whole
grains, fresh and sea vegetables,
nuts, beans, and fermented foods.
Sherman spent several more years
experimenting with a raw-food diet
for its promise of increased vitality
and prana (life force).However, as she began to spend
more time on the road, Sherman dis-
covered that she needed a different
kind of fuel to support her body as
she devoted herself to teaching
others. She needed to listen more
closely to her intuition.That intuition, Sherman says, has her
eating a lot of grains, vegetables,
some fish, and milk. She now mainly
eats organic, local, seasonal whole
foods. “I try to eat close to my food
sources so that the gap from earth
to kitchen table is bridged with
greater gratitude and awareness,”
she says.Not surprisingly, the interpretation
of ahimsa is widely debated within
the yoga community. David Life has
been committed to an animal-free
diet for decades. He became a veg-
etarian in the 1970s; since 1987, he
has been a vegan. “One’s suffering
is another’s suffering,” says Life,
who actively encourages yogis to
see veganism as the only dietary
choice that truly honors ahimsa.
“In the Yoga Sutra, it doesn’t say
be nonharming to yourself or peo-
ple who look like you. It just says
do no harm.”
Ana Forrest, the founder of Forrest
Yoga, began her exploration of the
yogic diet by focusing on ahimsa.
“I was very attracted to vegetarian-
ism and the philosophy of nonvio-
lence for years, but the diet made me
sick,” she says. “I’m allergic to grains.
I gain weight, my brain shuts down,
and my bowels stop working. And my
yoga practice does not improve.”
So with her body screaming for a
different regimen, Forrest chose an
omnivorous diet, one that consists
mostly of meat, especially game,
and vegetables. But, she says, this
doesn’t mean she can’t practice
ahimsa. “Since I do eat animals,” she
says, “I honor the elk, buffalo, or
moose by not wasting its life force or
mine. I use that force to heal myself
and others, and to teach, inspire, and
help people evolve. My ethics about
what to eat came down to my personal
truth. Eating in a way that impairs
your health and thinking is immoral.
And the truth is that an omnivorous
diet physiologically works for me.”
As an Ayurvedic practitioner, Scott
Blossom views the occasional red
meat as medicine for his specific
constitution. He still follows a largely
vegetarian diet, though: “That’s what
nourishes me in the most balanced
way,” he says. And when he does eat
meat, he sources it with great care,
choosing only organic and humanely
produced meats.local patron
vegan advocate
grateful omnivore ayurvedic all the way
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