According to yoga, what we eat doesn’t only feed the body: it also shapes the state of the mind. Sattvic eating supports sattva, the quality of clarity, calm and lightness.
Sattvic foods
- Fresh, seasonal fruit and vegetables.
- Whole grains: rice, millet, oats, buckwheat.
- Well-cooked pulses: lentils, chickpeas, beans.
- Nuts and seeds.
- Fresh herbs and gentle spices.
- Food cooked with love and eaten calmly.
What to reduce
Rajasic foods (very spicy, stimulants like coffee, very salty) excite and can create restlessness. Tamasic foods (processed, deep-fried, reheated many times, alcohol) can bring heaviness and lethargy. It’s not about banning, but noticing how you feel after eating.
How we eat
How we eat matters as much as what we eat: seated, without screens, chewing well, with gratitude and without filling the stomach completely. At Omshanti retreats the food is vegetarian, organic and seasonal, and many people notice how their energy changes within a few days.
Start with one meal a day prepared this way, and observe.
