During lunch with my TTC classmates the other day, we discussed yoga fads such as wine/beer with yoga. Classes like these have gotten a lot of hype in the media and it made us wonder how beneficial these classes really are.
As if to answer our question, we learnt about the 3 primary Yoga Gunas in class today: Sattvic, Rajasic, and Tamasic.
Keeping a Sattvic, or ‘pure’ diet, is most conducive for yoga and meditation. Sattvic foods are those that make us feel fresh, and no surprise that they are healthy foods like fresh fruit, vegetables, and wholemeal.
Rajasic, or ‘stimulating’ foods are what we get a lot of here in Singapore. Spicy, flavorful foods, tea, sugar, garlic, and onion are just some of the foods falling under this category.
Tamasic, or ‘dull’ foods are those that are more difficult to digest, and slow down our reactions. Alcohol falls under this category, as does meat, processed food, and surprisingly, mushrooms.
Learning about the gunas, and how a Sattvic diet is the best for yogis, confirmed our suspicions about how effective these alcohol + yoga classes actually are: not very!
Indeed, after doing yoga, I have become more aware of my diet, and I realise I have cut down on many unhealthy foods I used to indulge in, such as cakes, soft drinks, alcohol, and junk food. Turning to yoga and meditation to calm the mind – rather than tamasic sources like alcohol and comfort food – has already helped me feel calmer and fresher for longer too.
Yoga isn’t just about the asanas – it is truly a whole lifestyle!
Nicole V (200hr TTC, July 2017)
