Yoga and Diet in the Classical Texts
Historically, vegetarian diets have been encountered most often in association with various religious beliefs and practices. Christian groups as varied as Trappist monks and Seventh-day Adventists include many vegetarians, either due to biblical interpretation or spiritual injunctions to live a simple life. And of course, the cultural traditions of Yoga that have spawned much of the religious traditions of the East are vegetarian. Such vegetarians could well be stricter about their diet than those doing it for health reasons, because they have adopted the diet based on deeply held religious beliefs or strong philosophical, ethical, or ecological principles.
For the most part, the classic Yoga texts emphasize the role of diet in advanced practices. For the beginner, who just wants to do a few asans for limbering and relaxing, diet can be important, especially if prior eating habits have been inadequate, but is not critical for success. However, if the student wants to attempt more advanced breathing, concentration and meditation techniques, diet becomes more important. The classical texts all stress moderation of intake and the soothing, calming effects on the mind of a carefully designed diet.
Throughout the ancient texts the first Yoga practice invoked is that of Nonviolence (ahimsa in Sanskrit), which means "not causing suffering to any living being." Most Yogis extend this injunction to animals, giving us the most fundamental reason for a vegetarian diet. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, an ancient handbook of Yoga, says, "Moderate diet means pleasant, sweet food, leaving free one-fourth of the stomach. The act of eating is dedicated to Shiva." In the old texts, Shiva is a constant presence, often described as the first or preeminent Yogi, in legend sitting alone on a peak in the high Himalayas in eternal meditation.
Pleasant and sweet foods had a different meaning in classical times, and the text lists some recommended foods: "Wheat products, rice, milk, fats, rock candy, honey, dried ginger, cucumber, vegetables, and fresh water. The Yogi should eat nourishing, sweet foods mixed with milk. They should benefit the senses and stimulate the functions." Keep in mind that these are ancient foods, and translating them to a supermarket shopping list is difficult. Grains were always whole, fat from clarified butter was rare, and buttermilk meant whey.
The Gheranda Samhita, another classic Sanskrit text in the form of a dialogue between a legendary sage by the name of Gheranda and an aspiring student, Chanda Kapali, hints at a more practical approach. The sage says strong-tasting foods, which to us means highly palatable foods, are so attractive that they draw the mind to them. Food can too easily become a distraction. A blander diet retrains the mind eventually, to facilitate introspection. The following are recommended: rice, barley, wheat, and legumes (peas, beans, and lentils); and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, particularly leafy vegetables. A general description of pure, sweet, and cooling food, only filling half the stomach, rounds out the recommendation. You can see the principle of moderation at work again. My teacher Rama explained that one-half of the stomach should be filled with food and one-fourth with water, leaving one-fourth for air.
The Shiva Samhita, a classic Sanskrit exposition of traditional Yoga practices, suggests, particularly in the beginning, avoiding acids, astringents, pungents, salt, mustard, bitter things, foods roasted in oil, and much eating (overindulgence). Foods or categories recommended are clarified butter, milk, sweet food, and betel nut but without lime. It also suggests that smaller, more frequent meals are beneficial.
Modern Yogis often follow these much older traditions. All three of my teachers, Sivananda, Rama, and Lakshmanjoo, were vegetarians who strictly followed the classical teachings as outlined above. Rama and Lakshmanjoo, both of whom I knew well, were particularly insistent on freshness; no leftovers! All three adhered to the belief that turning away from meat, poultry, and fish was the best way to start serious Yoga practice.
Two other experts who have had a major impact on Yoga in the West through their teaching have given explicit dietary instruction. Swami Vishnudevananda refers to the "natural diet of man," meaning relying on plant-based sources for all nutrients. B. K. S. Iyengar believes that a vegetarian diet is a necessity for Yoga practice, and that it is the first step toward Nonviolence. In his view, each person makes his or her own choice influenced by culture, tradition, and principle, but in course of time, the practitioner of Yoga has to adopt a vegetarian diet in order to attain one-pointed attention and spiritual evolution. Food should be taken to promote health, strength, energy, and life, and it should be simple, nourishing, juicy, and soothing. He recommends avoiding foods that are sour, bitter, salty, pungent, stale, tasteless, heavy, and unclean, much the same as in the Shiva Samhita quoted previously. He believes that the student should eat for the sake of sustenance only, not too much or too little, but moderate.