On the quest for spiritual growth and well-being, yogis and spiritual devotees alike have consciously cut foods like garlic and onion from their diet. According to Samkhya philosophy, qualities found in Rajasic and Tamasic tendencies take us further away from enlightenment and a Sattvic lifestyle. Some of these qualities are attributed to foods like garlic and onion. In an attempt to live a more Sattvic lifestyle while challenging the beliefs I read about, I decided to cut both garlic and onion from my diet despite their universal popularity. Join me as I explore the interplay of diet and spirituality on my path to well-being.
Key Takeaways
Why no garlic and onion?
When we talk about the medicinal qualities of the food we eat there are no doubt endless reasons why we should eat one food over another. One could say garlic and onion are superfoods in their own right. They are staples in most diets and yet if you speak to a true yogi or Ayurvedic devotee you will not find garlic or onion in their diet unless it is used as medicine, potent and probably on its own. So why is this the case? Are certain foods more healing or less healing than others? Can certain foods bring you closer or further away from enlightenment? I have personally done some deep diving into the topic and am here to share my findings.
What does Sattva mean?
Before we get into it it's important to understand sattva and a yogic lifestyle. Sattva is one of the three gunas or virtues in Samkhya philosophy. Samkhya philosophy is one of the main systems of ancient Indian philosophy. Samkhya has to do with alignment of the physical and energetic chakras, our soul purpose, and our liberation from life and death intertwined with reincarnation.
Another aspect of Samkhya philosophy has to do with self-knowledge and how best to support our physical and spiritual well-being. In Samkhya philosophy, the three gunas are qualities that exist within the world and us.
According to Samkhya philosophy one goal in life is to reach enlightenment, guiding you toward spiritual liberation and understanding of self. One way of getting closer to understanding oneself is to explore the aspects of the gunas, known as: Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. The qualities or attributes of these three aspects exist in nature and within us and therefore, it is important to learn how to discern between them.
Each quality is intertwined as one cannot exist without the other and each guna is constantly influx and interacting with the other. When you come to understand the qualities you will notice how they have an impact on the way we perceive and react to life. The qualities exist whether you acknowledge them or not, but the gunas give us a way to define these traits. For example...
Rajas is action in motion. Rajas shows up as change, in our busy schedules, in our fast motions, desire for our success in work, inconsistency and inability to stay still. Rajas can show up as anxiousness, stress and irritation. It is high energy. Aspects that exacerbate Rajas are stimulating things like spicy food or caffeine.
Tamas has to do with inertia. The nonexistence of movement, feelings of stuckness and laziness, ignorance, apathy, or attachment. When we have extra Tamas in our life we may oversleep or eat or be prone to depressive behavior. Tamas is overindulgent and has a difficult time moving up and forward. Aspects that exacerbate Tamas are activities like inactivity or eating heavy and old foods.
Sattva manifests itself as harmony, goodness, nobility, and purity. When we are in a sattvic state we tend to be at peace, able to forgive and act non-violent toward ourselves and others. When our sattva is harmonious we balance our rajas and tamas and feel fulfilled, blissful, calm, loving and free. The goal of a yogi is to live a sattvic life. To practice a sattvic life we should eat sattvic foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes and grains, meditate, practice devotional acts and live in high vibration and from a positive place.
So why is this important?
If you are on the yogic path, a yoga teacher, Ayurvedic practitioner or seeking spiritual enlightenment, ultimately a sattvic lifestyle is the direction you would most likely be headed toward. If you’ve ever come in contact with a yogi or swami or person on a spiritual path you may have noticed the energy they carry around.
Energetically a sattvic person is tranquil, wise, happy, pure and easy to be around. Sounds pretty good, right? So before you decide you’re all in and want to adopt a totally sattvic lifestyle let me pause to tell you, rajas and tamas serve a purpose and a place.
We need rajas for initiation, activity and movement and we need tamas for rest. Sattva balances the two and if your goal is to live in harmony it would be your goal to practice a more balanced and sattvic life.
Onion and Garlic
So where do onion and garlic fit into all of this and why don’t true yogis, spiritual devotees or Ayurvedic practitioners partake? First and foremost, we can look at the qualities of onion and garlic. According to Ayurveda, onion and garlic are more fiery and pungent or Pitta-like foods.
Their fiery component is indicative as to why they are typically used when we are feeling sick with a cold or flu. Our immunity is compromised and the fire can be used to stimulate and work to heal our immune system.
In reference to the gunas, when we think about sattvic foods what should come to mind is a predominantly vegetarian or vegan diet, causing no harm to animals. Sattvic foods are organic, whole and easily digestible. According to Ayurveda, eating a dead animal is tamasic in nature. Tamasic foods tend to be dulling like alcohol, overly processed foods and animal protein.
According to Ayurveda, onion is another example of a tamasic food as it can be dulling and difficult for many people to properly digest, especially when raw. When we think of rajasic foods, we should think of stimulating foods such as spicy foods and caffeine. According to Ayurveda, as garlic contains many compounds that make it strongly medicinal and stimulating, it tends to be more rajasic.
Ultimately, the dulling or over stimulating foods is what most yogis are looking to move away from as neither quality is aligned with a sattvic lifestyle. Neither food is villainized, rather serves a purpose which is more medicinal rather than consumed on a daily basis.
TIPS for making delicious meals without garlic and onion:
Self-Practice
I’m on a spiritual path of sorts, I practice Ayurveda and yoga and so I decided to give it a go and cut out garlic and onion from my diet and here’s what I discovered. For around one month I chose to eat very clean, no processed foods or sugars, no caffeine and no garlic and onion.
What I can say is mentally I had little to no brain fog. I felt clear and aware and more sensitive to my palate. Flavors, tastes and spices all tasted more vibrant and intense. Whether it was directly related to the onion and garlic or not, I felt I had the ability to listen to my body more without the cloudiness of a less conscious diet.
The second thing I noticed was my digestion and sensitivity. After a month I ate out at a restaurant and felt almost immediately terrible after. Eating clean and at home can do that to you so I experimented with a home cooked meal and used garlic and onion. My result was no different, in that I experienced extreme discomfort and gassiness.
This led me to question the technical causes of my indigestion. What I learned is that garlic and onion contain FODMAPS or a carbohydrate called fructan that does not get fully absorbed by the small intestine. As it turns out, people often experience gas, bloating, diarrhea, and stomach pain from both garlic and onion. To boot, they can both lend themselves to causing IBS in those with sensitive digestive systems. As it would appear, garlic and onion may not be the most friendly of foods whether we are on a spiritual path or not.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I’m not necessarily trying to reach enlightenment. But I am interested in feeling really good in my body for a really long time. As a result, going forward I’ve decided to take an indefinite break from garlic and onion when it is in my power. I never would’ve realized my sensitivity until I stopped consuming it which begs the question, are garlic and onion dulling or shrouding our senses?
So what do you think? Do you eat garlic and onion? And if so, would you be willing to cut them out of your diet? The downside is giving up the delicious flavors that onion and garlic offer but the upside is feeling less gassy and uncomfortable in your body. If you give it a go, let me know! Namaste!
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