Yoga seeks physical, mental, psychological, and spiritual development through its practice and principles. You don’t have to be a vegetarian or vegan to practice yoga; nevertheless, the food we eat has a strong influence on our bodies and affects how we feel. In this manner, yoga values a balanced diet that prioritizes the consumption of natural foods, thus avoiding the consumption of foods that are toxic to the body.
When we turn to yoga for feelings of lightness, inner peace, balance, and happiness, we will certainly turn to foods that nourish us with these qualities. If we want to make responsible eating choices, we need to pay attention to our body, mind, feelings, the quality of food we buy, and the energy it provides.
As a result of this awareness, we recognize that certain foods sap our energy, leaving us tired, sad, and heavy... Others that nourish us leave us feeling strong and light.
A correct, pure, or sattvíca, diet is recommended by Āyurveda because sattva creates balance and harmony, and food is viewed as medicine because no healing therapy can be effective without proper nutrition.
The basis of sattva is the attitude of ahimsã (non-violence), which is one of the ethics of yoga. A sattvíca diet is, above all, vegetarian and free of any type of violence or cruelty to animals.
Thus, eating meat and fish is not ideal for practicing yogic philosophy because the death of the animal is directly linked to suffering, which opposes the principles of yoga. It is important to have a balanced, healthy life and diet in all situations. If you practice yoga, you have an additional reason to reconsider your eating habits.
When the animals are taken to the slaughterhouse, they feel the danger; they are disoriented. This state of fear and anger is transmitted to the humans who eat it. Obviously, this is not good for their health or longevity. That is why, when man seeks his higher Self and mental clarity, he faces challenges and then adopts a diet rich in fruits, plants, vegetables, and seeds.
If you are curious to learn more about the subject, the documentary "A carne é fraca" shows the daily life of animals in slaughterhouses, what life is like for aquatic animals, and all the other environmental issues related to this topic.
