In the west, we understand
the concept of “You are what you eat.” Ancient Indian texts explain Aahara, or
diet, by using the example of the elephant, the tiger, and the jackal. The elephant is a vegetarian. This animal represents the sattvic
mind. With Sattva, we can think
clearly, and act appropriately, according to the laws of nature. The elephant is strong, gentle and
intelligent. The tiger is
carnivorous. He represents the
rajassic mind, which is action-oriented.
He kills and eats animals, which makes him fierce and aggressive. The tiger is restless, always on the
prowl. The jackal represents the
tamassic mind. Tamas is
destructive, but this is not necessarily negative. We need to finish something, complete it, before we can move
on to the next. The jackal
survives by eating food left uneaten by other animals. He is fearful, cunning, and lazy. Our goal is to acquire the saatvic
qualities of the elephant. One way
we can do that is to favor a vegetarian diet, and eating fresh foods, beans,
and almonds to to increase calmness, clarity and creativity.
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