The ultimate goal of all knowledge is the knowledge of the Self and God. According to the Bhagavad Gita, the body and life in it are based on food and sustained by food. The body is a mould prepared by the mind for its activities. There is an intimate connection between the body and the mind. The nature and condition of the body has a vital effect upon the mind and activities. We cannot control our mental impressions without the right diet. But since the body and the mind are interdependent, the materials or foods that build the body and the mind should be pure, wholesome, nutritious, substantial and bland. The kind of food we take determines the state of mind. Purity of food leads to purity of mind.

 “Food decides the nature of your mind. Mind is born of the food you take.”

                                                                                                      -  Sathya Sai Baba

However great and learned a person may be, however much he pays attention to the teachings of the Scriptures and takes care to spread them, if he neglects the strict code laid down for the food, he cannot succeed spiritually. And as the body is the instrument that takes a man to his destination or goal (liberation); it is the true temple of God. Therefore, it should be kept clean, strong and healthy. Man generally feels a desire for particular foods according to his temperament. Every activity of man is dependent on the energy he derives from the intake of food. Different foods exercise different effects on different compartments of the brain or the mind.

TYPES OF FOODS

The scriptures classify food as Satvic, Rajasic and Tamasic and relate these three types to the three mental modes (gunas) of the same names. The 17th chapter of the Gita clearly defines the nature and tastes of the three types of 'foods' eaten by man: the food that promotes love, virtue, strength, happiness, and cordiality is Satvic; that which inflames, arouses, intoxicates and heightens hunger and thirst is Rajasic; the food that depresses, disrupts, and causes disease is Tamasic.

Food is therefore an important factor that determines the alertness and sloth, the worry and calm, the brightness and dullness. There is a constant interplay of these three qualities in the individual consciousness, but the relative predominance of Satva, Rajas, or Tamas is ultimately responsible for individual psychological constitution.  Satvic diet, according to some, consists in milk and fruits. But, it is in fact much more.

"Satvic (pure, health promoting) diet does not mean simply the food we take through our mouth but also means the pure air we breathe through our nose, the pure vision we see through our eyes, the pure sounds we hear through our ears and the pure objects we touch through our feet and hands. All that we take in through the doors of our five sense organs may be described as diet. Listening to bad sounds, looking at bad sights, touching bad things do not constitute Satvic diet."                                    

 - Sathya Sai Baba

Therefore the sounds heard, the sights seen, the tactile impressions sought or suffered, the air breathed, the environment that presses for attention, appreciation and adoption all these are 'food.' They have considerable impact on the character and actions of the individual. 

It is best to be vigilant about food habits and preserve one's health by good thoughts and good deeds. Most illnesses can be cured by simple living, simple exercises and by intelligent control of the tongue. If we indulge in simple and fresh vegetarian food, the mind automatically becomes calmer and pure.

Satvic foods

Satvic foods produce cheerfulness, serenity and mental clarity and help the aspirants to enter into deep meditation and maintain mental poise and nervous equilibrium. It supplies the maximum energy to the body and the mind, as it is very easily assimilated and absorbed. Satvic food

Pure and Satvic food increases the vitality and strength of those who eat it and is highly conducive to health. It augments the energy of the mind as well.

Milk, butter, ghee, (clarified butter), fresh ripe fruits, almonds, dates, green Dal, barley, wheat, cereals, tomatoes, plantains etc., are all Satvic. Nuts, fruit and uncooked pulses just sprouting are preferable.

A Satvic man relishes juicy food and other foods, which are attractive in, form, soft to touch and pleasant to taste, which are small in bulk but great in nourishment like the words from the lips of a spiritual preceptor.

Rajasic foods

Rajasic food distracts the mind. It excites passion. Food of a passionate nature produces restlessness in the mind, evil thoughts, and excitement, craving now for one and then for another, pain, trouble and disease.

Fried foods, meat, fish, eggs, sweets, aubergines, carrots, black-gram, onions, garlic, lemon, Red Dal, tea, coffee, betel, tobacco are all Rajasic foods.

The Rajasic man always plans to prepare various kinds of preparations to satisfy his palate. He takes salt, chillies, mustard, cloves, condiments, pungent pickles etc., in excess. Giving up salt will help in the control of the palate and thereby the mind.

As the mind is formed of the subtle portion of the food it is therefore essential to abandon fish, chicken, meat, liquors, eggs, tobacco etc., ruthlessly if we want to increase Satva and progress further.

     Tamasic food

Beef, wine, garlic, onions, alcohol and tobacco are Tamasic foodstuffs as they fill the mind with anger, darkness and inertia. Stale, dry, unripe, burnt or overcooked is all Tamasic in nature. Fermented foods like cheese and leftovers also fall under this category. 

Mark how the tiger, eating meat, and the cow or elephant, living on green grass, are poles apart! The one is wild and ferocious while the other is mild and peaceful.

PURITY OF FOOD   

The body is the temple of the Lord; we need to keep it in good and strong condition. We should partake food with a Satvic mind. The company in which food is consumed, the place, the vessels in which it is cooked, the emotions that agitate the mind of the person who cooks it and serves it; all these have subtle influences on the nature and emotions of the persons who takes the final product in! The quality of the food is determined by the ‘vibrations’ it is charged with, through the thought processes of the persons who handle it, prepare it and serve it.

It is not possible to ensure the purity of the cooking process, since we do not know what thoughts rage in the mind of the person who prepares the food. Similarly we cannot ensure cleanliness of the food ingredients, as we do not know whether the seller who had sold it to us acquired the food grains in a righteous way. Impure food results in an impure mind therefore it is necessary to purify the food before we eat.

However impure the food maybe, when it is offered to God in the form of a prayer, it gets purified as Divine Prasadam (consecrated offering); and nourishes us physically, mentally and spiritually.

Baba says that we should not forget this important discipline of offering food to God with a prayer. This should be done even when we eat outside our homes (it may be done mentally if required).

Other Tips

v     We should always sit down while we are eating. We should not stand or walk when we eat.

v     Eat in a happy, calm and quiet atmosphere.

v     Never eat when angry, depressed, bored or upset.

v     Do not watch television or listen to radio while eating

v     Do not talk while eating. Simply concentrate on each morsel and enjoy it.

v     Eat in moderation, only as much as your body needs. One must regulate the intake of solid food so as to fill 50% of the stomach. 25% of stomach can be filled with liquids and the remaining 25% is to be kept empty for the free movement of air within the stomach.

    One who eats one complete meal a day is a YOGI (a healthy person)

     One who eats two complete meals a day is a BHOGI (a connoisseur)

  One who eats three complete meals a day is ROGI (a sick person)

       One who eats four complete meals a day is DROHI (a greedy person)

v     Not even a morsel of the food we eat is made purely by our own effort. What comes to us in the form of food is the result of the toil of many people, nature's bounty, and God's compassion. So we should never eat anything without first praying with humility and gratitude.

v     While eating, if we imagine that our beloved deity or Baba is present within us, and that we are feeding Him. This will make eating or feeding an act of sadhana (worship).

v     As often as possible, the family should eat together.

v     Do not waste food

By regulating our diet and avoiding bad habits, we can preserve health. Moderate food, and food of the Satvic type, will promote mental poise and also physical happiness. Although our diets should be based on needs, there should generally be a predominance of Satvic foods and a minimum of Rajasic and Tamasic foods. Good qualities like peace, forbearance, love and attachment to truth can only be promoted by taking good food. This would make for spiritual growth in individuals, so that society would exist harmoniously, without the evils of crime, quarrels, violence, etc.

As the Food So the Mind, As The Mind So the Thought, As The Thought So the Actions"

  - Sathya Sai Baba  

Spirituality is the science of right living; it is not a part-time affair and neither is life. Therefore no spiritual aspirant can afford to deny or ignore spiritual principles. If we want to have peace and joy all the time, then we have to orientate our life towards this goal. This may appear to be an insurmountable feat, but one can reach the heights of spiritual bliss by taking one step at a time.