So, you have decided to make yoga a part of your life. But does that automatically mean that you have signed on to be a vegetarian? Is cutting out meat a necessary part of a serious yoga practice? There are many different schools of thought on this issue. You will find that that there as many variations on a “yogic diet” as there are different styles of yoga.
“O Blood Type Needs Meat”
And the Yogic Vegetarian Take…
After practicing for a while, you may notice that your yoga starts to seep into other aspects of your life.
You will cultivate more self-awareness, so it is natural that you would start to question the impact of your everyday choices on your mind, body, and spirit.
A vegetarian diet would be in alignment with the practice of ahimsa, or non-violence. An intelligent vegetarian diet, which incorporates a lot of fruits, fresh veggies, and grains helps to detoxify the body.
But whatever happened to non-judgment? Isn’t that also a part of yoga? How is it yogic to think that someone who eats meat is not as serious of a yogi as someone who is vegetarian?
I think that it is important to remember that a yogic lifestyle is based in moderation. It could be argued that a carnivorous diet that includes a lot of whole grains and fresh organic produce is more desirable than a vegetarian diet that includes a lot of refined sugar and processed foods.
With the practice of self-awareness, ask yourself how you feel after eating certain foods. Play with this – if you eat meat, try eliminating it for a short period and see how you feel. If you feel better in some way, that is great. Explore that more. If cutting out meat is a huge struggle for you and it causes you anxiety, maybe give yourself some more time and try again later.
I do not think that there is one right answer that should have to work for everyone. Whatever diet you decide works for you, make that choice because you feel at peace with it.
Make your food choices from a place of self-awareness, not because you think that your practice has to look a certain way to other people. Wouldn’t it be nice if we were given a list of prerequisites of things to do in order to become a “perfect” yogi? Asana four times a week? Check. Meditation every morning? Check. Vegetarian diet? Check. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. The paths of yoga are many. I think that it is best to stay open-minded on the subject, both as it applies to not only yourself, but also to your fellow yogis.
