Food Sadhana

“One who does their meditation on these four pillars will never have disease.” Chakara Samhita The four pillars of life in Ayurveda are relationships, lifestyle, sleep and food. Ayurveda teaches us that a healthy balance within each of these categories allows one to physically and mentally function to one’s fullest potential.
During Ayurveda training this week we looked closely at one pillar—food. Observing many Western conflictual attitudes and habits surrounding food demonstrates that many of us eat unconsciously. We frequently label foods as “good” or “bad” and we end up caught in a vicious cycle of making food choices based upon our emotions rather on the affects food has on our well-being.
Every person has a unique constitution that thrives under healthy choices for oneself. If we understand our selves and pay attention to our patterns and cravings about food without labelling them we may begin to see what choices enhance our well-being and which ones do not.
The first step is to observe one’s eating patterns and habits without attaching a label such as “good” or “bad.” Secondly, we need to understand our basic constitution and what we need in terms of nourishment to promote a clear mind and sound body.
Reflecting upon our patterns in conjunction with our constitution helps us to begin to “weed out” poor choices and replace them with better ones. Eating a nourishing cup of mung beans and rice cooked with herbs every day promotes a sustaining baseline for each of us. Then, having a little ice cream for dessert, often considered a “guilty pleasure” becomes instead—a light, oily, sweet choice for everyone to enjoy on a hot, late-summer day!

Melanie Mchugh Barclay
HONOLULU, Hawaii
Posted Date : 05-08-2018
Credited to: Melanie McHugh Barclay
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