Recently, as the importance of 'Holistic health' has been emphasized, more and more people are trying to get answers through yoga. Because dietary life can not be missed as a health factor, there is a way of eating from yoga tradition. However, there are many differences between the "ancient yogi", who only the practiced for liberation, and the "modern yogi", who seeks health through yoga training in everyday life, in terms of natural environment, socio-cultural aspect, and mental and physical condition. This means we need to Reexamination 'Yogic Diet' from the current perspective. The purpose of this book aims at examining modern food problems, seeking a solution, and thinking about how to apply 'Yogic Diet' to yoga practices and daily health practices.
The "way of eating" can be described as what to eat and how to eat. In the food selection criteria of 'Yogic Diet', it was confirmed that there is a difference between the times and the region for the specific food corresponding to 'what'. However, it has been confirmed that the emphasis on how to eat in the way of eating is not much different from the difference between the times and regions.
The literature we have examined to search the traditional Yogic Diet suggests that food was a subject of restrain and moderation in eating and drinking to the full was recommended in classical yoga, that it had emerged as a technique to help prāṇāyāma practice on the basis of fasting in Haṭha Yoga, and that food selection and intake were controlled according to the flow of nāḍī in Svara Yoga. Based on these, we add suggestions of modern Yogi and summarize the principles of Yogic Diet as follows. 'Yogic Diet' is basically recommended for eating lit le and fasting to purify body and mind. And based on ahiṃsā, which is the basis of practice in it, we emphasize the absorption and control of the prāṇāyāma considering 3guṇa which is the principle of creation of the universe.
In Chapter 3, we discussed modern diets based on the principle of Yogic Diet. First, in terms of food, there is a lack of ahiṃsā in the production process of agriculture, livestock industry, and aquaculture, and as the proportion of processed foods increases, it causes the excess of rajas and tamas and the lack of prāṇa. This food problem is deeply influenced by the economic principles of the food industry, which can also lead to the problem of appetite. The food in this case become a means of satisfying sensory desires and rewarding psychological deficiencies. And this appetite is expressed by overeating, binge, and unconsciously eating quickly. The ingestion behavior lacking ahiṃsā without any gratitude of life may appear self-violent, such as eating disorders. The chronic stress situation in modern society causes the absence of sattva, resulting in the waste of prāṇa.
In Chapter 4, we sought to find the scope of the "Yogic Diet" for these issues. Food choices are very personal, but we can recommend practicing ahiṃsā of consumption for ecological and environmental symbiosis and considering the balance of 3guṇa and the practice of prāṇa. It might be the control of appetite that is more important than food choices but is hard to achieve. Adjustment of appetite and choice of food have a profound impact on each other, whether it is a vicious cycle or a virtuous cycle. We can experience socio-cultural coexistence through the ahiṃsā of eating, restore sattva and preserve prāṇa through this. Especially fasting, food meditation, yoga asana and breathing can help this process.
The way and process of running our own laboratory for food is called 'food sādhana'. Many yogi emphasizes the need for experimental exploration of food. In this article, a leader who promotes healing through yoga and food sādhana is called 'yoga-food therapist'. Yoga-food therapists should understand not only how to eat, but also food, human and yoga.
The yogi proverbs about "Yogic Diet" show that there are two aspects of food: "food as a technique" and "food as a daily life." Yoga is a practice tradition. So, when applying 'Yogic Diet method' to everyday life for people who do not perform 'yoga practice', I think that it is necessary to consider situational distinction to some degree] such as the practice of 'body condition and food' and daily life. In other words, it is necessary to demonstrate flexibility to adjust the degree of application. It is the goal of the 'Yogic Diet method' that we can eat properly in an unusual routine ceremony and the process itself is a practice. Through this process, we need to feel our body and know how to look at our mind and how to communicate with our soul to find an answer. 'Yoga practice' is needed at this point, and the true character of yoga for Holistic health is revealed. 'Yogic Diet' can be complete in yoga.
If you are a yogi of this age who knows that 'as everything is connected, I can not be happy if you are not happy', you will surely have an interest in the environment. And you'll find a solution to this problem through Anna-yoga.
Isn't it the mind that we should eat best in the end, like saying 'everything depends on our minds'? What to eat depends on the individual, but how to eat What kind of mind equals to all life. And this comes into contact with the root of yoga, which controls the action of the mind, starting with the 'yama' and 'niyama' that has been continued from classical yoga. The answer to 'Holistic health' following 'Yogic Diet' eventually add up to yoga. And then we ask another question: How is our life yogic?
I hope every moment of everyone will be at peace.