Mitahara
What should I eat? What is the best diet for me? Food and eating are a central part of our existence, hence in our yogic journey, we ask these questions frequently. The food and body connection are well established. We eat to build our body but food is not just our muscles and bones, it is also our mind. The food we eat today becomes our mind tomorrow.
Hatha Vidya Traditional School Of Yoga
7/4/20241 min read
Thus eating the right food in a proper manner is very essential for any person who hopes to achieve success in Yoga. ‘Mitahara’ or yogic diet is the diet of moderation laid down by the ancient sages of yore for those desiring to achieve success in the path of yoga. Mitahara comes from two words ‘Mita’ which means measured or controlled and ‘Ahara’ which means intake. Thus, the literal translation of Mitahara is a diet of control or moderation. In the descriptions of the texts, Mitahara has three main concepts:
1- Quality of food
2- Quantity of food
3- Mental attitude while eating Quality of food.
Quality of food refers to the type of food that is suitable for the practitioner. This should and must be decided by the prac tices one is pursuing. For example, the diet of a person pursuing higher goals of yoga like meditation, should be lighter, easy to digest and which should not interfere with his/her practice. While for the person whose goal is to get physical benefits and practices mainly asanas, his/her diet should include food that build up their strength
