A Guide to Sattvic Lifestyle

Sattvic has been derived from a Sanskrit word “sattva”, which means light & purity. It is one of the three gunas that create the essential aspects of all nature. According to the Hindu philosophy, Sattva guna tends to take an individual to the path of Dharma (right way of living) and jnana (knowledge).

Sattvic describes things that have “sattva”. Therefore, a Sattvic lifestyle involves living a simple and pure life. It promotes a balance between being overactive and underactive. Although living a Sattvic life could be challenging in today’s fast paced life, yet many people want to adopt it for maintaining their physical and mental wellbeing.

Tips for Living a More Sattvic Lifestyle

1. Eat Sattvic food

   Those who follow a sattvic diet pattern must avoid all foods that belong to Rajasic or Tamasic group, such as refined sugar, fried foods etc. According to Yogic philosophy, the mind is formed from the essence of food. If food eaten is pure then it brings inner peace to the body and encourages spiritual progress.

2. Maintain hygiene

   To increase the Sattva guna, it is important to keep yourself and your surroundings clean. Our surroundings have a big impact on the vibes we get. When you and your surroundings are clean, you get positive vibes. Therefore, always be hygienic, wear clean clothes and keep your surroundings tidy

3. Practice Meditation

4. Spend time with nature

5. Maintain a balance between work and leisure

   In case you’re a workaholic, you depict the quality of a rajasic person. On the other hand, sluggishness is the quality of a tamasic person. There should be a balance between these 2 states & it’s called the Sattvic state.

6. Rise early

   Rising early is a good habit that keeps you calm and charming everyday. For waking early, you need to go to sleep early. Originally, we were not made to work at night. So, to keep the balance, sleep early and rise early

7. Practise Bhakti Yoga

   Practising Bhakti Yoga brings devotion and spirituality within us. This makes us calm and peaceful. Bhakti Yoga is a divine offering to the supreme soul with any desire for the result. Moreover, this raises your consciousness to an extreme level.

Who’s the Sattvic diet for?

Sattvic diet is considered suitable for people who follow the Ayurvedic principles. Since it is a pure vegetarian diet, it is easier for vegetarians to adapt to a Sattvic diet.

Moreover, the Sattvic diet is restrictive and not scientifically researched. So, people who are more into getting complete nutrition as given by science will not find Sattvic diet fulfilling.

Yoga enthusiasts also prefer a Sattvic diet as it is light and pure. It prepares them to perform the asanas, meditation and follow other limbs of yoga effectively.

• Benefits of eating a Sattvic diet

  Promotes mindfulness: Mindfulness is a practice that involves paying close attention to how you feel in the present. Moreover, mindful eating emphasises on minimising distractions during meals to focus on the taste, texture, and smell of your food.

• Strengthen immune system: A sattvic diet consists of fibre, nutrients, and antioxidants that assist in prohibiting chronic diseases. In addition, it protects your body from various kinds of infections

• Encourage healthy foods on the plate: The Sattvic diet as a whole encourages eating whole foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. This can benefit your health greatly, as these foods are rich in many essential nutrients. The diet also minimises the intake of processed foods, which often lack fibre and important vitamins and minerals.

• Promote healthy body weight: With a restricted availability of food options, Sattvic diet promotes healthy body weight. It enables your body to not gain excess weight which is otherwise a result of consuming too much fats or an imbalanced diet.

• Balance the body and the mind: When you eat a healthy diet, it keeps your mind energetic, happy and peaceful. A sattvic diet helps in a perfect balance of your body and mind.