Informative

What is Food Prana and How Does it Affect Us?

To understand Food Prana, we first need to understand Prana, which is life energy. Any being that has life energy has Prana. So, all the organisms, animals, human beings, plants, fruits, vegetables and grains have Prana. Now that we understand Prana, let’s understand what Food Prana is.  

Food Prana is the energy that a particular food contains and it can be positive, negative or neutral. In traditional Indian texts, they are classified as Rajasic, Tamasic and Sattvic respectively.  

Let’s look at a few examples of each category to understand them better.  

Rajasic – Lentils, red meat, grams, chickpeas, chilies, and black pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, onions, garlic, tea, coffee, tobacco, soda, alcohol, chocolate, sour apples, pickles and refined sugars are examples of Rajasic Food.  

Tamasic – Meat, fish, onions, garlic, mushrooms, overripe and under ripe fruits and vegetables, fermented foods like vinegar, bread, pastries, cakes, alcohol, leftovers and stale food are examples of Tamasic Food.  

Sattvic – Legumes, beans, vegetables and fruits, sprouts, fresh fruit juices, organically grown and freshly cooked food all fall under the category of Sattvic Food.  

Let’s understand their effects on us now.  

Rajasic or Positive Prana Food –

The reason lentils, red meat, grams and coffee are considered in Rajasic or positive Prana food is because they charge us up. They send this rush of energy inside us and propel us to work or begin doing an activity. Hence, they associate with Positive Prana. While these foods charge a person with positive Prana and send a rush of energy in us, the reason they are named Rajasic is because they also give rise to warrior-like tendencies in a person. Rajas here mean royal or kingly. If we observe history, kings and warriors would indulge in Rajasic food because they needed the energy to fight and be at war.  

Tamasic or Negative Prana Food –

Tamasic foods make a person lethargic, drowsy, intoxicated, ill, lead to stagnation in thinking, degeneration of body and mind. The aging of people who mainly consume Tamasic food is also faster than others. Besides these, insecurity, cravings, irritability and mood swings are also an effect of Tamasic foods.  

Sattvic or Neutral Prana Food –

Sattvic food is the best food as per the sacred texts for a spiritual seeker and anyone who would like to lead a fit and healthy lifestyle. Sattvic food containing Neutral Prana brings about a balance in your mind, body and soul. It aligns your energy, physical and mental body, thus leading to a blissful state of being. Sattvic foods are mainly whole and nutritious, and hence promote fat loss, stronger immunity, vitality, slow aging and an increased life span.  

 Not as Simple 

While we have the classification of the foods, sometimes it’s not as simple to choose the foods in our daily lives considering we all take up more responsibilities than ancient times. For instance, women are taking self-defense classes and men are also interested in dance lessons. Gender roles or societal roles aren’t the same anymore and hence we need a balance of Rajasic and Sattvic food, and need to stay away from Tamasic food. However, there are just two exceptions, namely Onions and Garlics.  

While categorized in Tamasic foods, Onions and Garlics are the only two foods which are highly beneficial for humans. The story behind onion and garlic originates during Samudra Manthan, the churning of the Celestial Ocean of Milk to receive Amrita (the drink of immortality). It is said that the Gods and Demons were Churning the Celestial Ocean of Milk, and 14 valuables came out of the Churning. One of them was the Amrita. Now, the Gods had tricked the Demons and were going to consume all the Amrita within themselves. This was when a demon, RahuKetu stood in the line of Gods, disguising himself as one of them. He got a sip and the Sun and Moon God immediately informed Lord Vishnu that this is a Demon. Lord Vishnu cut his head off but since he was now immortal, Rahu and Ketu now exist as two different entities, one the head the other the body. So, while RahuKetu was decapitated, his blood and a drop of Amrita led to the formation of Onion and Garlic. Due to the Amrita, they contain miraculous medicinal properties but due to the demon’s blood they also lead to mental agitation and violent thoughts.  

In this case, a seeker needs to decide when to use Onions and Garlics and when to stay away from them. Use them when you are suffering from cold and need to boost your immune system. But stay away from them when you are performing Sadhana.  

While Onions and Garlics are just two examples, we do often get confused while choosing our diet because most foods have both pros and cons related to them.  

So how do we choose?

Here’s a simple solution. If you are a seeker, there are high chances your intuition is high and your subconscious is aware of what is good and what is bad for your body. Try this little experiment – When you go grocery shopping this week, ask yourself this question when you make the list and stop at every aisle – Is this food good for my mental, physical and spiritual health? Is it meant for my highest good? You will instantly get the answer in most cases. The simplest way is to set an intuition into the Universe, God and Divinity to only send those foods that serve your highest good on your path. This way, only foods that are good for you will start appearing in your news feed, your grocery lists and your nearby grocery store. It’s difficult to believe at first, but try it yourself and you will see the results.  

 

We hope this blog helped you understand the Positive, Negative, and Neutral Prana of Food and its effects on you. For more information, feel free to write to us info@chamundaswamiji.com