All foods are considered by yogis to exercise an influence on the mental and spiritual nature of man, as well as on his physical body. Fruits are said to be the most spiritualizing, or sattwic, food. Other foods – meats and grains, for example – have an activating, or rajasic, effect upon the inner man. Devitalized, or excessively pungent foods (horseradish, for example) have a stultifying, or tamasic, influence. All foods are divided according to their essential vibrations: sattwic, rajasic, and tamasic. These three qualities – the elevating, activating, and darkening – are said to be inherent in all things created. The whole universe is a product of the mixture of these three gunas, or qualities.
Of all material foods, fruits manifest the sattwa guna in its purest form. Specific fruits are said actually to help one to develop specific spiritual qualities. Bananas carry a vibration of humility; pears, of peace; grapes, of devotion (turning to lust when the grapes are fermented into wine); cherries, of good cheer (curiously, we have in English the expression, “Life is a bowl of cherries,” meaning that it is meant to be lived with an attitude of good cheer)…
The spiritual qualities of certain foods, as taught by Paramhansa Yoganandaji:
Qualities of Foods
Bananas – calmness and humility
Pears – peacefulness
Grapes – devotion, divine love
Cherries – cheerfulness
Oranges, Lemons – to banish melancholy and to stimulate the brain
Berries (generally) – purity of thought
Strawberries – dignity
Raspberries – kind-heartedness
Peaches – selflessness, concern for the welfare of others
Pineapple – self-assurance
Avocado – good memory
Coconuts – generally spiritualizing
Dates – tenderness, sweetness
Figs – to soften too strict a sense of discipline
Almonds – sexual self-control
Honey – self-control
Maple Syrup – mental freshness
Sweet Corn – mental vitality
Tomatoes – mental strength
Beets – courage
Spinach – a simple nature
Lettuce – calmness
Cow’s Milk – enthusiasm and fresh, spiritual energy
Egg Yolks – rajasic, outwardly directed energy
Grains (generally) – strength of character
Wheat – steadfastness to principle
Unpolished Rice – mildness
From Art & Science of Raja Yoga, by Swami Kriyananda
