About Veganism:

Ahimsa, Veganism, and Vegetarianism in Spiritual Practice

I knew that it was simply a matter of time before this issue would crop up when I first decided to sell and market my Nudj Immortelle and Madjet Temple Unguent Egyptian skin care – with their primary ingredient being tallow – rendered beef fat. I raised an eyebrow myself while reading translations of the ancient Egyptian recipes, so I wasn’t too surprised when the very first promotional posting on social media got several rather negative comments, particularly from animal rights activists. I think it’s perfectly wonderful that the issue came up sooner, rather than later, so I am writing this article to clarify my position, philosophy, and practice in the matter of veganism, vegetarianism, and ahimsa (not harming sentient beings) in spiritual practice.

For those of you who are not aware of the rather complex issues concerning the use of animal products, whether in diet, skincare, or spiritual practice, I view this as an opportunity to share the official (if there could be such as thing) Wandering Stars philosophy on veganism and animal rights issues. Meanwhile, for those who may not already know about grass-fed pasture-raised organic beef tallow and its many health benefits, visit: About Our Tallow for more information.

First off, I’ll warn you, this is a long and strong article, so I divided it into a few sections: History, Definitions, The Wandering Stars Philosophy. So you can simply jump ahead to The Wandering Stars Philosophy as you may wish and refer back, if necessary, for reference. Even if you have already established a fully vegan lifestyle and philosophy, there may yet be insights to be had for you here.

The following History and Definitions of Ahimsa, Veganism, and Vegetarianism are included for the reader’s convenience. I offer these general overviews for those who might benefit from it and have simply cut and pasted quotes I’ve reviewed from Wikipedia to save you click-through time.

HISTORY

“The earliest record of veganism or vegetarianism comes from the 7th century BCE, inculcating tolerance towards all living beings. Parshwanatha and Mahavira, the 23rd & 24th tirthankaras in Jainism respectively revived and advocated ahimsa (non-violence to living beings) and Jain vegetarianism in 8th to 6th century BC; the most comprehensive and strictest form of vegetarianism. In Indian culture, vegetarianism has been closely connected with the attitude of nonviolence towards animals for millennia and was promoted by religious groups and philosophers. The ancient Indian work of Tirukkural explicitly and unambiguously emphasizes shunning meat and non-killing. Chapter 26 of the Tirukkural, particularly couplets 251–260, deals exclusively on vegetarianism or veganism.

Vegetarianism was also practiced in ancient Greece and the earliest reliable evidence for vegetarian theory and practice in Greece dates from the 6th century BC. The Orphics, a religious movement spreading in Greece at that time, also practiced and promoted vegetarianism. Greek teacher Pythagoras, who promoted the altruistic doctrine of metempsychosis, may have practiced vegetarianism, but is also recorded as eating meat. A fictionalized portrayal of Pythagoras appears in Ovid's Metamorphoses, in which he advocates a form of strict vegetarianism. It was through this portrayal that Pythagoras was best known to English-speakers throughout the early modern period and, prior to the coinage of the word "vegetarianism", vegetarians were referred to in English as "Pythagoreans". Among the Hellenes, Egyptians, and others, vegetarianism had medical or ritual purification purposes.

Following the Christianization of the Roman Empire in late antiquity, vegetarianism practically disappeared from Europe, as it did elsewhere, except in India. Vegetarianism re-emerged during the Renaissance, becoming more widespread in the 19th and 20th centuries. In 1847, the first Vegetarian Society was founded in the United Kingdom; Germany, the Netherlands, and other countries followed. In 1886, the vegetarian colony Nueva Germania was founded in Paraguay, though its vegetarian aspect would prove short-lived. The International Vegetarian Union, an association of the national societies, was founded in 1908. In the Western world, the popularity of vegetarianism grew during the 20th century as a result of nutritional, ethical, and—more recently—environmental and economic concerns.”

VEGETARIANISM DEFINITION

“Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, and the flesh of any other animal), and may also include abstention from by-products of animals processed for food (such as leather and cosmetics). Vegetarianism may be adopted for various reasons. Many people object to eating meat out of respect for sentient life. Such ethical motivations have been codified under various religious beliefs, as well as animal rights advocacy. Other motivations for vegetarianism are health-related, political, environmental, cultural, aesthetic, economic, or personal preference. There are variations of the diet as well: an ovo-lacto vegetarian diet includes both eggs and dairy products, an ovo-vegetarian diet includes eggs but not dairy products, and a lacto-vegetarian diet includes dairy products but not eggs. A strict vegetarian diet – referred to as vegan – excludes all animal products, including eggs and dairy. Avoidance of animal products may require dietary supplements to prevent deficiencies such as vitamin B12 deficiency, which leads to pernicious anemia. (note: B-12 is derived from animal fat)

Packaged and processed foods, such as cakes, cookies, candies, chocolate, yogurt, and marshmallows, often contain unfamiliar animal ingredients, and so may be a special concern for vegetarians due to the likelihood of such additives. Feelings among vegetarians may vary concerning these ingredients. Some vegetarians scrutinize product labels for animal-derived ingredients while others do not object to consuming cheese made with animal-derived rennet. Some vegetarians are unaware of animal-derived rennet being used in the production of cheese.

Semi-vegetarian diets consist largely of vegetarian foods but may include fish or poultry, or sometimes other meats, on an infrequent basis. Those with diets containing fish or poultry may define meat only as mammalian flesh and may identify with vegetarianism. A pescetarian diet has been described as "fish but no other meat". The common-use association between such diets and vegetarianism has led vegetarian groups such as the Vegetarian Society to state that diets containing these ingredients are not vegetarian, because fish and birds are also animals.”

VEGANISM DEFINITION

“Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. A follower of the diet or the philosophy is known as a vegan. Distinctions may be made between several categories of veganism. Dietary vegans (also known as strict vegetarians) refrain from consuming animal products, not only meat but also eggs, dairy products and other animal-derived substances. The term ethical vegan is often applied to those who not only follow a vegan diet but extend the philosophy into other areas of their lives, and oppose the use of animals for any purpose. Another term is environmental veganism, which refers to the avoidance of animal products on the premise that the industrial farming of animals is environmentally damaging and unsustainable.” (Note: An average of approximately 2% of the population of western industrialized countries claim to be vegan.)

“It has been estimated that in one year, a vegan will save 1,519,823 litres of water, 6,607 kg of grain, 1,022 square metres of forest cover, 3,322 kg of CO2, and 365 animal lives compared to the average US diet. According to a 2016 study, if everyone in the United States switched to a vegan diet, by 2050 the country would save $208.2 billion in direct health-care savings, $40.5 billion in indirect health-care savings, $40.5 billion in environmental savings, and $289.1 billion in total savings. The authors also found that if the world switched to a vegan diet, by 2050 the global economy would save $684.4 billion in direct health-care savings, $382.6 billion in indirect health-care savings, $569.5 billion in environmental savings, and $1636.5 billion in total savings.”

The direct effect that such a diet could have on the our most pressing planetary issues notwithstanding, the most important take-away here, after “following the money” and unpacking all of the statistics, is the chronic health issues attendant to consuming mass-produced meat, which the altruistic practice of ahimsa teaches is simply karmic cause and effect.

There is perhaps no more compelling argument in favor of vegetarianism/veganism these, but I must add that the figures are based on the corporate industrialization of animal food production and the inherent toxins, pharmaceuticals, preservatives, and lack of nutrients of such unhealthy animal food sources. This does not even begin to address how the meat is prepared and with what added ingredients and frequency of eating it. Our general sedentary lifestyle, a tendency toward over-eating, and the resulting obesity epidemic in Western societies, particularly the USA, contribute much to these numbers, and are more often than not culturally passed down, and, most importantly, trauma and stress-driven. This fact alone, coupled with an ignorance of the Eastern traditions and spirituality likely accounts more for these high numbers than animal product inclusion in the diet. Economic disparity surely throws some gasoline on this fire.

In this way, I believe that it is erroneous to blame meat consumption alone for the attendant health issues. I contend that sustainable, organic, reverent and humane animal husbandry and slaughter along with readily available health advocacy and treatment for trauma and stress-related, mental issues like addiction would drop these economic figures substantially. In particular, I believe that some sort of spiritual practice, including a modified diet, whatever might be right for each individual, is a major piece of solving this puzzle.

THE WANDERING STARS PHILOSOPHY

I’ll begin by saying that I personally practice ahimsa through intent, though I fall under the “semi-vegetarian” category above. I fully support anyone whose practice may fall under the heading of any other “category” as might be listed. Those who oppose the use of tallow in cosmetics would certainly fall under the “ethical vegan” category, inasmuch as they follow, to some degree at least, the Hindu or Buddhist teachings of ahimsa, being against animal suffering, eschewing animal products, and opposing their commodification across the board. I too am very much against the practices of corporate farming on many levels, the most important issues being environmental and animal/human habitat destruction, toxification of environment and food sources, and the inhumane treatment of animals; in this way, I am also an “environmental vegan”, in that I go out of my way to avoid these sources of animal products.

But it is also my view that humanely raised organic animal products, whether in one’s diet and skincare or even in spiritual practice, prepared with loving care and reverence, are fully acceptable and even highly desirable and beneficial when used mindfully in moderation - as it most often was for human beings over countless millennia before the advent of modern industrialized society. Again, visit my About Our Tallow page for more details concerning the many benefits of animal fat in the human diet which have been verified by medical science.

There is an additional reason for my position: the largely ignored sentient awareness of plants and fungi cannot be discounted from ahimsa, and so the predator/prey relationship throughout the natural world, which I will go into a bit later, must be accepted fully and unflinchingly as part of the process of life while somehow still embracing the noble ideal of ahimsa. Nature is indeed beautiful, but she is red in tooth and claw.

I understand the roots of vegan dietary choices and/or spiritual practice, and do not in any way seek to “convert” anyone to my own. But also, I would like to offer what I truly believe to be a more balanced approach to animal products, so that by being informed as to the what, how, and why of veganism in spiritual practice, my friends and clients, and customers will better be informed to decide if tallow is right for them when it comes to my unguents and skin care products, or my recommendations for diet in my counseling practice.

Contemporary Vegetarianism and Veganism

From my own life experience, having been born in 1954, I saw veganism/vegetarianism sprout up and develop momentum side-by-side with the so-called “hippie counter-culture revolution”. Beginning in the late 50s and through the 60s into the 70s, the anti-fat and anti-cholesterol dietary pronouncements from the medical community, in tandem with health recommendations from the sugar industry, proved a perfect, though a rather unhealthy match. It was a perfect storm really, that opened a Pandora’s box of health issues including an epidemic of obesity and diabetes.

Many of their dire health pronouncements about dietary animal fat have now been debunked as overgeneralized and even downright false, as the latest studies on the powerful health benefits of animal fats now demonstrate beyond any shadow of a doubt. Unfortunately, these ideas got stuck in the collective psyche at precisely the same time that Hindu and Buddhist-inspired spiritual veganism and vegetarianism became popular with the hippie back-to-the-earth counterculture. This unchallenged misinformation later became part and parcel of the vegetarianism promoted and practiced by many different offshoots in the New Age movement and contemporary alternative health disciplines. Thus it came to be that the use of animal products for any reason came to be labeled “low vibration” or “negative”, this being based upon an inflexible adherence to the Yogic restrictions based upon the three Gunas of Hinduism, which was originally intended as a requirement for gurus, sadhus or holy men anyway, not for the general population.

The Three Hindu Gunas and Diet

Inherent to the ancient Eastern Hindu spiritual teachings, especially in the practices of Yoga, is the concept of the Three Gunas which represent “qualities” or “levels” of the manifest (Prakriti) natural world, or as “threads” that run through it. These Three Gunas are predominant in all of the Hindu philosophies, and it is from them that the dietary strictures, and the promotion of vegetarianism and ahimsa (nonviolence to sentient living beings), in both Hindu and Buddhist practice, originally arose.

Briefly, the Three Gunas are:

Sattva (purity, truth, order, light, balanced energy)

Rajas (activity, force, confusion, chaos, fluctuation, anabolism, high/positive energy)

Tamas (inertia, falsehood, destruction, darkness, catabolism, decay, low/negative energy).

These three qualities are taught to be present in all manifestations in various degrees, one quality always more present or dominant than the others, and therefore present in everything; humans, food, objects, thought… etc..

It is taught that whichever Guna is predominating will affect how an individual will perceive the world around them - and will be reflected in their behavior, attitude, actions and attachments, and so on. For example, a person who is predominantly Tamasic will see almost everything as dark, depressing, hopeless, negative, and destructive and will behave that way. A Rajasic person will be preoccupied with the senses and the worldly pursuits for power, sex, wealth, entertainment, and fame. A person who is more Sattvic will perceive the universe as shining and positive and will find joy and happiness in everything - truly living in loving-kindness.

In this way, as it applies to a human being, a Guna is one of three natural states or "tendencies" of the mind, body, and consciousness. To put it more bluntly: Tamasics are unaware, escapist, lethargic, dull, lazy, and practice poor hygiene. Rajasics are active, busy, creative, attentive, restless, stressed, angry, preoccupied with self, and often disordered. Sattvics are awakened, calm, grounded, balanced, harmonious, organized, clean, healthy, and generally happy. Few human beings are purely any one of these, of course; obviously, each individual is a fairly unique mix in the various spheres or currents of these in their life flow... but I am sure you can think of people you know of who might fit into these three states of being pretty closely. Let there always be the caveat that there should be no unkind judgments here, of anyone, least of all oneself!

Unless disciplined, the mind is very unstable and can fluctuate very easily from one predominant Guna to another, each of us embodying a proportion of each Guna to a greater or lesser degree over time. Without Tamas we would not sleep and the catabolic processes (breaking down, digestion) would not occur, and without Rajas we wouldn’t wake up, we would lack dynamism and drive and the anabolic process (building up, tissue growth, and regeneration) wouldn’t happen - and without Sattva life would simply lack love and a love of life, our existence would be devoid of divinely inspired creative expression and would be colorless, joyless and flat - without the higher human qualities and noble ideals.

The Hindu yogis taught that humans have the possibility to consciously change the levels of the Gunas in their body through the practice of Yoga and a mindful diet, and that this directly transfers to their mind and spirit. By altering the presence and influence of Gunas via external objects, lifestyle, diet, thought and deed, one can increase or decrease them at will. Thus, the yogis aim to intentionally increase Sattva in order to raise their consciousness through a healthy body and a peaceful mind, knowing that the food we eat has an enormous influence on us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Thus, the foods we eat, just like everything else, are representative of these Three Gunas: Sattvic food includes living greens and seeds, nuts and fruit, potatoes and rice. Rajasic foods include most spices, sugar and caffeine, pungent vegetables like peppers or tomatoes, pickles, stimulant foods, and sea salt. TheTamasic foods are dead or cured meat, shellfish, fungus, alcohol, and over-processed, adulterated, fermented, or stale foods as well as rock salt.

Here we see how diet can play a major role in one’s progress on the spiritual path, and how this is intertwined with the noble philosophy of ahimsa, not causing suffering to other sentient beings, including oneself. For your edification and convenience, I have appended this article below with a fairly complete listing of the Sattvic, Rajasic, and Tamasic foods in accordance with most Hindu authorities on the subject.

And so, yogis are vegetarian for several reasons. Apart from the bodily and mental health aspect, the main reason has always been to live in accordance with the principle that “all living beings are my Self” - that all creatures need to be treated with respect and love, including oneself, thus the stricture not only against killing animals for meat but also against eating spoiled meat or toxic substances. In the past, it was difficult to keep meat from rotting, and it was often cured in natron and rock salt - so we find the inclusion of meat as a Tamasic food early on in the Vedas.

Fresh meat was not always a regular daily meal either for hunter-gatherers, not even for cattle, goat and lamb herders, and chicken farmers, who depended more upon the byproducts of living healthy animals (eggs, milk, and even blood) and did not often slaughter them, and so it’s inclusion as Tamasic once had its root in very legitimate health concerns, i.e. ptomaine poisoning from decay, and killing a dependable renewable food source.

I find a teaching of the Buddha to be quite interesting in this regard… he says that eating meat that is killed by or for the person eating it was Tamasic, but any other fresh dead meat is fine – as lax of an ahimsa rule as I have ever heard. In this way, we often see the strictures on meat relaxed in the various Hindu practices - not all require a Sattvic-only diet of the Yogi, and allow fresh meat and fats in moderation. Many contemporary sects are softening the anti-meat restrictions simply because of increased health regulations and controls, dependable refrigeration, and, more importantly, a supply of humanely and organically raised livestock.

So now is a good time to address my own view of ahimsa in regard to not causing the suffering of sentient beings.

I respect all life, and never seek to harm lifeforms, that is, until there is a high risk that I or others may be harmed by that lifeform, and even then never with malice. I will swat flies or mosquitos that pester me. I admit this. But otherwise, my path is one of loving kindness even then.

My practice of certain Mesoamerican shamanic techniques, particularly those of the Mazatec of Oaxaca, and of Toltec Nagualism, led me to a full realization of the sentient awareness of both our animal and plant allies. It was Don Juan who instructed us to always apologize to the little plants for harming them before picking or harvesting and to always cut them with sharp clean blades, never yanking or pulling, to minimize the suffering of the plants. This noble gesture of spirit is truly ahimsa and indicates that even fresh living plant food that is considered Sattvic is only provisionally so.

I have had personal communications through the responses of my vegetable garden plants to any lapses in care, especially with my Salvia divinorum plants, the most finicky plants I have ever grown. The energy-intelligence that is associated with Salvia divinorum and other sacred psychedelic entheogens is legendary for communicating to those who love and respect them. As such, I regard them as no lesser beings, but rather all as children of the spirit and equally divine, with whom we are all connected and intertwined. So I can only ask, “who speaks for the plants in ahimsa?”

As Don Juan told Carlos, we live in a predatory universe, and this could not be more plainly demonstrated than in the natural world. Again, the Hermetic axiom states: “Nature is beautiful, but she is red in tooth and claw.” All living biological entities must eat, and all living entities must die and must be eaten, whether it is a potato, a cow, or a human being. It borders upon arrogance to think that some living beings deserve more empathy for their suffering than others in this process, which is truly the cycle of life. While our compassion for higher forms of life that show emotional responses to their pain or suffering is certainly understandable and commendable, the shaman and the yogi both know that all living beings are children of the Great Spirit or Brahma, and all deserve the same compassion and reverent respect if we must take their lives, and life-force energy, to trans-substantiate it into our own.

As a bit of a side note, perhaps one of the most misunderstood and even reviled statements found in the infamous Aleister Crowley’s The Book of the Law comes from the Egyptian god-form Ra Hoor Khuit who directs the writer/reader to “Sacrifice cattle, little and big: after a child.”

Now, the Tamasic person will read this and think that this means to literally sacrifice a child, then the cattle, and might even think about acting upon that if they are truly psychotic and debased. The Rajasic person will likely try to ignore it, picking out only those passages that might serve their ego, or will use the statement as proof that the book is indeed an evil thing and should be shunned, along with the people who promulgate it’s teachings. The Sattvic person, on the other hand, understands the meaning and punctuation well, knowing that “after a child” is to be taken in much the same spirit as “the child takes after his mother”. In other words, when we must sacrifice cattle and partake of them for our food and for their valuable products, we should do so with the same weight and reverence as if they were a child; for indeed, they are - as are all sentient living beings - children of the Great Spirit, divine sparks of the One.

The ancient Egyptians always offered sacrificed animals and plants on altars to the Neteru in the temples, where their sacred life essence wafted to the gods. After this offering, much like “saying grace” over meals, the meat was “reverted”, imparted with the divine essence before then being parceled out to the people for feasting.

CONCLUSION

For as long as human beings have roamed this planet, we’ve had a close relationship with ungulate animals and their domesticated forms... cattle, goats, and sheep. This relationship is deep and has genetic and spiritual bonds that are very difficult to break on a purely physical biological level. Vegetarianism, as it is shown, is nothing new, with the earliest written record of it being 9,000 years ago - it should be obvious by now that it is not going to become a widespread habit overnight.

Meanwhile, cattle factories are still places of terror - torturing the animals, filling them with antibiotics, spraying them with pesticides, and feeding them GMO poison. They are also the biggest water user and polluter, with the largest carbon/methane footprint of all, the meat being among the top causes of disease in humans. This is the current reality, and we must do our part to bring this disaster to an end.

Therefore it is imperative that, if we buy beef or anything with beef products, we must simply stop buying from these sources, and seek out locally and ethically raised livestock. When it comes to skincare, you can bet your bottom dollar that, unless they expressly say either “vegan” or “grass-fed beef tallow”, cosmetic manufacturers DO use this corrupted tallow, under names that don’t even look or sound like “tallow” or “beef fat.” It’s time to get real about this subject, whether you are a vegan or a semi-vegetarian like me. Our choices for where we buy meat or tallow in food preparation, as well as cosmetics that use animal fat, is a critical piece of the puzzle that can hopefully lead us to a sustainable and healthy future human culture.

The issue of ahimsa and animal rights is directly addressed by demanding sustainable animal husbandry, with happy healthy animals that are slaughtered quickly and humanely. The demand for beef must be reduced of course, but our choice of the method of raising it must come first. When people stop buying industrial-grade poisoned meat, the corporations will change or die off, with the latter being far more desirable. There is clearly a demand for organic grass-fed beef, and that is to be commended, even by animal rights activists, because it serves to undermine the bad players in the food and cosmetics industries and raise awareness of the “good and bad” about meat in the diet.

And with this dependable source of sustainable beef, comes a dependable source of tallow, which as we have shown, has several benefits not only for cooking and skin care, but for producing sacred unguents for anointing, aromatherapy, and healing. In this way, we are honoring the animals sacrificed for us by using them to build and heal our bodies - our temples - and using them for spiritual communion, thereby actually elevating their essence to a very high spiritual frequency.

I actually came across the healing skin-care properties of tallow quite by “accident” you see, after having decided to reproduce the Sacred Madjet Unguent of Hathor’s temple for my own practice, and after having come across the cryptic Nudj unguent inscription in the Temple complex of Karnak - the result being Nudj Immortelle. After using it myself and sharing it with others, we were amazed at its moisturizing and healing properties and gained a deep respect for this ancient Egyptian health technology.

The fact is, Wandering Stars was founded, first and foremost, not as a cosmetics company, but rather as a wellness advocacy that uses spiritual principles from several World Traditions (Religions), primarily Hindu and Egyptian, but also Gnostic/Hermetic Qabalah and Mesoamerican Nagualism, or shamanic traditions. All of these include some form of fasting and/or dietary strictures in their preparations for intention setting, meditation, ceremony, ritual, vision quests, and theurgy; and all of these easily fit upon the Ayurvedic framework of the Three Gunas above.

And so, any advice I may give as to diet modifications for my clients is based upon each individual’s health needs and integrated with the healthy choices delineated in the food list at the end of this article. I do not live an exclusively animal product free lifestyle myself, and I certainly don’t presume to demand it of others (though I might suggest doing so temporarily to gain equilibrium); nor would I insist that others use animal products in our group work if the dietary, moral convictions or spiritual practice they have personally chosen excludes it. Do what you will - but always with full awareness and love.

The fact remains that the ancient Egyptians, the architects and builders of great cities and temples to standards and proportions harmonically attuned to the divinity of the human spirit, were truly wise beyond belief, in all matters mathematical, astronomical, botanical, medical, and most especially - spiritual. They intentionally chose to use the rendered fat of a holy bull, raised to standards very much like our organic grass-fed and pasture-raised beef today, in their most highly revered fragrant unguent offerings to the Neteru – their gods and goddesses.

We can be quite sure that, after 3,500 years with recipes unchanged, they had very good reasons for doing so, and I am so pleased to be able to offer these amazing fragrant sacred unguents for those with the opened mind, eyes, ears, and heart to partake of them.

Thank you for your interest and understanding.

In Ma’at,

Shane

APPENDIX 

LIST OF THE THREE GROUPS OF FOOD BY THE GUNAS

For guidance, here is a list - cobbled together from a consensus of Hindu sources - of the Sattvic, Rajasic, and Tamasic foods:

Sattvic (Sentient) Foods:

Fruit:

Fruits are the major part of the Sattvic diet and all ripe fruits are Sattvic (except durian fruit, which is considered Tamasic).

Nuts, seeds, and oils:

Fresh nuts and seeds that have not been overly roasted and salted are good additions to the Sattvic diet in small portions. Choices include almonds, hemp seeds, coconuts, pine nuts, walnuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and flax seeds. Red palm oil is considered to be highly Sattvic, but must come from Africa and be grown sustainably without destroying habitats. Oils should be of good quality and cold-pressed. Some choices are olive oil, sesame oil, and flax oil. Most oils should only be ingested in their raw state, but some cooked oils like ghee and sesame are fine. Red palm, coconut, and moringa oils can all be used in Sattvic cooking.

Vegetables:

Nearly all mild vegetables are considered Sattvic and provide fiber and many other nutrients to the diet. Potatoes and white rice are highly regarded as Sattvic. Pungent vegetables, however, like tomatoes, hot peppers, leek, garlic, onion, and mushrooms are considered Tamasic by purists, as are all fungi except the psychedelic mushrooms, which are highly Sattvic. Some consider tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants as Sattvic or at least Rajasic, but most consider the Allium family (garlic, onion, leeks, shallots), as well as fungus (yeasts, molds, and mushrooms) as Tamasic. Fresh vegetables are considered to be living, and therefore the purest source of prana energy or life-force. A common practice is to drink freshly made vegetable juices for their prana, live enzymes, and immediate absorption.

Whole grains:

Whole grains provide both carbohydrate and protein nourishment. These include organic brown or white (unbleached) rice, sprouted or whole wheat, spelt, oatmeal and barley. Sometimes the grains are lightly roasted before cooking to remove some of their heavy quality. Yeasted bread is not recommended unless toasted. Wheat and other grains can be sprouted before cooking as well. Some preparations are kicharee (basmati rice cooked with whole or split mung beans, ghee, and mild spices), kheer (rice cooked with milk and sweetened), chapatis (non-leavened whole wheat flat bread), porridge (sometimes made very watery and cooked with herbs), and "Bible" or “Ezekiel” bread (sprouted wheat bread). Sometimes yogis will fast from grains during special practices. Brown rice has a husk containing undesirable lectins, while unbleached white rice like basmati does not. Bleached and over-processed rice or flour, however, should be considered Tamasic.

Legumes:

Legumes provide vegetable protein. Mung beans, lentils, yellow split peas, chickpeas, aduki beans, common beans, organic tofu, and bean sprouts are considered Sattvic if well prepared. In general, the smaller the bean, the easier to digest. Preparations include splitting, peeling, grinding, soaking, sprouting, cooking, and spicing. Legumes combined with whole grains can offer a complete protein source. Some yogis consider the mung bean to be the only Sattvic legume. Convalescent food in the Ayurvedic diet includes yusha soups made with lentils.

Dairy:

Milk must be obtained from an animal that has a spacious outdoor environment, an abundance of pasture to feed on, water to drink, is treated with love and care, and is not pregnant. The milk may only be collected once the mother's calf has its share. Dairy products like yogurt and cheese (paneer) should be made that day, from milk obtained that day. Butter must be fresh daily as well, and raw, but ghee (clarified butter) can be aged and is great for cooking. Freshness is key with dairy. Milk should be freshly milked from a cow. Milk that is not consumed fresh can be refrigerated for one to two weeks in its raw state but must be brought to a boil before drinking, and drunk while still hot/warm. Pasteurization, homogenization, and the use of GMOs and pesticides are all considered harmful to humans, therefore Tamasic —as is the consumption of milk from cows that are treated poorly. Consuming cold milk is traditionally considered Tamasic.

Sweeteners:

Most yogis use raw honey (often in combination with fresh dairy), jaggery, or even raw sugar (not refined). Others use alternative sweeteners, such as stevia or stevia leaf. In some traditions, sugar and/or honey are excluded from the diet, along with all other sweeteners. White sugar is considered Tamasic.

Spices:

Sattvic spices are fresh herbs/leaves including basil - especially holy basil (tulsi), and coriander.

All other spices are considered as either rajasic or tamasic. However, over time certain Hindu sects have tried to reclassify a few spices as Sattvic. It is however considered inappropriate by purists. Spices in the new Sattvic list may include cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, fresh ginger, and turmeric. Rajasic spices like black pepper and red pepper are normally excluded but are sometimes used in small amounts, both to clear channels blocked by mucus and to counter Tamas. Rajasic salt is acceptable in strict moderation, especially unbleached sea salt.

Sattvic herbs:

Other herbs used to directly support Sattva include cannabis, kratom, Salvia divinorum, ashwagandha, bacopa, calamus, Gotu kola, jatamansi, purnarnava, Shatavari, saffron, shankhapushpi, tulsi and rose.

A Sattvic diet is pure vegetarian nourishment and raises our consciousness, inspires us to positive action and deeper meditation, and unleashes our hidden potential and creativity. Sattvic food is lightly cooked with love and reverence and eaten with full awareness and gratitude. Being “Sentient”, a Sattvic diet promotes advancement to higher chakras from Manipura, the navel chakra. The classification of whether something is Sattvic or not is defined largely by the different schools of thought, and – even then – individually, depending on the understanding and needs of practitioners. Sometimes the given nature of certain foods can be neutralized, or even transformed into Sattvic by careful preparation and loving intent, as is the case with the use of tallow in the sacred unguent formulas.

Rajasic (stimulant) foods:

Caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea (both black and green), cola drinks, energy drinks, chocolate, Ginkgo biloba, sugary foods, spicy food, unfertilized eggs, sea salt, or Himalayan pink salt - no rock salt or iodized salt. Pungent vegetables like tomatoes, hot peppers, leek, garlic, and onion are considered Rajasic by some sects and Tamasic by others, while some allow fish, but not shellfish, and poultry to be Rajasic. A Rajasic diet is served very spicy and/or very hot.

Stimulant foods, also called mutable foods, are foods that often provoke mental restlessness. They are not completely beneficial, nor are they necessarily harmful, to the body or mind, but the effects do interfere with meditation and yoga. Foods that cannot be categorized as either sentient or static/sedative are classified in this food group. These foods are thought by some to cause aggressive and dominating thoughts, especially towards others. They may give us a temporary lift in energy but are often followed by a crash and increased stress.

A predominately Rajasic diet affects the mind-body equilibrium, feeding the body at the expense of the mind, leading to a decline into Tamas. A Rajasic person will eat on the run, rush food, and experience poor digestion and health issues as a result. In some cases in Ayurvedic medicine, the stimulant properties of some Rajasic substances may be a temporary necessity to restore equilibrium in Tamasic people - fresh coca leaves are considered Rajasic, for instance, but when processed into white powdered cocaine it becomes Tamasic. Stimulant foods energize and develop the Manipura (navel) chakra and body but do not promote advancement in the higher chakras.

Tamasic (static or sedative) foods:

A Tamasic diet consists of any animal food product, animal fats such as lard or tallow, cured meats, and dead flesh food such as ungulate meat, fish, shellfish, poultry, and fertilized eggs. Pungent vegetables like tomatoes, hot peppers, leek, garlic, onion, durian fruit, and fungi – mushrooms, cheese molds, yeasts – are all considered Tamasic by purists.

A living fresh Sattvic food or substance can become Tamasic when over-processed or overcooked, fried in animal fat or allowed to age, ferment or mold, or when used or ingested with Tamasic foods. Rancid or stale food, processed food full of chemical additives, take-out or fast foods, reheated food, or food prepared without love or reverence are all Tamasic. Alcohol, cigarettes, and many pharmaceuticals, especially barbiturates and opioids, are all Tamasic.

With few exceptions, and yes there are exceptions, these foods and substances do nothing to lift our energy and consciousness, but rather, they pull us downward into laziness and inertia. While infrequent ingestion is not a problem for most people, it should be done mindfully and reverently, with humanely raised and organic livestock. There is essentially nothing wrong with the sedative or calming effect these foods or substances have in today’s mad society, it is simply a matter of using them with mindfulness and moderation.

In some cases in Ayurvedic medicine, the sedative properties of Tamasic substances may be a temporary though a valuable necessity, such as the use of opioids for pain management. The use of tallow, for instance, has a powerful calming effect on inflamed and dry skin or hair, replenishing natural oils lost. Living on Tamasic food and substances, however, will most often lead to health and relationship problems such as obesity, diabetes, heart and liver disease, addictions, abusive behavior, crime, and mental illness - especially when coupled with alcohol and pharmaceutical drugs, or even cannabis abuse. Tamasic foods and substances make us feel unmotivated, becoming careless and unaware of ourselves and others.

Choose wisely!

 and

Bon Apetit!

About Veganism © 2020-2024 Shane Clayton - Wandering Stars Publishing

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Wandering Stars is dedicated to expounding the Sacred Science of Ancient Egypt

In memory and in honor of John Anthony West

Born July 9, 1932 - Wested February 6, 2018

AUM