Yoga Philosophy

Author(s): Virchand R Gandhi, Bhagu F Karbhari
Publisher: Devchand Lalbhai Pustakoddhar Fund

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is never the manifestation of these powers. So long as a person cares only for the manifestation of these powers they do not come. With regard to food, I do not wish to say anything more; only this is sufficient; the purest food, and only vegetables, and only that which increases spirituality and not activity or grossness, should be used; for there are three qualities in food, as in matter. Passivity is the same as purity; grossness is indolence or slothfulness or darkness, so only that food is to be taken in which the first quality is predominant, as in wheat, for example, and rice, and milk. Cheese, meat and eggs belong to the third class and for this reason they are to be avoided altogether. Many persons writing works on food have divided the food into different elements and in that way regulate the food which should be eaten, but they do not take into consideration the fact that food is not merely physical in its effects, but that it has an effect on the moral and spiritual nature. Only that food is to be taken by spiritually minded people which will increase the spirituality. Wheat, milk, butter and vegetables, not those which grow underground, which are mostly of the second and third quality, these are the food which it is best to eat, and this is, in short, the science of food; and when we understand this, when we know the different natures and effects of these, then we can study the science of breathing and can also practise, the fact being that unless we observe the rules of diet it is useless to follow the science of breathing. The rules of deep
THE SCIENCE OF BREATHING.