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raminanda
USA
8 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 24 2014 : 11:51:06 PM
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Ok yogis and yoginis I really need you guys to please weigh in on this matter as it's killin me. Does one really need to eliminate garlic (and/or onions) but mainly garlic to make the big gains/milestones on our ayp quest? Some are telling me eliminating garlic is a must if you want to experience full enlightenment/kundulini awakening. Garlic has always been one of my main staples and is in many things I eat and cook. What do you guys think? I am aware that some state that garlic desynchronizes brain waves/slows reaction time and thats why elite pilots avoid this right before big tests/exercises. What is the truth? What are you guys experiences? Please let me know. Thank you  |
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Omsat
Belgium
267 Posts |
Posted - Mar 25 2014 : 12:57:22 AM
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Hi raminanda,
quote:
Originally posted by raminanda
Ok yogis and yoginis I really need you guys to please weigh in on this matter as it's killin me. Does one really need to eliminate garlic (and/or onions) but mainly garlic to make the big gains/milestones on our ayp quest? Some are telling me eliminating garlic is a must if you want to experience full enlightenment/kundulini awakening. Garlic has always been one of my main staples and is in many things I eat and cook. What do you guys think? I am aware that some state that garlic desynchronizes brain waves/slows reaction time and thats why elite pilots avoid this right before big tests/exercises. What is the truth? What are you guys experiences? Please let me know. Thank you
I've been pondering this matter myself a few of years ago, taking the conservative approach (not eating garlic at all) for a couple of years. This was pretty easy for me as garlic already wasn't part of my diet anyway and I'm not a big fan of garlic.
That said, more recently, I've come to appreciate garlic's benefits also as I educated myself better instead of just taking the strong "no no" from some yoga schools as truth.
Garlic is known to be an excellent natural antibioticum for instance. Its heating effect can be both a reason to avoid it as to recommend it (depending on your needs).
From an ayurvedic perspective, people dominant in Pitta dosha will be better off dramatically limiting or completely eliminating garlic from their diet. Not necessarily so for people dominant in Vata and Kapha.
Garlic is often recommended to be avoided in yoga schools as it has been found by many to increase libido and/or to downward flow of energies.
On the other hand, in some non-ascetic traditions, garlic is precisely recommended for this reason and used as a tool to increase vitality and then sublime the energy.
In the end, it will be mostly dependent on your individual characteristics, your goals and the tools you use to go in the direction of your goals.
If you're on an ascetic path working hard to raise energies and having a dominant Pitta constitution, you will most likely do well to avoid garlic altogether.
On the other hand, if you're high up in the clouds vibrationally and you a need to come back to earth a little, garlic may be great for you. 
Most things are not entirely good or bad for everyone all the time, though it may be to some depending on their circumstances and whether those circumstances change or not. If in doubt: Know yourself, experiment and see what works for you..
Saying that garlic avoidance is a must for full enlightenment or even kundalini awakening seems very exaggerated at the least. That said, I'm not an expert on garlic nor fully enlightened As for kundalini awakening, I'm pretty confident there's plenty of people with awakened kundalini eating garlic regularly.
Btw, if you'd like to keep some onion in your diet, while prefer to avoid it for some of the reasons mentioned here, you could switch to spring onion or leek. These are much milder than onion and give a nice flavour and qualities to the food.
Best,
Omsat
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Edited by - Omsat on Apr 01 2014 03:28:40 AM |
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parvati9
USA
587 Posts |
Posted - Mar 25 2014 : 11:44:25 AM
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This is a great discussion. Excellent post Omsat. My point of view is from the perspective of a woman with lifelong interest in natural healing. Garlic is a powerful wide spectrum natural remedy. I'm vata and so garlic should be decidedly better for me than for pitta, but pungent taste in general is really best for kapha. In that it helps to motivate them off the couch when they are couch potatoes. I have a ton of pitta issues and my blood tends to overheat. So I've learned to mostly avoid garlic as a flavor enhancer and regard it primarily as a potent medicinal.
When taking a heating food or herb, one can easily combine it with a cooling herb as most herbs are bitter and therefore cooling. Garlic is pungent and therefore heating. Shatavari is a cooling herb especially good for women. I have to be careful with it, especially in the winter. Jasmine is cooling too. Both Shatavari and Jasmine have been referred to as refrigerants. This is especially true of Jasmine; when I used it only one time, it felt like I had ice water running in my veins. Not an enjoyable experience for me. But pitta people stuck in Arizona in the summer might find it a delightful experience.
In my opinion, there are two reasons why garlic (and onions) are inadvisable for one pursuing a spiritual path. The first is due to the rajasic tendency of pungent foods. In order to cultivate a sattvic disposition, which facilitates spiritual insight, one reduces rajasic and tamasic influences in one's life.
The second reason is more interesting. Garlic is a magnet for negative invaders in the body. Many bacteria, viruses, parasites and poisons are drawn to garlic like a magnet and thus harmlessly eliminated from the body. If one thinks about this in spiritual terms, one might think that garlic attracts negative, predatory, parasitic or toxic influences into one's life. To me this logic is a bit suspect. Garlic serves to attract toxins and negativity only to quite effectively eliminate these. Nevertheless, I think garlic should be used with discretion, and primarily on an as needed basis. It's far too easy to overdo with garlic, especially if you like the taste. My 2 cents.
love
parvati |
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Omsat
Belgium
267 Posts |
Posted - Mar 25 2014 : 10:26:13 PM
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Hi parvati9,
quote:
Originally posted by parvati9
This is a great discussion. Excellent post Omsat. My point of view is from the perspective of a woman with lifelong interest in natural healing. Garlic is a powerful wide spectrum natural remedy. I'm vata and so garlic should be decidedly better for me than for pitta, but pungent taste in general is really best for kapha. In that it helps to motivate them off the couch when they are couch potatoes. I have a ton of pitta issues and my blood tends to overheat. So I've learned to mostly avoid garlic as a flavor enhancer and regard it primarily as a potent medicinal.
When taking a heating food or herb, one can easily combine it with a cooling herb as most herbs are bitter and therefore cooling. Garlic is pungent and therefore heating. Shatavari is a cooling herb especially good for women. I have to be careful with it, especially in the winter. Jasmine is cooling too. Both Shatavari and Jasmine have been referred to as refrigerants. This is especially true of Jasmine; when I used it only one time, it felt like I had ice water running in my veins. Not an enjoyable experience for me. But pitta people stuck in Arizona in the summer might find it a delightful experience.
In my opinion, there are two reasons why garlic (and onions) are inadvisable for one pursuing a spiritual path. The first is due to the rajasic tendency of pungent foods. In order to cultivate a sattvic disposition, which facilitates spiritual insight, one reduces rajasic and tamasic influences in one's life.
The second reason is more interesting. Garlic is a magnet for negative invaders in the body. Many bacteria, viruses, parasites and poisons are drawn to garlic like a magnet and thus harmlessly eliminated from the body. If one thinks about this in spiritual terms, one might think that garlic attracts negative, predatory, parasitic or toxic influences into one's life. To me this logic is a bit suspect. Garlic serves to attract toxins and negativity only to quite effectively eliminate these. Nevertheless, I think garlic should be used with discretion, and primarily on an as needed basis. It's far too easy to overdo with garlic, especially if you like the taste. My 2 cents.
love
parvati
Interesting information. Thank you, parvati.
Regarding the last paragraph: I am familiar with garlic being used to kill germs, but this explanation of attracting germs is new for me. Where did you get this from?
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SeySorciere
Seychelles
1571 Posts |
Posted - Mar 26 2014 : 01:56:50 AM
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Oh come on...You really think God/The Universe/ That is going to stop you from reaching higher spiritual levels just because you eat garlic??! I cook with garlic everyday. I am far from enlightened (in fact I think I become more idiotic each day) but I seem to be doing ok.
There is a lot of value in the advice - Keep it simple.
Sey
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Experientialknowing
USA
263 Posts |
Posted - Mar 26 2014 : 08:27:48 AM
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OH YEAH WELL LET ME TELL YA SOMETHING!!!
I swallow a teaspoon full of garlic everyday lol.
Just kidding honestly though I do chop up mince 1 clove of Garlic and let it sit out for about 15 minutes before swallowing it without chewing with a large glass of water, and it is very helpful with digestion and a nice compliment to the Iflora probiotics I take daily along with digestive enzymes.
Up until this past year I was cursed with a sinus infection or respiratory ailment every December / January like clock work, this year my wife and everyone around me were dropping like flies with a very aggressive form of the flu, my poor wife was down for 9 days in a row, then felt good again for 3 days and relapsed for another 7 days this time needing antibiotics to shake the illness.
As for me well a day here or there not feeling really optimal but other than that good 2 go. This is the first time I have ever been on Probiotics and taking garlic for a prolonged period of time so as far as I am concerned it works.
Now if I could only get rid of this cold.  Ducks exits room laughing just kidding again, feeling great! |
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Ecdyonurus
Switzerland
479 Posts |
Posted - Mar 26 2014 : 12:21:02 PM
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| I can't imagine that eating garlic (or anything else) can be a seriuos problem for spirituality, when speaking of "normal" behavior (no abuse, addiction or health issues like allergy). |
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raminanda
USA
8 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2014 : 11:16:24 PM
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| Thank you all for your input. I didn't think garlic would be too much of a roadblock for God/the Divine/kundulini/energy especially how the energy is so strong in some cases that it blows some peoples crown and they have to refrain from practices. And in some cases mentally hurt for a little while. But my experience comes from bodybuilding where towards the pinnacle every tiny advantage could mean the difference and diet is key. That is why I thought the same could possibly apply here. And maybe in some cases it does? |
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digofarias
Brazil
63 Posts |
Posted - Mar 29 2014 : 12:57:56 PM
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In ancient times there were no pesticides, no air pollution, no High Fructose Corn Syrup, no GMO, etc. From my own experience Garlic acts as a natural drug making your inner physical environment unsuitable for most of the toxins, even heavy toxins that are usually harder to leave your system.
If I only had organic food, lived in a reasonably non-polluted place and had a healthy lifestyle then I would definitely skip garlic. As it is not the case sometimes I massively add garlic to my food for around a week to expel toxins, worms, etc.
Yes, sexual desire goes way up but it doesn't kill you and after 1-2 days I'm completely fine and I believe many toxins are flushed from my system.
A few days ago my wife had mastitis and her GP prescribed an antibiotic drug. I asked her not to take it and to use Garlic instead. The next day she was feeling better and in 2 days she was 100% well. My wife and her GP were stunned :)
Best,
Rod
quote:
Originally posted by raminanda
Ok yogis and yoginis I really need you guys to please weigh in on this matter as it's killin me. Does one really need to eliminate garlic (and/or onions) but mainly garlic to make the big gains/milestones on our ayp quest? Some are telling me eliminating garlic is a must if you want to experience full enlightenment/kundulini awakening. Garlic has always been one of my main staples and is in many things I eat and cook. What do you guys think? I am aware that some state that garlic desynchronizes brain waves/slows reaction time and thats why elite pilots avoid this right before big tests/exercises. What is the truth? What are you guys experiences? Please let me know. Thank you
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Edited by - digofarias on Mar 29 2014 1:32:41 PM |
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adishivayogi
USA
197 Posts |
Posted - Mar 29 2014 : 4:26:04 PM
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| If you hold a rudra mala over garlic they will spin counter clockwise . Best to avoid |
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2014 : 12:06:22 AM
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As Omsat pointed out, the origin of garlic and onions being forbidden to yoga practitioners (aside from the specific concerns related to each individual's doshas) is because they are believed to stimulate sexual energy and in the vast majority of mainstream yoga schools, sexual energy is deemed "non-spiritual" and to be avoided. AYP, being a classical tantric school, recognizes that sexual energy IS spiritual energy as it flows up through a purified nervous system. So whether or not garlic and onions actually stimulate libido, this should not be a problem unless you are trying to practice a mainstream (i.e. non-tantric) form of celibacy.
From a purely physical health standpoint, garlic has incredible healing powers and is an herb that I recommend frequently for a variety of conditions. |
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Omsat
Belgium
267 Posts |
Posted - Apr 05 2014 : 06:32:38 AM
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Warning: This post is very long while the subject is quite a trivial matter!! 
The first part of the post lists some common reasons for not consuming garlic.
The second part of the post mitigates generalizations, while appreciating the advice on dietary habits (or any habit really) in more than one direction.
There are quite a few pro garlic reasons already in the topic..
To do justice to the arguments in disfavour of garlic, here are a few explanations why not to use garlic/onion as a regular part of the diet, some of which have not yet been mentioned. Note that also (some of) those who warn against the regular use of garlic still mention it may be worthwile to occasionally consume garlic for medicinal value when needed.
- From the Buddhist tradition:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aP7aexMJ9A
Reasons for choosing to avoid garlic consumption:
1. Being considerate for one's human fellows' (they may not enjoy the smell and have negative thoughts/feelings when smelling your bad breath)
2. Raw garlic is believed to make one more irritable and more likely to have bad temper/anger. While cooked garlic arouses one's passions, which is not ideal for celibate monks.
- Hindu mythology, Ramana Maharshi story on garlic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa75NDEcfTQ
bottomline: Garlic has medicinal properties "but it also has the blood of the demons."
In order to appreciate such explanation it may help to watch this video as well which is a small explanation on how Hindu mythology fits into Yoga:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA25ITWznbw
- Ayurveda
quote:
According to Ayurveda, India's classic medical science, foods are grouped into three categories - sattvic, rajasic and tamasic - foods in the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. Onions and garlic, and the other alliaceous plants are classified as rajasic and tamasic, which means that they increase passion and ignorance.
Those that subscribe to pure brahmana-style cooking of India, including myself, and Vaishnavas - followers of Lord Vishnu, Rama and Krishna - like to only cook with foods from the sattvic category. These foods include fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs, dairy products, grains and legumes, and so on. Specifically, Vaisnavas do not like to cook with rajasic or tamasic foods because they are unfit to offer to the Deity.
Rajasic and tamasic foods are also not used because they are detrimental to meditation and devotions. "Garlic and onions are both rajasic and tamasic, and are forbidden to yogis because they root the consciousness more firmly in the body", says well-known authority on Ayurveda, Dr.Robert E.Svoboda.
http://kurma.net/essays/e19.html
A little more info on gunas:
http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/diet/gunas.asp
- General yogic guidelines on food:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRWWXSNyxaU
Conclusion:
Onion and garlic agitate one's system / hormonal balance & may disturb a peaceful mind, the latter being conducive to meditative states.
__________
Maybe someone can make a list in case they feel the balance in the topic is lost
__________
While the advice against garlic is well-intended and much valid in many instances, one would be careful in proposing it in black and white terms as it cannot be said to be universally true, i.e. regardless of circumstances.
Mostly, it would be helpful for relative beginners to eat more calming-type foods (particularly while on retreat) until they gain more experience and stability.
The specifics of garlic consumption are likely to depend on one's constitution, one's baseline state of health, how stressed one is, whether one is accustomed to eating spicy or pungent food, and the degree of strength in one's practice. Other than that, doing practices involving offerings to beings while giving off odors that disturb guests may be problematic.
Also, the main factor for success in spiritual endeavours is the quality of the practitioner. One can practice just about anything and
accomplish ultimate siddhi if doing so with supreme or even simply superior view.
Jesus, is reputed to have said:
"It is not what goes into one's mouth, but what comes out of it that defiles one."
Of course, if one has found through wise self-reflection that in their case what goes into their mouth can affect what comes out of it, one may appreciate some dietary restrictions
__________
General rules and restrictions are very helpful to many before sufficient sensitivity is developed to appreciate their most appropriate applicability.
As stated in some of the previous posts, it is helpful to see how much of the advice applies to your personal circumstances.
A good way to find out may be to indeed completely eliminate these substances from your diet for a while and then slowly implement them and see if you notice something happen during your meditations and daily life interactions..
This may also help developing the sensitivity to know for oneself what is less or more applicable.
Appreciation of diversity of possibilities and their simultaneous validity fosters harmony, understanding, religious tolerance, humbleness, heartily relationships and overall well-being..
Whether a trivial garlic matter or "big" religious discussions....
This seems to be an ever returning conclusion in most any topic when considered thoroughly without too much attachment to long repeated belief patterns.
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dancer303
Germany
10 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2021 : 11:23:49 AM
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As a westernized person one probably goes best with Paracelsus:
"ALL THINGS ARE POISON AND NOTHING IS WITHOUT POISON; THE DOSE ALONE MAKES A THING NOT A POISON. “
Garlic is, if you can believe the mainstream media, probably very good for the body. People who eat according to the Mediterranean diet are often very healthy and not prone to premature death.
Why some strict Buddhists or yogis reject garlic may be because they seem to reject the material world and want to live materially in a kind of lack so that they can perceive the spiritual plane more strongly. Whether this is the right way is a question. Because they reject many things that strengthen the body. They practice excessive fasting to achieve the goal. Abstaining from certain foods is a light form of fasting.
I am convinced that garlic and onions kill parasites in the body. Therefore, they are also medicine.
Even though I personally do not believe in the person of Jesus of Nazaraeth, he pointed out the following: "Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth goes into the body (= stomach) and is excreted by the natural way? On the other hand, what comes out of the mouth comes out of the heart, and that is what defiles a person. For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts: acts of murder, adultery, fornication, theft, slander and blasphemy. These are the things that defile a man; whereas eating with unwashed hands does not defile a man."
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jclone
United Arab Emirates
61 Posts |
Posted - Mar 15 2021 : 07:48:07 AM
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| This is such a good topic for me as I love garlic. Thanks for starting this thread. :) |
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rerince
Austria
15 Posts |
Posted - Mar 19 2021 : 12:34:33 AM
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| It makes one wonder why Shivananda said that eating garlic is worse than eating meat! :O |
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jclone
United Arab Emirates
61 Posts |
Posted - Mar 19 2021 : 05:00:48 AM
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| I feel bad for others who either don't like them or who have gastrointestinal trouble with them. It seems like there must be something genetic about it. I personally love them. In fact, I was just thinking this morning how odd people would think my practice of nibbling my way through two cloves of fresh raw garlic over the course of my "breakfast". |
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Gustavo Woltmann
Italy
22 Posts |
Posted - Apr 03 2021 : 5:47:00 PM
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That is a lot of talk about garlic
Coming from an Italian, believe me, garlic is irreplaceable. Do not avoid it. It tastes great and enhances your immunity! |
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maheswari
Lebanon
2520 Posts |
Posted - Apr 04 2021 : 04:26:55 AM
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Garlic is a must in Mediterranean diets like here in Lebanon
If some little garlic is gonna wreck yr practices then what will life will do? |
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Gabereal
USA
17 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2021 : 12:34:27 AM
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| I eat garlic extract and has never dampened my practice . Nor has eating meat . |
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To garlic or not to garlic?
