Sattvic Living— Ayurveda’s Key to Clarity and Well-Being
WELCOME TO MY BLOG! I’M EVANGELINE & A MOM. ALSO, AN RMT, and AYURVEDA-YOGA COUNSELLOR. I STARTED MY BLOG DURING COVID TO STAY CONNECTED TO MY CLIENTS AND SHARE MY LOVE OF COOKING HEALTHY, AYURVEDIC MEALS.
AYURVEDIC COOKING TAKES A BALANCED, HEALING APPROACH FOR YOUR DAILY COOKING NEEDS. YOU WILL FIND SIMPLE, EASY TO MAKE NOURISHING MEALS I HAVE MADE FOR MY FAMILY, WITH A DOSE OF AYURVEDA & YOGA WISDOM.
“Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.” Gary Snyder
Have you ever felt a deep sense of peace while surrounded by nature? Whether walking through a quiet forest, sitting beside a flowing stream, or simply being in a serene garden, there’s a harmony that touches something within. This feeling reflects what unfolds when our bodies, minds, communities, and the Earth are nourished and in balance—our awareness expands. We feel light, clear, and connected. In Ayurveda, this is known as a sattvic state of mind—a state of clarity, calm, and alignment with the rhythms of nature.
Understanding Mental States Through Ayurveda and Yoga
According to Ayurveda and Yoga, the mind is influenced by the three gunas—sattva (purity, clarity), rajas (activity, restlessness), and tamas (inertia, ignorance). These qualities are always in flux, but a mind established in sattva supports our inner joy, clarity, and wisdom.
Simple daily practices—like meditation, breathwork, mindful awareness, balanced nourishing meals, sound sleep, and a grounded routine—help cultivate sattva, bringing clarity, calm, and balance to our whole being.
When the qualities of rajas and tamas overpower our sattva, we can lose touch with our inner guidance—a state known in Ayurveda as pragyaparadh, or “mistake of the intellect.” This disconnection may show up in subtle ways, like ignoring our body’s need for rest, or in more serious patterns that can escalate into harmful or even life-threatening outcomes, such as addiction.
Reading the Signs
The three doshas—vata, pitta, and kapha—serve as gentle messengers, offering early signs when something in the body or mind is beginning to shift. These subtle changes, called vikruti, can often be brought back into balance with supportive, sattvic lifestyle choices—long before they develop into deeper imbalances. Ayurveda reminds us that living in a more sattvic way—through nourishing food, restful sleep, meaningful connection, and daily rhythm—can restore balance, build resilience, help prevent illness, and guide us toward lasting vitality and wellbeing. In today’s world, many common conditions like heart disease, diabetes, anxiety, and fatigue are linked to how we live day to day.
The Foundation of a Sattvic Way of Life
At the foundation of sattvic life are three pillars, known in Ayurveda as the Three Sub-Pillars of Life:
Ahara (right food)
Nidra (proper sleep)
Brahmacharya (living in alignment with natural laws)
By honoring these principles—right food, deep rest, and living in alignment with natural rhythms—we begin to return to our prakriti: our true, balanced nature. This is the unique constitution we are born with, a blueprint for health and harmony.
In reconnecting with our prakriti, we move away from habits that create pragyaparadh—disconnection, confusion, or disease, and instead begin to cultivate saatva—clarity, vitality, and inner peace. The body becomes more resilient, the mind steadier, and emotions more balanced. We feel more connected—not just to ourselves, but to the people, places, and planet around us.
When we live in this way, sattva naturally increases, and our lives begin to reflect the beauty of nature’s intelligence. In this state of balance, we are better able to respond to life’s challenges with grace and awareness. We no longer seek wellness as something outside of ourselves—it becomes a state we embody and share. And in doing so, we help to restore a greater harmony in the world.
References
Vaidya R. K. Mishra- Notes, Lectures from Shaka Vansiya Ayurveda Courses, Practicum, Conferences and Lectures 2003-2015
Art of Living Ashram- Notes, Lectures from Yoga Teacher Training, Quebec, 2004
Art of Living Ashram- Notes, Lectures from Yoga Teacher Training, India (Online), 2021