Before coming into Yog, there was a time when I used to have every type of meat but when you are in Yog your body doesn’t accept certain things after a point. But then that it is a natural process not a forced process.  Always remember that you should never have this attitude- “Now that I have become a ‘saint’… so all those who eat meat are bad people.” Food is never a point of discussion in Yog because everything is for a purpose.

You’ll be surprised if I tell you that in Ayurveda every type of meat is mentioned—black buck, buffalo meat etc and their benefits. In fact in Vriksha Ayurveda all types of blood are mentioned for their application in roots, so that trees grow faster. The vedic rishis were very highly scientific people. They had explanation of everything- how,when, and what.

I get mails from all over the world—“I am doing yoga and my haemoglobin has come down.” When I ask about their diet, the usual reply is- “khichdi (a mix of boiled rice and pulses) 3 times a day.” So then I tell them- “What you must realise is that your ancestors lived in jungles and they used to eat and even you have eaten every type of meat in your life. So if you leave it now all of a sudden your body will surely react to that because it has been used to a specific kind of diet." Leaving meat should be only when your body rejects it and not because “now I have become a saint so I will not even touch meat”, or “what will family say or society say”. Do remember, it is the thought which is important. If you feel like having it, if only a thought comes that’s enough, there is no suppression in Yog, you have to go over it. Also unnecessarily there is no wastage of life.

Recently, I got a mail from a top Delhi designer. She comes from “pure vegetarian” background, one of those families who do pujas 5 times in a day and keep their surroundings “clean”. So one day she asks me, “Can I start eating omega 3 fish oil capsules?” I enquired as to what has happened to her because this would amount to not less than a sin for her (in accordance with her beliefs in life so far). She answered – “I am not feeling too well these days and the doctor has suggested it as a medicine, can I have it as a medicine?” Now what will you say to such people because the thought has come. (And for that 1 capsule do you know how many fishes are crushed?)