Currently there are a lot of people turning vegetarian for health and personal reasons. It is increasingly becoming a lifestyle change adopted by celebrities and commoners alike. So what are the health benefits of being a vegetarian? According to experts improved emotional quotient is one of the many.
We need to understand that at a subtle level everything in the universe is made up of the Sattva, Raja and Tama and that food is no exception. Sattva stands for purity and knowledge, Raja for action and passion, while Tama denotes ignorance and inertia. Anything that has a higher Sattva component increases the positivity within us and anything that is Tama predominant has a tendency to increase the negativity. The Raja component acts as a fuel to both. The proportions of these subtle components vary depending on the type of food.
Meat has a higher Tama component due to the suffering the animal endures when it is killed. Other than that, the thoughts of the butcher, the person cooking it and the person eating it all have an influence on the food. Thoughts of anger and revenge in the animal are far more pronounced as compared to a plant which has a rudimentary mind and intellect. This is because, when an animal dies it feels as much physical pain. However, it is lesser compared to a human as animals do not have emotions.
A vegetarian diet on the other hand has a higher proportion of the subtle Sattva component. Some communities refrain from having onion and garlic since they have an increased proportion of the subtle Raja component.
At a physical level by eating a non-vegetarian diet, there is an increase in Tama component. It is more likely to cause various diseases like increased cholesterol, blood pressure etc. At a psychological level the increase in the Tama component from a non-vegetarian diet leads to an increase in thoughts relating to various desires and other Tamasik thoughts such as sexual thoughts, greed, anger, etc. Few meat eaters know that they suffer from stress, anger, and other negative emotions because of their diet and that vegetarian food in fact instills peace of mind.
Your emotions need to be under your control in all situations. For example when your undeserving colleague gets a promotion instead of you or when you are belittled by your boss in front of others, it is natural for you to feel anger. With a vegetarian diet the mind is calmer and less reactive to these kinds of situations. A positive attitude will lead to a better future. In the long run it will eventually lead to peace of mind and improve Emotional Quotient.
