According to Ayurveda, health is determined by the quality and level of Ojas (OH-jas) stored in the body. Ojas has two meanings: physically, it relates to vigor (energy and strength), and spiritually and emotionally, it refers to our expression of consciousness. It governs aging, immunity, skin radiance, energy, mood, sleep, digestion, and spirituality.
Ojas, the most refined and pure by-product of our digestive process, play a significant role in our health. As food is simulated and eliminated, nutrients are transformed into the seven Dhatus (tissues) that make up our bodies. The purest and most refined Ojas are then stored in the reproductive system, and the heart, contributing to our vitality and life force, is digested.
The process of producing Ojas is a complex one that is closely tied to digestion. It begins with the intake of nutritious food, first broken down into a fluid known as Rasa. This Rasa is then transformed into blood (Rakta) by enzymes known as Agni or digestive fire. The blood then develops into muscle tissue (Mamsa) with the assistance of muscle enzymes. Subsequently, the muscle tissue is converted into fat (Medha) with the help of specific enzymes. The fat then transforms into bone tissue (Asthi), which further transitions into nerve tissue (Majja). The nerve tissue eventually evolves into the reproductive fluid (Shukra), stored as semen and female eggs. Finally, the supreme Ojas is released and stored in the heart, nourishing the subtle energy in the body, which in turn enhances vigor, vitality, and immunity.
In Western thought, Ojas is believed to be the hormone melatonin produced by the brain's pineal gland. This gland produces less and less melatonin as we age, which is directly linked to the importance of building vitality and immunity.
According to Ayurveda, excessive activity and stress deplete Ojas, which creates free radicals that cause damage. Our health is determined by the body's ability to properly digest not only food but also the constant stream of information and stresses that cross our paths each day.
Practices that build Ojas include love, acceptance, and service to others. They also include being light-hearted, laughing, and having a passion for life. They also include a personal exercise regime and yoga, pranayama, and meditation practice that nourishes the body, mind, and spirit. They also include spending time in nature, getting proper rest and rejuvenation, and eating fresh, wholesome, and Sattvic foods.
In Yogic and Ayurvedic philosophy, Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas are known as Gunas (meaning thread, merit, quality, or attribute). These concepts are firstly associated with the movements of the mind and consciousness. But are also related to the qualities of what we ingest and, ultimately, the production and quality of Ojas. Sattva is understood as purity, positiveness, balance, and enlightenment. Rajasic represents energy, turbulence, activity, and negativity; Tamasic is characterized by heaviness, dullness, lethargy, and ignorance.
When it comes to food, the gunas have these qualities:
Sattvic foods purify the body, calm the mind, and bring presence and higher consciousness.
Rajasic foods stimulate the body and mind, but excess causes restlessness, irritability, and sleeplessness.
Tamasic foods are dead foods, such as animal proteins, stale, frozen, reheated, processed, or foods with preservatives. These deplete our energy and consciousness and can lead to disease.
It is curious all sages seem outside the male hunter tradition, at least those living in the shadow of its provenence.
Many a squirrel and rabbit would lay claim to a field which once fed them.
No, it is likely a fraction of knowledge must present to the benighted masses, and no more.
Organized despair. A kung fu shadow monk in the ring with a chiseled and beefed up boxer. The destruction of illusion. And if a fight or hunt is a song, why silence it?