Yogic and Sattvic Living: A Blueprint for Eco-Consciousness
In a world that is overwhelmed by environmental damage and consumerism, it is easy to feel helpless and doomed. But what if the solution lies not only in new inventions and global policies but also in ancient wisdom? Yogic and sattvic living, rooted in India’s age-old traditions, is a way of being. It offers a powerful and sustainable way of life, one that promotes balance and nurtures healing. Far from rituals and restrictive diets, yogic and sattvic living is a vibrant and holistic way of life rooted in harmony between self, community and the environment. These practices not only enhance personal health and mental peace, but also encourage eco-conscious habits and cultivate deep ecological awareness that aligns with nature. While modern sustainability efforts are essential, they must be accompanied by an inner transformation of human consciousness. Yogic and sattvic paths help us recalibrate our inner compass and align it with the natural word.
Understanding Yogic and Sattvic Living
Yogic living is more than just practicing yoga on a mat. Yogic lifestyle is a holistic way of living which is inspired from the eightfold path of yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) described in Patanjali’s Yoga sutra. It focuses on maintaining inner and outer purity, self-discipline, contentment, mindfulness and compassion. Out of the eight limbs of yoga, Yama (ethical restraints) and Niyama (personal observances) play a major role in developing eco-consciousness. The Yamas (restraints) and Niyamas (observances) outlined in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras promote qualities like: Aparigraha (non-hoarding), Shaucha (cleanliness, inner and outer), Santosha (contentment).
YAMAS (Social Ethical Restraint)
Ahimsa (non-violence) - it encourages non-harming of all living beings including plants, animals and ecosystems. It can be applied to one’s diet and lifestyle choices. This promotes Veganism, vegetarianism, and cruelty free practices. Modern concepts targeted are environmental ethics, veganism, biodiversity protection and cruelty free consumption.
Satya (truthfulness) - this promotes honesty in production and consumption. It condemns problems like greenwashing, false and deceptive advertising and promotes transparency in environmental reporting.
Asteya (non-stealing) - it promotes intergenerational justice and is in alignment with the principle of intergenerational equity. It discourages exploitation and over consumption of natural resources. It condemns extractive capitalism and mindless exploitation of non-renewables, minerals, water etc.
Aparigraha (non-possessiveness) - this promotes non-hoarding, conscious consumption, sustainable lifestyle, what some societies call minimalism.
Daya (compassion) - this encourages empathy for all living beings, supporting animal welfare and tree conservation.
Mitahara (balanced diet) - this advocates eco-conscious eating such as plant based, sattvic food that has lower environmental impact.
NIYAMAS (Personal ethical observances)
Shaucha (purity/cleanliness) - encourages cleanliness, waste disposal, waste segregation, sanitation and reducing pollution both externally (on land and in nature) and internally (thoughts and lifestyle)
Santosha (contentment) - fosters minimalism, non-hoarding and satisfaction with simple, sustainable living.
Tapas (discipline) - promotes dedication to personal and collective environmental actions like zero waste habits, afforestration and climate activism.
Svadhyaya (self-study) - it promotes eco-literacy and encourages reflection on one’s own role in the ecosystem. Studying ancient ecological wisdom from ancient texts like Vedas inspires eco-consciousness.
Sattvic living is a way of being. Sattva is one of the three gunas (qualities) in nature, along with rajas (passion and activity) and tamas (destruction, chaos). It represents purity, harmony, balance, and clarity. A sattvic lifestyle includes - eating fresh, seasonal and plant-based food; rising early and sleeping early, living mindfully and without excess. When we follow a sattvic living, we naturally reduce waste, energy consumption and treat all life forms equally. This makes our choices gentler on the planet. For example, eating a homemade meal of seasonal vegetables instead of packaged food not only benefits one’s health but also reduces plastic waste and carbon emissions.
Simple ways to embrace yogic and sattvic living for eco-consciousness
Choosing a sattvic diet that is vegetarian, fresh and light. It avoids meat, processed items and artificial preservatives. This reduces the environmental toll of packaged food, and supports local farmers.
Beginning the day with stillness. A peaceful mind is less likely to indulge in overconsumption, wasteful habits and impulsive shopping and hoarding.
Embracing minimalism (Aparigraha) as it reduces production and waste generation and lessens the exploitation of natural resources. Donating unused clothes and asking oneself “do I really need this”?
Practicing Ahimsa promotes eco-choices. For example, switching to cruelty free products, avoiding leather products and carrying our own water bottle and cloth bag (this will promote repeated buying and reduce plastic generation).
Making eco-choices in our daily lives like reusing glass jars, compost kitchen waste and grow plants like tomatoes, chilies, capsicums and coriander at home. For women this can mean using eco-friendly menstrual products like menstrual cups and cloth pads.
Using cotton, natural fibers and biodegradable products over synthetic ones.
Reconnecting to nature and spending time with the panchamahabhutas i.e. the five elements. Walking barefoot on grass, swimming, sitting under the sky all which help us reconnect with nature because when we feel connected to it, we protect it. Practicing community forestry and reforestation.
Celebrations must be eco-friendly. Instead of fire crackers that cause pollution and emit toxics into the environment one can celebrate by lighting lamps, flowers, eco-friendly colors and community gatherings.
Engaging in yogic and sattvic living is not escaping the modern world but it is to indulge with it more mindfully. It does not require retreating to mountains, instead it is hidden in our daily chores. Yogic and sattvic living has been followed by many civilizations and in modern times it aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals too, like the SDG 3 (Good health and well-being), SDG 12 (Responsible consumption and production), SDG 13 (Climate action) and SDG 15 (Life on land).
The path to a more compassionate ecological world doesn’t begin with policy or protest but from within. As we face the environmental crisis, perhaps the most logical act of resistance is also the most ancient one i.e. to live gently, purely and in harmony.
References:
Taimni, I.K. (1961), The Science of Yoga: The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, https://www.yogastudies.org/wp-content/uploads/Science_of_Yoga-Taimni.pdf
https://www.artofliving.org/in-en/yoga/beginners/eight-limbs-of-yoga
https://artoflivingretreatcenter.org/blog/how-to-live-in-harmony-with-yourself-and-the-world-around-you/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sattva
https://isha.sadhguru.org/en/wisdom/article/five-elements-pancha-bhuta
For further reference- Chip Hartranft (2003), The Yoga-Sûtra of Patañjali. Sanskrit-English Translation & Glossary, https://www.arlingtoncenter.org/Sanskrit-English.pdf
Written By: Pooja Yadav