589 From: “obsidian9999” <obsidian9999@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon Apr 4, 2005 9:26pm
Subject: IS GARLIC TAMASIC (A challenge) obsidian9999
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OK, since there is something of a lull in the forum right now, let
me get up on my soapbox and ask a question.
I’m going to draw a line in the sand. A small question for
humanity, but a big question for garlic-lovers who also happen to
be yogis. 
IS GARLIC ‘TAMASIC’?
Is it really mind-dulling, bad for your meditation, or is it
the opposite?
Is it overly sexually stimulating or just sensually grounding?
Has anyone, anyone actually found from EXPERIENCE ( and not
just that Guru So-so-Ji said it) that garlic is actually tamasic?
Is it just a huge myth? A myth propagated by yogis who don’t want
any garlic-breath at spiritual gatherings? An over-reaching finding
that has some basis in the fact that for some people (some of the
time) it can, shall we say, get them going, if you know what I
mean, nudge-nudge, wink, wink, a happening which was probably
not preferred among celibate ascetics, and which started a
prejudice against it?
What do y’all think? I hate to throw the cat among the pigeons here
but I think the tradition is making a mistake here…
All replies welcome.
-David
Hi, I would say that garlic is mostly rajasic in nature. It activates the body/mind rather than making it flabby.
Of course there are some tamasic qualities to it. In my experience it worsens the ability to concentrate. It activates, but makes my mind a bit chaotic.
I’ve read a story about one neurologist who were doing EEG. Because the
examination was quite long it was divided in two parts. In between there was time for lunch. Some of the patients have had quite good patterns and after they came back it was disrupted. He was trying to figure it out, because it didnt make any sense. At last he found out that one of the places pacients could go was pizzeria where a lot of raw onions were used. So thats about it.
On the other hand, garlic is amazing natural antibiotics, which doesnt harm gut microflora, has antifugal properties, therefore can be used to help cleaning e.g. candida overgrowth. Onions similarly.
When cooked, these faculties go away as well as the disruptive.
SOrry, my english is not perfect as you see.
Moderator note: Topic moved for better placement
it is rajasic dear
Hi Freeman,
yes it’s Rajasic. In my experience very useful in the winter/cold/dark/age 45++ when body and mind have a tamasic tendency. Rajas is the fasttrack from Tamas to Sattvic.
Maybe I’ll try a garlic-free hot summer some time, but those are fortunately 
short here (Lat. over 60).
Some people in the anti-garlic lobby even tolerate meat, which affects mind and body a lot more than garlic does, yet without these health benefits…
The gunas are maya. Eat whatever if you know that.
“Get in the habit of adding onions, garlic or leeks to all your dishes as you cook.”
(From #2 amnong 20 Anticancer Rules By Dr. David Servan-Schreiber, M.D., Ph.D., author of Anti Cancer)