Spiritual Yoga (Vedanta)

A Way Of Eating For Super-Consciousness: Part Two

Just how important is a vegetarian diet in becoming super conscious? So important that virtually every spiritual text including the Bible (in its original, Aramaic version) advises spiritual aspirants to eat only food that grows on trees or up from the ground.

There is no major religion (in the religion's original form) which encourages or even condones its followers eating slaughtered food, at least to the best of my knowledge. Such concessions were usually made later, in order to "modernize" a religious or spiritual order. And some spiritual philosophies such as Buddhism suggest vegetarianism as a basic tenet.

In fact, in certain Eastern self development philosophies (notable, several of the schools of yogic science) even most vegetables are not recommended for their most advanced practitioners. This is because of the close similarity between the nervous system of plants and humans. Instead of eating vegetables or grains, it is suggested that fruits, nuts and similar fruitarian food food that drops into the hands when it is ready to eat, and which causes no loss of life be consumed in moderation.

Right diet especially a vegetarian diet is such an important step toward self perfection that no lesser a sage than the saintly Sri Sathya Sai Baba (guru of an estimated 30,000,000 East Indians, alone, and a holy being widely renown for his miraculous powers) regularly advises his devotee's to be particularly careful of the foods they consume. In his discourses, Sathya Sai Baba has often restated that each food creates different thoughts. And because different groups of people eat different foods, they will always have great difficulty coming to a common platform of understanding (and thus agreement). Diets must be similar or at least humane if there is to be a common bond of peace and understanding.

This need for similarity of diet works for individuals as well as for groups: to remain close and friendly with another person, most yogis agree that both people should eat similarly. Otherwise, differences in diet will eventually drive them apart even mates or members of the same family. This is one reason why vegetarians tend to seek each other out, but are often ridiculed or not well accepted by even well meaning omnivores.

The philosophy of yoga suggests that since the God force is the highest and most divine, only the highest and most divine foods should be eaten to develop and sustain a relationship with God. Time and again it is emphasized that food shapes the mind; and mind determines action. Thus, sattwic foods the fruit, nuts and other humane foods are most recommended, as are oils (vs. fats). Food should be eaten in limited quantities, leaving the table feeling comfortable, but not overly full.

But tamasic foods (those which are slaughtered, aged or rotting, leftover, pickled or preserved, etc.) are the foods of soldiers and others who need to keep up hatred, competitiveness and fighting spirit. People who regularly choose such foods are said to have a certain resolve toward the negative qualities of hatred, anger, and the desire to seek vengeance. Not surprisingly, these are considered among the most karmic of activities and the foods that feed these feelings are obviously best avoided. Those who would free themselves of these qualities are advised to eat accordingly.

In fairness, it is true that certain shamans or sorcerers use various, possibly abusive substances (such as "sacred mushrooms") to induce states of increased (altered) consciousness or metaphysical powers. And various Western psychics have also turned to alcohol or other drugs to "liberate" the mind and increase their powers. But these are only temporary doors into increased consciousness; and the aftereffects usually take their tolls on the user's health.

Advanced yogis, on the other hand, generally eat a simple diet (invariably vegetarian and often fruitarian) and are able to remain super-conscious at all times ... with the attendant powers that belong to this state of being.

As might be expected with something as important as food, many theories about the "right" way to eat have been pro posed over the centuries. However, out of all the theories I have studied, there are some surprising similarities: moderation, and the avoidance of slaughtered products along with the suggestions for eating fresh (vs. preserved) foods are typical suggestions for those seeking to avoid the negative affects of food. Avoidance of alcohol, especially to excess, is also suggested. And fasting or other forms of cleansing are also recommended for the occasional use of health seekers and spiritual aspirants.

Beyond that, there are a number of suggestions that our experience here at The G Jo Institute, have shown to be beneficial:

Eat good food that pleases you enjoy your food (change nothing in your life if you're not suffering ... don't fix a machine that already works). Pleasure is a most important antidote to small amounts of even unhealthy food and drink;

Eat the right diet for the climate or region in which you are living eat regionally and seasonally, emphasizing fresh foods grown within fifty miles of your home;

Eat in keeping with your lifestyle. For example, don't suddenly become a vegetarian without also changing other factors in your life. This is especially important if you live under a great deal of stress (which requires a higher level of protein intake but keep in mind that high protein and high salt diets help create and perpetuate a high stress "health style");

Eat spiritually move as quickly as possible to a vegetarian diet built around whole grains, occasion ally using eggs, cheese, milk and other non slaughtered animal products as "transition foods" in the process (if you need to);

Eat intuitively listen to occasional food cravings; if you are "food conscious," trust your intuition when you find yourself craving certain unusual (for you) foods (but be suspicious if these cravings are for foods such as sweets or oily foods that you may have recently eliminated from your diet);

Eat proteins first in the meal and salads or other carbohydrates last (note: hunger for sweets may indicate a protein deficiency use nuts for fast first aid; or hunger for sweets may indicate a protein excess, since sugar stimulates the liver to digest protein);

Food should be chewed at least thirty times per mouthful (some authorities suggest one hundred times). This will help restore acid/alkaline balance within the digestive system, which is vital for proper digestion and assimilation. Thorough chewing accomplishes several things: analysis (taste is developed and, if the food is bad, it can be spit out); proper chewing also restricts excess food intake while giving complete nutrition. Furthermore, proper chewing also massages important digestive acupressure points in the mouth and jaw to improve digestion. And, as an added benefit, chewing well helps improve one's sex life (by affecting and stimulating the liver one of the main organs regulating sex drive);

Eat five or six small meals daily, with larger meals eaten earlier in the day (before 2:00 P.M.) and smaller meals eaten later;

Eat moderately avoid food extremes (e.g., excessively large, salty, sweet and/or highly spiced meals, etc.);

Eat with an eye to the medicinal repercussions of food: if it tastes sweet, it will affect and in large amounts injure the spleen, pancreas and stomach; if it tastes salty, in large amounts it will injure the kidneys and urinary bladder; if it tastes sour, large amounts will soon injure the liver and gallbladder; if it tastes bitter, in large quantities it will injure the heart and small intestine; and if it tastes spicy or pungent, in quantity it will soon injure the lungs and large intestine (colon);

Eat in a balanced way (avoid high protein or high fat diets 20% protein, 20% fat, 60% complex carbohydrates is usually a reasonable balance for healthy people);

Discover then avoid any hidden food (or other) allergens;

Avoid food and drinks that are too hot or too cold food is best eaten at body temperature, while extreme temperatures injure the entire digestive tract (food/drink that is too cold particularly injures the lungs, liver and gallbladder, while food that is too hot injures the stomach, spleen pancreas, small intestine and heart);

Don't combine fruit and (especially raw) vegetables at the same meal (best to eat fruit in the mornings, vegetables later in the day; when eaten together one may counter/destroy the nutritional benefits of the other);

Drink as little as possible with meals ideally, wait for at least a half hour after eating or drinking before doing the other (excess liquids in the stomach dilute the hydrochloric acid necessary for proper food assimilation);

When you eat, eat don't read, watch TV, or carry on animated conversations (quiet music at a meal usually insures peaceful and pleasureful dining); always eat seated and relaxed, not standing or doing other things; eat quietly and avoid emotional distress while eating;

Eat only when hungry there is an ebb and flow of appetite; eat only on the hunger cycle and wait until the digestion cycle is finished before eating again;

LOVE YOUR FOOD eat foods prepared with love, not convenience, in mind;

Eat unprocessed, whole foods (utilizing the entire plant, whenever possible); each part of the food complements the others and is usually required for complete digestion and assimilation;

Eat 70 80% alkaline forming foods, 20 30% acid forming foods (typical alkaline forming foods include: all fresh and dried fruit especially figs except prunes, plums, cranberries and rhubarb; all fresh or dried vegetables, except legumes; all forms of milk; especially unsweetened yogurt, buttermilk, cottage cheese, etc. Typical acid forming foods include: animal fats; protein; vegetable oil; some cereal, grains and breads (esp. those made of wheat); high carbohydrate foods, such as sugar, syrups, etc.; nuts and legumes, such as dried beans, peanuts, lentils, etc.; all meats, poultry and seafood; egg whites; etc.);

Avoid particularly rigid diets (or programs where "enlightenment through proper nutrition" is suggested) strict adherence to any food program may easily create a "holier than thou" attitude which becomes self defeating;

As your diet changes expect your mind and thoughts to gradually change as well; expect nutritional therapy to show results within two or three weeks;

Learn to use and enjoy miso, tofu (bean curd), tempeh, sea vegetables and other tasty yet unusual traditionally Oriental foods; these have evolved over generations of logical, not haphazard, eating;

Avoid salt use tamari (sparingly) instead;

Fast occasionally but take enough fluids to maintain proper electrolytic balance;

Use steamed, lightly cooked or raw vegetables vs. boiled or overcooked, whenever possible; Avoid eating in restaurants frequently their portions are too large and cost, not quality, is ordinarily their ultimate guiding light;

Eat two or, at the most, three foods per meal;

Eat enough to satisfy the hunger, but not necessarily the appetite (which is an emotional mechanism) stay a little hungry. (Note: the appetite control "thermostat" also known as the "appestat" is regulated by time, not quantity of food consumed);

Learn to enjoy buttermilk, yogurt, and other easily digested, fermented dairy products (vs. fresh milk, cheese, etc., which are harder to digest);

Avoid rancid fats and oils at all costs, including highly heated cooking oils, etc. if oil smokes, throw it away;

Use olive oil for salads, etc. and safflower oil for cooking (highest smoke point) use raw nut butters (but not supermarket peanut butter) as your prime source of oil;

Substitute: carob for chocolate ... fruit juices (diluted) for sugary, carbonated soft drinks ... herbal teas for coffee and other caffeinated drinks, etc.;

QUANTITY DESTROYS QUALITY small amounts of "junk" food may be better than excessive amounts of even the "best" food. But moderate amounts of "not unhealthy" food is best of all;

When in doubt about what to eat, eat what your body mind craves; the best food therapy is to eat moderately that which pleases you, moving away from sugar and all animal protein, and moving toward a vegetarian diet that emphasizes foods grown in your locality.

Ironically, for the advanced yogi or yogini (female disciple) one who is already in the state of super-consciousness the effects of food are as nothing on his or her own state of being. This is true for meat, spoiled foods ... even for harsh chemicals or poisons!
The Buddha, an avowed fruitarian by choice, ate meat (or anything else) that was dropped in his begging bowl. It was his act of love and service. However, for most people seeking to restore super-consciousness, there are a number of vital experiences necessary before reaching this cherished state of detachment and enlightenment. And climbing the ladder of food consciousness, step by step, is one of the most important.

	Article 17 Article Index \| Main Navigation Menu \| Order Now

Article 17

A Way Of Eating For Super-Consciousness: Part Two