|
Eating food is a holy ritual, a yajna. It should not be performed during moments of anxiety or emotional tension. Food has to be considered as medicine for the illness of hunger and as the sustenance of life. -Baba
|
|
Every activity of man is dependent on the energy he derives from the intake of food. The spiritual sadhanas he ventures upon depends on the quantity and quality of the food taken by the sadhak, even during the preliminary preparations recommended by Patanjali. The most external of the five sheaths that enclose the Atmic core, namely the Annamaya Kosa, has impact on all the remaining four - the Pranamaya, the Manomaya, the Vijnanamaya and the Anandamaya. The Annamaya Kosa is the sheath consisting of the material flesh and bone, built by the food that is consumed by the individual.
Food is generally looked down upon by ascetically minded sadhaks and seekers and treated as some thing which does not deserve attention. But since the body and the mind are mightily interdependent, no one can afford to neglect it. As the food, so the mind; as the mind, so the thought; as the thought, so the act. Food is an important factor which determines the alertness and sloth, the worry and calm, the brightness and dullness. The scriptures classify food as sathwic, rajasic and thamasic and relate these three types to the three mental modes (gunas) of the same names.
Man is the only living being who dislikes raw food found in the natural state. All other animals eat things as they are - grain, grass, leaves, shoots, fruits. Man boils, fries, melts, mixes and adopts various methods of cooking in order to satisfy the cravings of the tongue, the eye and the nose. As a consequence, the food value of these articles is either reduced or destroyed. When the seeds are fried, they do not sprout; that is clear proof that the 'life force' is eliminated. Therefore, uncooked raw pulse just sprouting, is to be preferred. Also nuts and fruits. The coconut, offered to the gods, is a sathwic food, having a good percentage of protein besides fat, starch and minerals. Food having too much salt or pepper is rajasic and should be avoided; so also too much fat and starch, which are thamasic in their effects on the body.
An intake of too much food is also harmful. Simply because tasty food is available and is being offered, one is tempted to over-eat. We have air all around us but we do not breathe in more than we need. The lake is full but we drink only as much as the thirst craves for. But overeating has become a social evil, a fashionable habit. The stomach cries out, 'Enough', but the tongue insists on more, and man becomes the helpless target to disease. He suffers from corpulence, high blood pressure and diabetes. Moderate food is the best medicine to avoid bodily ills. Do not rush to the hospital for every little upset. Too much drugging is also bad. Allow nature full scope to fight the disease and set you right. Adopt more and more the principles of naturopathy, and give up running around for doctors.
The type of food that you consume decides the degree of concentration you can command; its quality and quantity decide how much your self-control is lessened or heightened. Polluted air and water are full of maleficent viruses and germs and have to be avoided at all costs. There are four pollutions against which man has to be vigilant - of the body (removable by water); of the mind (removable by truthfulness), of reason (removable by correct knowledge) and of the self (removable by yearning for God). Vaidya Narayano Harih, the Sruthis declare. God is the doctor. Seek Him, rely on Him, you will be free from Dis-ease.
[Source: Sanathana Sarathi, 1979. Discourse given by Bhagavan on Hospital Day, Dasara at Prashanthi Nilayam on 21 September 1979. Discourse posted by Sai Deepak B. Daswani on SaiNet]
The
material making up your thoughts is extremely subtle; it arises from the
food you eat. On the other hand, if you take in food that is not sanctified,
dark feelings, dark actions and dark thoughts will flourish. Not only this,
but because of unwholesome food you will weaken the body and lose the power
of digestion, and suffer all sorts of bodily discomforts. Therefore, if you
consume food that has been sanctified you will get only sacred thoughts.
When a
person is filled with sacred thoughts all his actions will be sacred. His
words will also be sacred. Thoughts and the thought process constitute the
very form of the mind. Immediately transform any dark thoughts into sacred
ones. In the same way, see to it that you undertake only good actions, and
take every opportunity to transform these actions into worship by
consecrating them to the Lord. By transforming all thoughts into noble
thoughts and all work into worship, you will naturally progress on the
sacred path.
Food is God - Do not waste food.
Firstly,consider the food we consume. Eat only what you need to eat. Do not be greedy. Do not take more than you can eat and waste the rest, because wasting food is a great sin. The surplus food can feed another stomach. Do not waste food, because food is God, life is God, and man is born from food. Food is the main source of man's life, body, mind and character. The gross part of the food, which is the major portion of the food consumed by the body, is thrown out as waste matter. A minute amount of the food, which is the subtle part, is assimilated by the body and flows as blood. And a minuscule amount, which is the subtlest part of the food, makes up the mind. Therefore, the mind is the reflection of the food consumed. The reason for the present beastly and demonic tendencies in our minds is the food we consume.
A large part of the water we drink is expelled as urine. A minute part of the water consumed becomes the life force (prana). Therefore, the nature of the food and water that we take in decides our character. Only by controlling the quality of our food and water can we attain Divinity. This is why food is said to be God. Hence, to waste food is to waste God. Do not waste food. Eat only what you need, and be sure that what you eat is Sathwic. Give any surplus food to those in need.
top Back to Sathwic Food home
Three types of purities
According to the Bhagavad Geetha, the body and life in it are based on food
and sustained by food. However great and learned a person may be, however
much he pays attention to the teachings of the Vedantha and takes care to
spread them, if he neglects the strict code laid down for the food, he
cannot succeed spiritually. The food we eat is an important constituent of
the physical and mental stuff we have to struggle with, in the spiritual
field. Purity of food leads to purity of mind.
We should partake food with a Sathwic mind. Our ancestors recommended the
offering of food to God before partaking. However impure the food maybe,
when it is offered to God, it gets purified and nourishes us both physically
and mentally as Divine prasad and Grace. Food so partaken becomes prasad
(consecrated offering).
Three types of purities are said to be necessary with regard to food. These
are 1. Pathra Shuddhi (purity of vessels): The vessels for cooking must be
clean and pure. 2. Paka Shuddhi (purity of the process of cooking): The
process of cooking should not bring impurities. The person who prepares the
food and serves must not only be clean in dress, but clean in habits,
character, and conduct. He should not allow his mind to dwell on wicked or
vicious ideas. 3. Pachaka Shuddhi (Purity of food materials): The provisions
used for cooking has to be pure and of good quality. They should have been
procured by fair means.
The absence of any of the above three qualities makes the food impure.
Impure food results in an impure mind. Hence it is necessary to purify the
food before we eat.
Now it is not possible to ensure the purity of the cooking process, since we
do not know what thoughts rage in the mind of the person who prepares the
food. Similarly we cannot ensure cleanliness of the food ingredients, as we
do not know whether the seller who had sold it to us acquired the food
grains in a righteous way. Hence it is essential on our part to offer food
to God in the form of a prayer, so that these three impurities do not
afflict our mind. When we make the offering to God, all the three types of
pollution are destroyed and the food is turned into Prasad, which will
nourish us physically, mentally and spiritually.
Bhagavan Baba says that we should not forget this important discipline of
offering food to God with a prayer. This should be done even when we eat
outside our homes (it may be done mentally if required).
Source:Geetha
Vahini p239-243 Divine Guidelines for Bal Vikas
p170-171 Summer Showers in Brindavan 1993 p86
FOOD PRAYER
Brahmaarpanam Brahma Havir Meaning: [This is 24th
verse from the 4th chapter of Bhagavad Geetha] The act of offering is
Brahman. The offering itself is Brahman. The offering is done by Brahman in
the sacred fire which is Brahman. He alone attains Brahman who, in all
actions, is fully absorbed in Brahman. (As we chant this prayer we are
offering the different types of food to Brahman). Aham
Vaishvaanaro Bhutva Meaning: [This is 14th
verse from the 15th chapter of Bhagavad Geetha] This sloka is a sort of
acknowledgement and assurance to us from Brahman. "I am Vaishnavara,
existing as fire God in the bodies of living beings. Being associated with
ingoing (prana) and outgoing (apaana) life breaths, I will digest all the
four different types of food (that which we bite and chew; that which we
masticate with the tongue; those which we gulp; that which we swallow) and
purify them." Harir Daatha Harir Bhoktha Meaning: Oh Lord Hari, You
are the food, You are the enjoyer of the food, You are the giver of food.
Therefore, I offer all that I consume at Thy Lotus Feet.
Brahmaagnau Brahmanaa Hutam
Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam
Brahma Karma Samaadhinaha
Praaninaam Dehamaashritha
Praanaapaana Samaa Yuktaha
Pachaamyannam Chatur Vidam
Harir Annam Prajaapatih
Harir Vipra Shareerastu
Bhoonkte Bhojayathe Harih.
As is the food, so is the mind.
The dreams
that you experience are actually the reactions of your food and habits.
There is an intricate and inseparable relationship between food, head and
God. Food plays a vital role in the spiritual path. When we consume the
right kind of food, it helps us in our effort to understand Divinity. As is
the food, so is the mind. Only one with pure mind can understand Divinity.
In order to cultivate purity of mind, you should partake of pure and Sathwic
food. You should consider food as God. It is said, Yad Bhavam Tad Bhavati
(as you think so you become). If you consider food as mere Padartha
(matter), it will remain so. Depending on the feeling, it undergoes change.
Take for instance, the magnetic power in the body. It gets transformed into
electric power. It gives rise to sound energy and develops Tejas
(effulgence). Jewellery shines with added brilliance when it is polished.
Likewise every man is endowed with Tejas which is known as Chaitanya Shakti
(power of consciousness).
If you enquire deeply, you can visualise God in every human being and in
every material. Any Padartha (matter) should not be looked upon as mere
Padartha. It should be considered as Parartha (the essence of Divinity).
There is a gulf of difference between Padartha and Parartha. Padartha
corresponds to worldly matter, whereas Parartha is the transcendental divine
principle. Since Padartha is viewed as mere matter and not as Parartha, its
value is demeaned. We attach value to that which has no real value. On the
other hand, we do not value that which has to be valued most. The mind is
responsible for all this. Hence, we have to purify the mind and focus it on
Divinity. When the mind is focused on Divinity, our Tejas also increases.
Today man is wasting his energy by entertaining bad thoughts and feelings.
To keep bad thoughts in check, one has to develop divine thoughts. What are
divine thoughts? You should consider everything as divine. Every drop of
blood in your body is suffused with Divinity. Food generates blood and
energy in the body. This divine energy has to be properly utilised by
entertaining divine thoughts.
Health
tips
Excerpts
from 1996 discourse by Sai Baba
" Right food must essentially contain Sathwic food. It means that the food
must not contain mutton, fish, onions and the like. In your hostel, there is
of course no mutton and fish! But, onions are used extensively.
This is because it does not get spoilt. It also has its advantages. It
improves your digestion power.
There is a popular saying in Telugu, "the good done by the onion ( ulli) is
not done by your own mother
( thalli)!'' You must also take care to avoid excess of spice, chilli and
salt. May people think that Sathwic food means fruits and milk. These can
also be thamasic! For example, eating two bananas is correct. If you eat
four bananas, it becomes thamasic. Do not take a cup of thick milk.
Comparatively, it is hence said " One cup of wine is better than a cup of
milk."Thick milk contains plenty of fat and calcium. It is also liberally
laced with glucose. When the blood is saturated with too much of glucose, it
turns the residual glucose into acid. The result is that you develop boils.
This acid and the blood combines to form stones in the gall bladder.
Ensure that you take at least seven to eight cups of water daily. Water
cleanses your internals. This also ensures that stones do not form inside
your kidneys because water goes to the kidneys and constantly keeps
itflushed.Eat rice and vegetables well. Green leafy vegetables are the best
of the lot. This is because under the skin lies a very light secondary
layer, It is this layer that protects the skin. Green leaves strengthen this
layer,
apart from having other benefits. It is very good for heart patients too
because green vegetables are totally free of oils. Vegetables contribute to
some extent to the cholesterol. What must you do when you have excess
cholesterol? Cholesterol is essential to some extent. The limit prescribed
is about 10%. But if it crosses 20% or 30% your nerves and veins will harden
like rusted pipes. This consequently thickens the blood making the heart
pump less and less blood. The heart pumps the blood and sends it to the
lungs which purifies the blood and distributes it to the entire body. When
the heart pumps less, more and more cholesterol accumulates there, which is
dangerous for the heart. Hence it is advisable to take a white onion daily.
Garlic pills can also be taken daily, a daily intake of one pill after lunch
will get rid of the cholesterol problem. Green leafy vegetables and
drumsticks are very healthy for the body. Drumsticks are good for the brain.
Do not take too much of potatoes. Potatoes contain 80 % starch that will
only make you slightly fat, but also give you very little in terms of
health.Tomatoes are also good. The seeds of the tomatoes may be removed and
a
curry made of the tomato. This is because the seeds of the tomato do not get
digested easily. They remain in the digestive canal and gradually become
stones, when they combine with glucose. These stones go down to the stomach
and remain a mass, giving frequent trouble.
We must also ensure that eating must always be in a limited quantity. You
must be able to get up from your plate with the same ease and lightness with
which you sat down to eat. This is the correct limit. You come quite easily
to eat. But when you get up you need a support ! Many people develop a
paunch like that.
Proportion is very important as it confers health to the body. Never take
meat, cigarettes, or other intoxicants and drugs. Habitual cigarette smokers
develop cancer. You can perform this test on smokers. Take a white cloth and
put it across the mouth after the person has smoked. You will see bright red
dots on the cloth. When the external cloth has itself been so noticeably
spoilt, you can well imagine how much destruction
it is causing to the veins and lungs. The two fingers that hold the
cigarette will develop a yellow colouration. White spots develop on the
lips. The skin around the lips turn dark. You must avoid taking curds. It is
better to take the two cups of buttermilk. Curds have too much of protein."
These
are excerpts taken from a discourse given by Baba at the Sri Sathya Sai
Institute of Higher Learning in July 1996 ( the excerpts are taken from the
book Sai Prescriptions, published by the Sri Sathya Sai Health and Education
Trust, Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital Hospital in Whitefield, Bangalore).
1. "It is the best to preserve
one's health by good thoughts and good deeds. It is best to be vigilant
about food habits. Coconut kernel, coconut water, sprouting pulses, cooked
or half cooked vegetables, and greens are good for health." (Sri Bhagawan
Sathya Sai Baba. SSS. Vol.15, Chapter 21).
2. "Food habits are of primary importance when health has to be secured
and maintained. When these are not regulated, health suffers...Among the
eight million four hundred thousand species of living beings, all except
humans live on food as provided by Mother nature.... one should realise that
food materials, as offered by nature, are really more beneficial." (Sri
Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba. SSS. Vol.15, Chapter 54).
3. "The mother must herself prepare food for the home; for food, that
is prepared with love and served with a smile is much more sustaining and
strengthening than food cooked by a hired woman and served by a disgruntled
refractory kitchen boy." (Sri Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba. SSS. Vol.9, Chapter
13).
4. "The food consumed by man should be proper, pure and wholesome. But
nowadays people eat whatever they get and wherever they get it, and thereby
spoil their health. Food plays a major role in the preservation of health.
Care should be taken to see that the food consumed does not have much fat
content, for the fats consumed in large quantity are detrimental not only to
one's physical health but also to one's mental health." (Sri Bhagawan Sathya
Sai Baba. SSS. Vol.27, Chapter 3).
5. "By regulating your diet and avoiding certain bad habits, you can
preserve health. Moderate food, and food of the Saathwik type, will promote
mental poise and also physical happiness... Many people consume more than
necessary quantity of rich food and such have to practice moderation." (Sri
Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba. SSS. Vol.1, Chapter 28).
6. "But I hope you learn also about the distinction between the
Saathwik (calmness promoting), the Raajasik (emotion producing) and the
Thamaasik (sloth encouraging) types of food and of the effect of these on
character. The mind is the key to health and happiness and so, food must be
chosen that it does not affect the mind adversely, along with Saathwik food,
the mind must also be given special diet like Dhyaana, Japa, Naamasmarana,
etc. to keep it sound and steady." (Sri Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba. SSS.
Vol.9, Chapter 13).
7. "The type of food that you consume decides the degree of
concentration you can command; its quality and quantity decide how much your
self-control is lessened or heightened. There are four pollutions against
which man has to be vigilant - of the body (removable by water), of the mind
(removable by truthfulness), of reason (removable by correct knowledge) and
of the self (removable by yearning for God)...God is the doctor. Seek Him,
rely on Him, you will be free from disease." (Sri Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba.
SSS. Vol.14, Chapter 31).
8. "Though men are all equally subject to birth, life and death,
though all are one kind, why they allow the Aanandha which is the right of
each to slip away through hatred and conflict? Why is the demon prevailing
over the Divine in man? The answer has been deluding man for ages.
Well! Aham (ego) is the cause. The narrow limited self, the ego, is the
root of the evil. Probing the problem a little deeper, I would say that the
nature of the food relished is primarily responsible. Food is of three
qualities Saathwik, Raajasik, and Thaamasik (leading to purity, passion and
inertia)... Since food alleviates or arouses, prevents or promotes emotions
and passions, it moulds the behaviour, conduct and attitudes of men." (Sri
Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba. SSS. Vol.16, Chapter 19).
ACIDITY, INDIGESTION
COMMON COLD
CONSTIPATION
COUGH/ SORE THROAT
FALLING HAIR AND DANDRUFF
HEADACHES AND MIGRAINE
INSOMNIA
PIMPLES / ACNE
TOOTHACHE
The Ayurvedic Texts say that all substances found in nature have a medicinal
value provided these are used appropriately. The medicines are meant to
eradicate the disease itself rather than simply the symptoms. Following are
some simple ayurvedic formulations that you can begin to use for simple
treatments at home. Ayurveda also uses gems and metals in its formulations.
However here we shall confine ourselves to the use of herbs, vegetables and
fruits. Just as for medicines so these same can be used for cosmetics and
fragrances, the important point to remember is that in all Ayurvedic
formulations the active constituents must be able to be absorbed in the skin
and ingested too.
ACIDITY, INDIGESTION
Aniseed: A teaspoon of aniseed in
a cup of boiling water. Leave it overnight, Seive and take it with a little
bit of honey.
Celery: celery seeds soaked in
buttermilk for five to six hours and then ground in the same buttermilk
relieves indigestion.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon checks nausea,
vomiting and diarrhoea. It stimulates digestion. A tablespoon of cinnamon
water, prepared as for cold and taken half an hour after meals, relieves
flatulence and indigestion.
Ginger: Chewing of ginger
regularly after your meals prevents acidity and indigestion.
COMMON COLD
Ginger: The herb is an excellent
remedy for coughs and colds. Extracted juice of ginger with honey is taken
three or four times a day in case of coughs.
Holy Basil: A decoction of the
leaves, with honey and ginger is effective remedy for cold. They should be
boiled in water and then taken.
Pepper: Six pepper seeds finely
ground and mixed in a glass of warm water taken for a few nights for good
results.
CONSTIPATION
Liquorice: Liquorice is used as a
laxative in constipation. Its powder is taken with jaggery and water.
Tamarind: Pulp of the ripe fruit
is beneficial in the treatmentof constipation and indigestion.
COUGH/ SORE THROAT
Ginger: The herb is an excellent
remedy for coughs and colds. Extracted juice of ginger with honey is taken
three or four times a day in case of coughs.
Holy Basil: Water boiled with
basil leaves can be taken as a drink in case of sore throat. This water can
also be used as a gargle.
Liquorice: The herb is a recognized home remedy for sore throat. A
small piece of raw liquorice if chewed or sucked, provides relief by
soothing the inflammation.
Pepper: Pepper is an effective
remedy for coughs caused due to throat irritation. Three peppers sucked with
a pinch of caraway seed and a crystal of common salt provides relief.
FALLING HAIR AND DANDRUFF
Curry Leaves: The leaves, bark and
the root of the curry plant are used in indigenous medicine as a tonic for
falling hair.
Rosemary: Shampoos and hair
lotions containing the pure extract of rosemary rejuvenate the scalp and
hair while preventing dandruff and premature baldness.
Sage: The herbs is useful in
preventing grey hair if blended in hair tonics.
HEADACHES AND MIGRAINE
Clove: A paste of clove and salt
crystals in milk is a common household remedy for headaches.
INSOMNIA
Nutmeg: The powder of nutmeg,
mixed with fresh amla (green gooseberry)juice, is also an effective medicine
for insomnia, irritability and depression.
Poppy Seeds: About 30 grams of
milk extracted from the seeds mixed with sugar can be used for treating
insomnia. A teaspoon of poppy seed oil taken every night is also very
effective.
PIMPLES / ACNE
Coriander: A teaspoon of coriander
juice, mixed with a pinch of turmeric powder, is an effective remedy for
pimples, blackheads and dry skin.
Sandalwood: This oil mixed with
twice its quantity of mustard oil is used for removing pimples.
TOOTHACHE
Asafoetida: Asafoetida is useful
in alleviating toothache. After being ground in lemon juice, it is slightly
heated. A cotton piece, soaked in the lotion and placed in the cavity of the
tooth, relieves pain.
Margosa: Cleaning the teeth
regularly with a margosa twig prevents gum it relieves toothache.
It
is helpful if one has an altar already set up somewhere in your home,
apartment or dorm. On this altar should be either a sacred image or a
picture of God in any of His sacred forms. In addition, you can include
images of your guru, saints, or other gods or godess on your altar - Durga,
Ganesha, Sarasvati, etc. Images of God, however, should be the central
focal-point of any altar used for meditation. If you don’t have an altar,
then placing a simple image of God somewhere special will do.
When the food is ready, take a sampling of each preparation, along with a
glass or cup of water, and place them all on a special plate that is used
only for offering food to God. This plate must never be used for any other
purpose than offering food in Prasada Meditation. Place the plate of food
before the sacred image. Offer a little incense to God. Then, in a
meditative and devotional state of mind, sit with eyes closed in meditation
and recite several sacred mantras. And request the Lord to accept your
offering. After you have offered the food in this way, the food that you
have cooked is now sanctified and considered to be prasada, food transformed
into the grace of God. By partaking in such food, we show our devotion to
God, and thus make spiritual advancement. The food on the the plate should
be re-merged into the food in the pots. Having thanked the Lord for
accepting your offering, the prasada can now be eaten. The food should also
be eaten with meditative awareness. While eating the prasada, please always
be conscious and aware that you are partaking in the special grace of God.
Eat with reverence, and enjoy!
top
Therefore, if you consume food that has been sanctified you will get only sacred thoughts.
"Give any surplus food to those in need"
"Impure food results in an impure mind."
"I am Vaishnavara, existing as fire God in the bodies of living beings."
"As is the food, so is the mind."
"We must also ensure that eating must always be in a limited quantity."
The mind is the key to health and happiness and so, food must be chosen that it does not affect the mind adversely
simple ayurvedic formulations