25. Spirituality Goes With Vegetarianism

The first twenty minutes immediately after we wake up in the morning, plays a vital role in shaping our entire day. The mood we are in, the thoughts that arise and the way we react to these thoughts during the first twenty minutes, sets the trend for our entire day. Watch this from now on.

One way to wake up refreshed, without depression every morning, is to eat vegetarian food. To many Western people it might come as a surprise to know that there is a finer aspect to vegetarian food. This refinement helps the energy flow in our body. This pure food is called satvic food. When we adhere to a satvic vegetarian diet, we do not consume garlic, onions, or green chilies (jalapeno peppers) in any form. This diet is the best. It keeps us light and active throughout the day.

Our mind will immediately ask the question, 'Why should we avoid these foods? Garlic, onion, and green chilies contain natural steroids in them. They are ideal medicines.'

We can ingest them as medicines, but not as a regular part of our meals. Daily intake of these as food will bring down our energy flow.

Similarly, tea and coffee are not good for our system as they actually over-stimulate our body and leave us tired. Now you know why people run for a caffeine fix!

Meat, alcohol, and cigarettes are considered tamas (lethargy) inducing items. These foods or habits induce laziness in us. Using these substances makes us dull and disturbs the energy flow in our body. These foods create a feeling of depression in the morning.

It is possible to support the cause for vegetarianism only from the point of view of practicality. Philosophically, eating vegetables can be considered as violent as eating meat, because plants too are living creatures.

Not only that: as humans our teeth have been designed to cut and chew only vegetarian food, not flesh of animals.

All this apart, a spiritual point of view will provide a better understanding of the significance of vegetarian food. If an enlightened, spiritual master declares that vegetarianism is the best, then it is the ultimate truth. The master knows from experience.

For every other argument we have strong counter arguments. It is in my personal experience that vegetarian food allows more sensitivity and ecstasy in the energy flow that happens in your system. We feel light and ecstatic with this diet. Definitely, vegetarian food is better for people who want to enter the spiritual path.