We Are
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What We Eat
Authored by
THE SPH NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM
आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीविवर्धनाः ।
रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः
॥ १७-८ ॥
āyuḥsattvabalārogyasukhaprītivivardhan
āḥ । rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛdyā āhārāḥ
sāttvikapriyāḥ
The foods that promote longevity,
virtue, strength, health, happiness, and
joy are juicy, smooth, substantial, and
nutritious. Such foods are liked by
persons in the mode of goodness
POWERFUL COGNITION
Eat fresh food in silence and with completion and gratitude.
कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः ।
आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः ॥
॥ १७-९ ॥
kaṭvamlalavaṇātyuṣṇa- tīkṣṇa rūkṣa
vidāhinaḥ āhārā rājasasyeṣṭā duḥkha-
śokāmaya-pradāḥ
People in the mode of aggression like
foods that are very bitter, sour, salty,
hot, pungent, dry, and burning, and
cause pain, grief, and disease
POWERFUL COGNITION
Vegetarian food that is fresh and not spicy is ideal for spiritual practices.
यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत् ।
उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम् ॥
॥ १७-१० ॥
yātayāmaṁ gatarasaṁ pūti paryuṣitaṁ ca
yat ucchiṣṭam api cā medhyaṁ bhojanaṁ
tāmasapriyam
People in the mode of ignorance like foods that are stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten, refuse, and of impure energy
POWERFUL COGNITION
Eat food as it comes, fresh from the earth, and cooked with the energy of fire.
INTRODUCTION
EXPERIMENT AND EXPERIENCE
If you think that it is the truth and you don't execute it or experiment with it in your life, then drop it! Otherwise it will become a habit to listen to the truth and not practice it. It will become an inauthentic mental setup. It is the most dangerous mental setup.
Inauthenticity is the most dangerous thing that can happen to any being. Please be very clear, receiving the truth and understanding it intellectually without having the courage of authenticity to live it is the worst possible mental setup. That is the worst devil or demon that can catch hold of you. So at least have the courage to decide, 'This is not for me because this is not the truth.' If you believe this is the truth, then have the courage of authenticity to experiment with it.
Never do anything without being clear and complete about the truth, and never stop doing anything if you know it is the truth. The scientist is courageous enough to authentically go after the truth. Wherever the research takes him, he is ready to experiment. The brain which is established in integrity and authenticity can read any book and understand the truths from that book. It can.
In the same way, you must become an inner scientist, a spiritual scientist. You must have the courage of authenticity to go behind the experience within the words. You must be able to play with them.
ENERGY OF THR FOOD MATTERS!
May you flood your being with the
Truth. Whatever cannot stand,
whatever is washed away, let it be
washed away. May it be lost from
your being as early as possible.
Kṛṣṇa explains here about the
energy of various food substances.
Generally, all food that is not from
plants i.e., from animal origin, has
negative energy. Food that is hot
and spicy tends to aggravate desires.
Vegetarian food that is fresh and not
spicy is ideal for spiritual practices.
Any serious meditation technique requires one to be in the energy field. The word āhāra used by Kṛṣṇa can be expanded to mean food for all senses, not merely for the tongue. All sensory inputs need to be of the same description that Kṛṣṇa uses here, promoting ‘longevity, virtue, strength, health, happiness and joy’ to aid one’s progress in one’s spiritual path by the sātvic route.
Ayurveda recommends different foods for each constitutional type based upon tastes such as sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, etc. These are specific recommendations as to what tastes would be healthy for which constitutions and based on this what kind of vegetables and fruits one should eat and so on. Even cooking methods are specified that can be used to provide wholesome ayurvedic food. Any serious meditation technique requires one to be in the energy field. The word āhāra used by Kṛṣṇa can be expanded to mean food for all senses, not merely for the tongue. All sensory inputs need to be of the same description that Kṛṣṇa uses here, promoting ‘longevity, virtue, strength, health, happiness and joy’ to aid one’s progress in one’s spiritual path by the sātvic route. Ayurveda recommends different foods for each constitutional type based upon tastes such as sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, etc. These are specific recommendations as to what tastes would be healthy for which constitutions and based on this what kind of vegetables and fruits one should eat and so on. Even cooking methods are specified that can be used to provide wholesome ayurvedic food.
What Kṛṣṇa says makes pure sense for wellness. Natural foods contain their own flavor and goodness. You do not need to add spices and flavoring agents to corrupt their taste. He says eat food as it comes, fresh from the earth, and cooked with the energy of fire. Eat it while it is fresh. You will be in satva. You will be in bliss.
GOALS:
Helping students see their own mental set-up and inspiring them to become an inner scientist.
Helping students understand the effect of different types of food on the body and inspire them to reflect on their own food habits.
ASSESSMENTS
- What is the most dangerous mental set-up?
- Who is a scientist?
- What is the energy of animal-based foods?
- What effect do hot and spicy foods have on us?
- Define āhāra.
- How does Kṛṣṇa classify food?
- How does Kṛṣṇa tell us to eat our food?
ART OF THE DAY
ART OF THE DAY:
IDEAL DIET
MATERIALS NEEDED:
❖ Have multiple images of all kinds of different foods. ❖ Paper ❖ Pens ❖ Pencils ❖ Erasers ❖ Markers ❖ Ruler ❖ Paint (green, yellow, orange, red or any other color), ❖ Paintbrushes ❖ Water ❖ Wipes or towel paper.
ART OF THE DAY:
IDEAL DIET
PROCEDURE:
- Present each image one by one and ask children to tell which category of foods it belongs to so that they can get familiar with the foods that are part of an ideal diet.
- Then ask them to create their own food pyramid. They can start by tracing it, then separating it in different sections and to paint the sections according to whether the food is good for them to eat or not (they can create their own color legend, it doesn't need to follow the one below).
INFERENCE:
❖ Natural foods contain their own flavor and goodness. You do not need to add spices and flavoring agents to corrupt their taste. He says eat food as it comes, fresh from the earth, and cooked with the energy of fire. Eat it while it is fresh. You will be in satva. You will be in bliss.
ACTIVITY OF THE DAY
ACTIVITY OF THE DAY:
EAT FRESH!
MATERIALS NEEDED
- A plate
- A few sheets of kitchen paper
- Some cress or alfalfa seeds
- Water
- You will have to wait a few days
PROCEDURE:
- Place some sheets of kitchen paper on a plate
- Pour some seeds into your hand
- Sprinkle the seeds on the paper
- Arrange the seeds into the letters of a word that makes you feel blissful.
- Carefully pour some water onto the edges of the paper, so as not to disturb the arranged seeds.
- Keep the paper moist – don't let it dry out – and your word will start sprouting!
- After a few days you will be able to eat your word as part of your meal!
ACTIVITY OF THE DAY: EAT FRESH!
INFERENCE:
Kṛṣṇa explains here about the energy of various food substances. Generally, all food that is not from plants i.e., from animal origin, has negative energy. Food that is hot and spicy tends to aggravate desires. Vegetarian food that is fresh and not spicy is ideal for spiritual practices.
WORKSHOP OF THE DAY
WORKSHOP OF THE DAY:
VAAKYARTHA SADHAS
TOPIC OF DISCUSSION:
- You must become an inner scientist, a spiritual scientist. You must have the courage of authenticity to go behind the experience within the words. You must be able to play with them."
- What is the importance of being an inner scientist?
- Why is listening to the truth and not practicing it the worst mental set-up?
- In which aspects of your life have you become an inner scientist?
CONCLUSION:
Never do anything without being clear and complete about the truth, and never stop doing anything if you know it is the truth!
- BHAGAVAD GITA -
BOOK XVII, VOLUME V