To Eat or not to Eat
Meditationtime Forum Post
Date: Posted 5 years before Feb 06, 2018
Alfredo 5 years ago
To eat or not to eat...that is the question.
As posted in the AM Practice, food intake for today was to be that shake I eat daily (cottage cheese, flaxseed oil, home-made almond milk, berries, flaxseed meal, sesame seeds) + veggie juicing - masticating type).
However, my wife prepared green beans Bulgarian style. I usually add something to the veggie juice at lunch, like raw peppers or tomatoes, so I could eat some of the green beans.
But then Prakriti showed up in the form of my Cuban neighbor, and she brought steaming white rice, yucca roots with mojo and black beans. Perfect Cuban food.
Should I indulge in the Cuban food?
Hey, it is the holidays, no big deal, right?
What do you think?
My take is no, and I did not eat it.
The citadel is usually under siege. Open one of the gates, and the enemy will sally forth into it.
MiBeloved 5 years ago
Social Dues must be paid either voluntarily or later under force.
One has to be sensitive to see if it is a duty by social association and then if it is one should do it.
Otherwise fate will take offense and will set one up in the future life in such a way where one will be forced to eat it full-time and will not be in a position to refuse it.
Act in such a way that material nature in your psyche recognizes that you no longer want to exploit the taste of such meals. Once material nature sees this, it will itself take steps to protect you from having to eat it.
Colleen 5 years ago
Is it not possible to be moderate and enjoy yourself at the same time? Sometimes you guys crack me up.
Marcia Beloved 5 years ago
Colleen, having watched Michael regulate his diet and times of eating over the years, and having prepared many of his meals, I will say this to you:
When one is working towards total withdrawal of the physical and subtle senses, in order to master the higher 3 stages of ashtanga yoga, culminating in Samadhi and total isolation of the core self from the senses, the middle ground disappears---at least in the process Michael and Alfredo follow. Everything which has a sensual flavor, especially the basic sensations of smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touching are regarded as sensations to minimize and ultimately sideline. It is not just a matter of eating a little bit with pleasure because what is eaten, especially the food which one already has a conditioned attachment to, is a very real obstacle to total sensual detachment.
As Michael stated, it may be best to honor the food and the person who prepared it in order to avoid creating a future karma with the cook. But while partaking of the food, one should be careful to not enjoy it, since through enjoying the food and allowing oneself to indulge in sensual satisfaction, attachment is reinforced and becomes more strongly rooted. If any attachment lingers, the yogic goal remains elusive and the yogi will take more births on the earth or in similar worlds, while the higher astral dimensions and spiritual places remain off limits.
In higher yoga, isolation and strict regulation are recommended for these reasons. A dissolution of all cravings can usually only be accomplished in extreme physical and subtle isolation. Even something like ingesting a "holiday Cuban meal" takes on great significance for Alfredo, as he invests more and more into his spiritual practice with the aim of attaining a destination of his preference after the physical body expires.
Keep in mind that for serious, advanced yogis, the subtle realms become more real and solid while the physical, earthly existence becomes increasingly marginal. The yogi's perception may appear skewed to others (and actually might be sometimes) but the importance given to decisions made over things like "meals" occurs because they have observed the detrimental effect it has on their progression and on their ability to adhere strictly to spiritual disciplines.
They "crack me up" too, sometimes, but keep in mind that their reality is different than the reality of those who are not practicing at that level.
Alfredo 5 years ago
Sadhvi Minaketana Dasi!
With a humble heart I bow to you for explaining things so well. What an honor to know you.
Colleen 5 years ago
A very good explanation indeed, Marcia. My question is aimed more to the point of being an observer. I don't see the advantage of not enjoying what you enjoy as long as it isn't a focus and an attachment. It seems almost dishonest to me to say "I don't enjoy" if indeed you do. It is probably a semantic thing anyway. I don't equate enjoyment with craving. It is just unpremeditated happiness.
