Dear Friends,
Namaste!
Two Zen aspirants were describing to each other the prowess their masters possessed.
“My master is enlightened,” said one to the other, “He can hang in the air and walk on water!”
“My master is also enlightened,” said the other, not to be left behind, “He eats when hungry and sleeps when sleepy!!”
The moral of this beautiful little story is quite clear. Our lifestyle plays a huge role in getting us to our destination. And we are discussing various aspects of the Yogic lifestyle that, more certainly than not, will accelerate our progress.
We discussed approaching and interacting with our environment in a friendly manner. We also discussed how to breathe correctly. Let’s now discuss another important (and mouth watering!) facet of our daily routine – eating!
Eating is such a fundamental and integral part of our life that, more often than not, it is taken for granted. People eat without awareness. People eat without attention. People eat without knowledge. People eat somehow to live somehow. And they suffer!
Food is referred to by Ayurveda (ancient medical science) as “Maha Bheshaj”(The Best Medicine). It is referred to in Yoga Shastra as “Poorna Brahman” (The Consummate Life-Sustainer). Therefore, we simply cannot afford to eat without having the knowledge of eating right, paying attention to what, how, where and when we eat and being totally aware of the joyous experience that eating, as a rule, happens to be!
Remember the beautiful saying “Whenever the Buddha eats, he eats.”
So what constitutes eating right?
To understand this, we must start at the very beginning. ‘Hunger’ is a very basic and natural phenomenon designed by the ‘Power-That-Is’ (or ‘God’ or ‘Nature’ or the ‘Fundamental Energy’ or ‘Whatever-Else-You-Prefer-
Therefore it is not something to be ashamed of, apologetic about and hidden. People who claim they ‘eat to live’ are no heroes purely on the basis of this claim. Neither are people who claim they ‘live to eat’ to be brushed aside as merely frivolous as long as they are doing justice to other components of life. For eating is (or can be consciously converted into) a grand life-enriching and life-enhancing experience that all of us get the opportunity to re-live again and again and again for as long as we live! It is a psychosomatic experience that nourishes both our body (soma) and mind (psyche). In plain language, eating can be a lot of fun!
But just as we saw in the case of ‘breathing’, it does take us some wisdom to make ‘eating’ a worthwhile experience.
However, before we proceed with the discussion, let’s agree on one vital thing.
We are not going to call the act of ‘eating’ as ‘dieting’. Dieting has slightly different connotations. It implies regimen rather than freedom, restraint rather than indulgence. Dieting is something you do to become someone else because you think you are no good. Eating is a joyful activity you do to continue being yourself because you are very comfortable with who and what you are and want more of it. Dieting is something you do to punish yourself for not being on a pedestal everyone (including yourself) would rather see you standing on. Eating is done as a great way to celebrate life. The act may remain the same, however the perspective does make all the difference!
Two laborers were working at a site where a monument was getting built. In the broiling summer sun, they were laying one brick over the other and building the wall. It was hard, grueling work. One of the workers was looking particularly tired. However, the other worker, although having similar physical attributes, seemed quite jovial in spite of the taxing conditions.
A passer-by was rather puzzled at this contrast. He approached the first laborer and asked him why he looked so run down.
“Why, don’t you see?” retorted the laborer, “It is so hot and humid here and since morning I have been laying one brick over the other without break.”
The passer-by went to the second laborer and asked as to why, in spite of being tired, he appeared so cheerful.
“Well, don’t you see my friend?” said the second laborer with visible excitement, “I am building the Taj Mahal, a monument that will bewitch the entire world for as long as there is life on this planet!”
So rather than going nuts over a crash diet that promises to make us lean, mean, hungry, foolish, whatever – let’s see over the next few articles as to how we can eat our way to glory and become healthy, wealthy and wise!
Celebrate life…
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