Diet by Sanatana Sai Sanjeevinis Swami's quotations and other notes. 8

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Light and Love The final part of the serial is about culture of

dietary, what in general is in accordance with explanations by modern science.

There is a tiny collection of Swami's quotations on this theme. As there was

sent to 'saibabanews' several mails about experiences and Swami's explanations

and advices concern to the food, I tried not to repeat them and therefore little

changed the construction of serial. Eating is a sacred action for

everyone. Every human being from whatsoever nation has to eat in silence with

awareness to be grateful for food to God. Healthy eating is starting by prayer

to God. Sanatana Sai Sanjeevinis recommend chewing food properly. Juices,

buttermilk etc. must be had very slowly drink and moved around in our mouth so

that they combine well with the saliva and then swallowed. Solids, on the other

hand, must be first be liquefied by chewing well, and then drunk. A great deal

of digestion, especially of starches, takes place in our mouth. It is

healthy to eat only half a stomach. The remaining space is for the "cooking" of

food with digestive juices. When one is ill or down - it is healthy either

to abstain totally from eating or eat only fruits (fruits are better than

juices because we chew them) and to drink only lemon and water with honey

added. Food uses up energy for digestion - valuable energy that we need for

recovering and recouping.

 

The note: What has given in this chapter is one of the points of views.

Please accept it only if it appeals to your common sense - otherwise reject it.

These recommendations are only a beginning in one's quest for being in

accordance with Nature. Health is in everyone’s own hands.

 

There are many arguments about whether human being is herbivore

(vegetarian), carnivore (meat-eater) or omnivore (one who can eat and digest

both). In fact, there is mounting evidence to suggest that a human being was a

fruitivore! It is possible to live only on a combination of fruits and nuts and

never suffer any malnutrition. Most people eat fruits: A. after food,

B. combined with milk for dessert, C. cooked, stewed, or baked. This

is not right. Fruit must eat on an empty stomach. Fruit must never

combine with milk or grains. Fruit must eat uncooked. After being

chewed well in the mouth, fruit enters the stomach for 15 -20 min, 30 min for

bananas and then proceeds to the intestines where it digests itself with its

own enzymes. If it is eaten after a meal it sits on top of the food and

ferments because it does not get a clear passage to go down to the intestines.

Not only is the fruit rendered useless - it can become a cause of acidity,

indigestion, gas, colic, constipation and other diseases. For this same

reason, it must not be combining with any other foods. The other foods need to

sit in the stomach for several hours for digestion. Cooking the fruit

destroys its self-digesting enzymes and it becomes a burden for the body.

In fact acidity, colic, indigestion, constipation can all be helping

substantially by eating fruits at least 1/2 hour before food. Chronic sufferers

of these problems should abstain from having any cereal, bread, roti or paratha

for breakfast - they must have only fresh fruits. Fruits are the best bet

when there is a severe hunger. They provide energy very quickly and efficiently

without using up valuable energy reserves of the body. Other foods use massive

amounts of energy in the process of digestion. 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). By Swami (it is in accordance with modern science) the food

plays significant role for mental and spiritual life of humanity. Therefore,

the science about qualities, properties and technology of food would be a part

of ecological and spiritual culture. For spiritual development, it is not

enough to study spiritual scriptures, Swami's Works, to meditate, have the

faith to the God: the results are poor when one forgets about Saathwik diet of

food as sustainer the body, adobe of Atma. It seems, one of the purposes why

ecological and social problems are so sharp and demonic today, is the

production of 'technological' food with artificial additives where pictorially

to say, has done all to kill the natural properties of food. Is it lacking of

spiritual and ecological consciousness?

Seems, it is the the purpose why Swami in many His works repeatedly pointed

to the significance of humans food habits and culture of dietary. 9.

A simple, clear and brief explanation about forms of food by Swami is in the

book: Sri Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba. SSS. Vol.11, Chapter 8, "Forms of food."

 

Reference: http://www.saisanjeevini.org/frames.htm Namaste - Reet