A Philosophical Treatise - on Food

[Guest guest]

Dear Maharajas and prabhus,

 

I would like to inaugurate a new branch of discussion aimed at the subject

of food.

 

Everything has a philosophy and those interested, in contributing in a

progressive way, I'm sure will find this discussion both beneficial and

rewarding.

 

One reason that sparked me to begin this treatise is the profusion of

devotees whom I know who are taking up the studies of alternative

agriculture, medicine and healing not only as a passion but as a livlihood.

 

I would like this particular branch of discussion to remain headed (for ease

of access):

A Philosophical Treatise on Food.

 

 

I would like to open with a few points for discussion which have arisen from

ideas that seem to be increasingly prominent in the light of recent events.

 

Over the years since Srila Prabhupada was with us certain things, due to

natural progressivness and developed realization have/ or are being reviewed

and updated. ie.

 

1. The guidlines for the standard of Cow Protection.

2. The role of the GBC.

3. How we treat our women devotees.

4. How we treat/educate our children.

5. Our training programms.

6. The distribution of Prasadam.....

 

to name but a few....And now why not let us add to this list the standard of

the bhoga we offer to Krsna. After all Krsna is the supreme Person so we can

offer Him the best we can find.

 

There have been previous discussions on certain types of foods which we

offer to the Supreme Lord, some which Srila Prabhupada urged, prefered or

recommended at different times, places and in different circumstances, and

probably for reasons that were not so obvious to us at the time.

 

We, as an International Movement, with so much talent and input from so wide

a variety of devotees coming from multitudinal backgrounds are a ripe field

for the development of intelligent proposals, in this case concerning

nutrition and health, that can be composed and formulated into progressive

new policies or guidelines for our Iskcon centres around the world - thus

bringing into perspective a new overall approach to health and nutrition.

This will not only benefit all our devotees but also the countless thousands

of visitors , sponsors and followers who love and support this movement with

their many efforts. Many other groups will also begin to appreciate us and

feel more able to relate to us than they might have done previously, simply

by our exemplary standard in the 'good food' connection.

 

We have seen the benefit and results of preaching to specific classes of

persons. Preaching to all classes of men is absolute, that is not in

dispute, but , as I have seen in practice in different centres certain class

groups are targeted with an end in aim. This brings in high results and

energy is thus more efficiently channeled to bring about specific desired

results.

 

The Green revolution that is gathering momentum today has sprung from the

realization of a growing proportion of a world wide society that is becoming

increasingly aware that western man is becoming more overweight and

generally unhealthy. These persons are extremely easy to preach to along the

lines of 'green issues' and in my experience are ready to become involved in

Varnasrama understanding quicker that many other classes of people, if we

present the green Krsna Conscious philosophy. These people have already have

a green purpose and others a therapeutic mission in life, that is running

side by side to Krsna Consciousness.

 

We have recently been engaged in discussing alternative agriculture, food

supplies; namely that of organic nature, alternative therapies and medicine.

These subjects all go hand in hand. Many of you may be able to support the

notion that I have that there are many many intelligent and learned people

out there who would and are being very much impressed by these fields of

preaching by our devotees. You may wish to elucidate your experiences that

may fuel this debate.

 

As the verse in Caitanya Caritamrta expounds 'bharite bhume haila manusya

janma jara, janma sataki kara kara para upakara. It is the duty of everyone

to help others....

These persons who have conviction to help others by improving their health

and wellbeing are by nature compassionate and they can immediately join our

effort from a spiritual perspective based on their natural understanding and

propensity when we introduce in a logical form the Krsna Conscious

conundrum. Krsna is the source of Brahman and the universal elements. The

original seed giving father, by whom everything is maintained and in whom

all things come to rest. Thus they can more easily come into an

understanding that He, Krsna, is also the origin of all universal and

scientific laws.

 

Here is a stunning verse from the 1st Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, chapter 5,

text 33: - which I'm sure you will agree fully corroberates the homeopathic

and naturopathic principles.

 

Translation:

O good soul, does not a thing, applied therapeutically, cure a disease which

was caused by that very same thing?

 

Purport:

An expert physician treats his patient with a therapeutic diet. For example,

milk preparations sometimes cause disorder of the bowels, but the very same

milk converted into curd and mixed with some other remedial ingredients

cures such disorders. Similarly the three fold miseries of material

existence cannot be mitigated simply by material activities. Such activities

have to be spiritualized, just as by fire iron is made red hot, and thereby

the action of fire begins. Similarly the material conception of a thing is

at once changed as soon as it is put into the service of the Lord. That is

the secret of spiritual success. We should not try to lord it over the

material nature, nor should we reject material things. The best way to make

the best use of a bad bargain is to use everything in relation with the

supreme spiritual being. Everything is an emanation from the supreme spirit,

and by His inconceivable power He can convert spirit into matter and matter

into spirit. Therefore a material thing (so called) is at once turned into a

spiritual force by the great will of the Lord. The necessary condition for

such a change is to employ so called matter in the service of the spirit.

That is the way to treat our material diseases and elevate ourselves to the

spiritual plane where there is no misery, no lamentation and no fear. When

everything is thus employed in the service of the Lord, we can experience

that there is nothing except the Supreme Brahman.....The Vedic mantra that

"everything is Brahman" is thus realized by us.

 

This is a very powerful verse relevant to our topic of health and medicine.

Just to consider the first sentence alone of this purport!

 

If as I have already stated that correctly grown food contains all the

trace elements and minerals needed for proper human development, then for

example, an imbalance of salts in the body will not occur or will be less

likely to occur, according to the Bio-chemic system, and thus disease will

not be manifest.

 

 

I will end this introduction with a couple of statments by illumined

practitioners:

 

The prime cause of disease is the absence of substances which should be in

the body and the presence of substances which should not be in the body...

 

We move from the complex to the simple and the obvious is the last thing we

learn.' Dr. Elbert Hubbard.