Problem with vegetarian diet

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam!

According to Ayurvedic Medicine; disease is indeed a product of the mind, as

Pradeep states. Yogic thought also teaches "all disease arises from the mind."

This is not to say a physical manifestation in the body is not "real" but our

minds create our bodies. Ayurveda views the physical body as a

crystallization of deep seated mental tendencies. Any break down in the body has its roots

in the wrong use of the senses. Strengthening and purifying the mind,

strengthens the immune system. Ayurveda is the oldest form of health care in the world;

the system that all other medicines have arisen from.

This is also not to say everyone has a mind strongly developed enough not to

seek outside help with the disease process, such as an Ayurvedic Physician,

Practitioner, or another Health Care professional. Diet, Yoga, Mantra, Pranayam

are all ways to build Prana and Ojas to strengthen the mind.

As Pradeep also points out knowing your Dosha type can be helpful. Vata Dosha

on a typical vegetarian diet usually will not fare well, flatulence is a real

concern as the agni in the belly is not strong enough to digest proteins such

as beans and raw, green leafy vegetables. I have many recipes on my web site

that are good for Vata. Also I produce a line of Ayurvedic products that will

aid digestion for all Dosha types. www.skyoftheheartyoga.com. I will be happy

to assist you in discovering your Dosha and a way that you can eat vegetarian

and feel healthy!

I lived with Tibetan Buddhists Monks last year for a short time. My joy was

to be assigned kitchen duty. I tried to be as creative as possible designing

wonderfully healthy food for them. They ate my food energetically and with joy

yet at the end of my time, they asked if they could have some pizza delivered!

They also ate Pizza Hut Pizza with energy and joy! We all don't possess the

minds of a Rinpoche but their lesson to me was invaluable! There are MANY

factors involved in right living and the disease process!

ha ha!

Blessings in Health,

Gururavi

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam to all involved in this conversation,

this is a subject that could become quite heated and potentially

devolve into an entirely unconstructive battle. Certainly that will

not benefit anyone involved or serve a constructive or peaceful

purpose. As in all things common sense and balance are more useful and

constructive than extremism and fanaticism. Certainly our thoughts

play a role in our physical, emotional and mental health. Just as the

state of our body can effect our mental health and our thoughts. It's

a two way street Malnutrition can bring on psychological problems,

as can many diseases and physical conditions. Ayurveda uses physical

means - nutrition and various material substances - for healing

purposes so obviously ayurvedic medicine does not propose that illness

in ONLY a product of the mind or it would not use physical means to

heal. If ayurveda proposed that illness was ONLY of the mind then it

would ONLY prescribe thoughts for healing. Yoga uses physical means -

asanas and pranayama - to effect the mind so this once again indicates

that it is a two way street between mind and body. A little bit of

common sense, and observation detached from passionately held beliefs

and desires, would indicate that health requires a balance between

body, mind and spirit (though, of course, thoughts are also a physical

process that occurs within the brain so it is somewhat silly to see

body, mind and soul as completely separate entities).

 

I respect everyone's right to hold their own beliefs and to choose to

live or die according to those beliefs. Obviously we get into some

rather murky ethical territory when we try to impose our beliefs upon

others...especially if our beliefs result in harm to another (this is

true of both alternative and mainstream medicine). If someone chooses

to suffer or die because they believe a curable organic illness is

merely a product of faulty thinking then that is, of course, their

right, sad as it may be to witness needless suffering. Common sense

and compassion would indicate a balanced approach that treats all

aspects of a person are most likely to achieve the most constructive

results.

blessings to all no matter the path that you choose for yourself

ovasoul

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam Ovasoul:

Once again I praise your sensible outlook on disease and you put it so

well without using a hammer.

I agree in balance or I would not be learning KY as another method to

help my physical problems. In my career as an Advanced Practice Nurse, I have

seen both sides of the coin work and support each other. I have to excuse

myself for being a little hammery as I have seen many people die and suffer

throughout my career because of loss of common sense.

I don't know what your background is but keep on writing to us all.

You soothe the wounds with compassion and gentle expression.

Lovingly

Teresa

[Guest guest]

Hi friends,

 

i had stated that disease is a product of the mind. you have go

indepth into this to understand this completely. ovasoul has taken

pains to explain it quite accurately. u have to understand that body

is shielded by the mind. i met a yogi who told me that mind is like

a protective helmet on the material plane. we need it to survive

here. most of us dont have control over our thoughts. negative

thought patterns make us vulnerable to the virus attacks. we have to

keep our 7 bodies intact by positive thoughts. if we are in complete

harmony, the magnetic field and template around us is strong enough

to ward off the ever attacking viruses. we cant fight the viruses,

remember because they evolved millions of years before us and they

are superior to us in technology and mutation techniques. once u

want to fight them, they love the challenge and take it a bit

personally and this resistance itself acts as a perfect playing

ground for them.

 

The best possible solution is to be in harmony, peace and love. i

have a practical example where i came out of a serious blepharitis

problem using this technique and meditation. i had suffered years of

misery as there is no medical cure for it. now with breathing,

meditation and positive thoughts i am so much better. i keep auto

suggesting the viruses in sub conscious thoughts that i am in love

with god energy. the involution process is powerful injector of

healing energy in our body.

 

With regard to food. u can be eating a porcupine, and still be in

good health, if you have enough digestive fire. satvic food is only

a good suggestion for yogic aspirants. u have also to remember that

food is only 1/3rd of energy source to us, the 2/3rds come from

prana, which is sourced from sunlight, earth energy, and deep

breathing techniques. breathing is not pranayama. its just svasha

exercise (oxygenation of our system). the prana flows upwards from

chest. and this energy is one of the vayus (air element). it

branches into : apana (excretion of urine and faeces), samana

(digestion), uddana (exhalation of breath and also runs into hands

and legs, vyana (circulation of blood and oxygen in the body). now

if all these vayus.

 

Its interesting that we chant 'om namah sivaya' which means i

surrender to the elements. this surrender to elements triggers the

purification process. once we become pure in our elements, we

understand the higher energies that are acting on us and supporting

us.

 

 

People have taken too much interest in food. and hence taste is the

key reason for so many delicacies being prepared. over indulgence in

food has lead us to many miseries. i saw a discovery channel

documentary on the journey of red meat in the system of a man who

was pretty sedentary. it took almost 2 days for it to digest.

instead of giving him nutrition, it released several toxic

chemicals. ignorance is not bliss. it only leads to surprises and

then we blame luck, god and doctors for our situation. a little care

taken to understand the process of why we get disease is important.

 

we have to take into karmic reasons too. prarbda karma which is the

sole reason for incarnation, has so many causative actions to

fulfill. we are programmed to pay for our past karmic actions. the

effect of this can be minimised by doing several karma reducing

techniques like Nirjara-recommended by the great jain saint

mahaveera who was a thirtankara-a soul that knew the truth and could

also explain it. and also kriya yoga if done accurately has similar

effect of reducing the effect of karmic disease onslaught.

 

Now lets trash this issue of which food is best. every individual is

unique, and has a body constitution which is a result of this

mental, physical and environmental conditioning and pattern. now we

can argue eternally over the food. but it wont give anyone a

satisfactory answer. the best is to just submit to the god energy.

Breathe in with "LET GOD" thought and when we breathe in, the

universe exhales the prana. and when we exhale "LET GO" all the

toxins and negative influences in our body. and when we exhale, the

universe is breathing in our toxins and absorbing the negativity.

 

This simple routine is good enough to sort so many problems and

protect us.

 

love

Dr. Pradeep ullal

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam Pradeep,

thank you for your kind words but, most respectully, our

understandings and perspectives diverge in a couple of areas. Where

you believe disease to be a karmic punishment I don't see either karma

or disease that way. I write this not to be arguementative but merely

to clarify

 

There are some very physical and boringly non-spiritual reasons that

meditation and being peaceful are helpful in maintaining health. Being

stressed all the time and doing nothing physical to release the stress

is an unnatural condition - stress is a defense mechanism that floods

our system with various chemicals that are damaging over the long

term. When we are stressed the "flight or fight" systemm is triggered

and all the blood rushes to our limbs and are body becomes awash in

chemicals that need to be used up and cleared from our system (we can

release these chemicals by running, crying, sweating, etc). When all

the blood rushes to our limbs our digestion stops so if we're stressed

all the time we won't be digestion our food well which can also cause

problems. Also, it's very hard on our glandular system to be

constantly creating and pumping out adrenaline and, if we don't

actually use it and clear if from our bodies, eventually imbalances

will result. The flight or fight response is very useful when

confronted by a tiger but less useful when one's boss is yelling at

one and one cannot punch him or run away!

 

Viruses are not necessarily superior, they are just simpler life forms

that can mutate more quickly than we can exactly because they are

simpler life forms. Viruses may be sentient in some sense but somehow

I doubt they have the ego to take it personally! Our bodies are

hosts to a whole microcosmic world of organisms - many that serve

very useful functions and are essential to good health. We truly are

one with all not separate hermetic beings

 

Now, moving away from science and into spiritual beliefs, I don't

personally view karma as a form of punishment. Of course, now we are

talking about personal or group religious beliefs so all we can really

do is share our personal understandings and beliefs. I respect your

right to understand karma as punishment if that is useful to you. I

hope it brings joy and peace into your life! I understand karma to

be lessons that we need to learn not because we have been bad in a

past life but simply because we still have things to understand to be

able to be compassionate beings. I don't practice compassion -

imperfectly as I may do so at times! - so that I will be rewarded in

this or another life. (Though of course it's only common sense that

being kind and considerate to others creates a more loving environment

around us I do so simply because it feels most natural and is an

expression of who I am and what is important to me at this point in my

evolution. It's also simply common sense that - unless one is a

sociopath - having loving social and personal connections creates a

more peaceful life.

 

May I ask what kind of doctor you are and where you trained? Once

again, I mean no disrespect. I'm merely trying to understand the roots

of your perspective and understanding of the body and illness. I am

not a doctor (though both my parents are so I grew up surrounded by

discussions and information about health and the body). However I have

worked in a pain clinic helping people understand the connection

between mind and body (and soul or emotions) using relaxation

techniques and meditation, pranayama and art. In my experience

pranayama and meditation work for people whether they believe in god

or not. I have found that some of the people I worked with who

believed in a punishing god found life MORE stressful because it meant

they self-blamed for things outside of their control. On the other

hand I found that people who believed in a benevolent god could give

up personal control to a higher power there was a reduction in stress

(and a resulting reduction in pain, just as joy and happiness reduce

pain for very clear physiological reasons). Essentially it is really

about being able to discern what we can have an effect upon and what

is outside of our control. It's very stressful and frustrating to try

to constantly control things which one can have very little effect upon.

 

I believe it was Hypocrates who said "let food be your medicine". Food

is fuel for our bodies and health is really about nourishing our body

with the needed substances and balancing out exercise and intake. If

we maintain good health through adequate activity and nutrition we are

less likely to have degenerative diseases or to contract viruses.

Also, some foods calm inflammation and others are more likely to

create it so in the cases of the many diseases and conditions where

inflammation is a factor then diet can help or hinder.

 

As you may be able to tell, I am not a religious person though I am

spiritual. I don't "know" that god exists - though I have had many

transcendent experiences - and it is really of very little importance

to me one way or the other. Arguements over god - and people imposing

their beliefs about god and what HE wants - are the cause of much

suffering and violence in our world. I would not conduct my life any

differently if the existence of god could be proven one way or the

other. I do know that transcendent experiences, the feeling of

compassionate love, and the experience of being one with all and in

harmony with nature, are worth cultivating and seeking out. That said,

I respect the free will of others and their right to believe what they

want to believe or what serves them at this point in time.

blessings and joy

Ovasoul

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/17/06 10:32:31 AM, ovasoul (AT) hotmail (DOT) com writes:

 

 

> As you may be able to tell, I am not a religious person though I am

> spiritual. I don't "know" that god exists - though I have had many

> transcendent experiences - and it is really of very little importance

> to me one way or the other. Arguements over god - and people imposing

> their beliefs about god and what HE wants - are the cause of much

> suffering and violence in our world. I would not conduct my life any

> differently if the existence of god could be proven one way or the

> other. I do know that transcendent experiences, the feeling of

> compassionate love, and the experience of being one with all and in

> harmony with nature, are worth cultivating and seeking out. That said,

> I respect the free will of others and their right to believe what they

> want to believe or what serves them at this point in time.

> blessings and joy

> Ovasoul

>

 

My dear Ovasoul:

Once again you have spoken to all of us who feel as you do and hit where

it counts. You have spoken what is in my head and heart in a way I could

not have expressed. You have an innate clarity which is a gift. I had a

feeling that your background contained great compassion and sensibility.

Thank you once again

Lovingly

Teresa

[Guest guest]

Hello!!

 

I'm very interested in this aspect of ayurveda... I too have

digestive problems with a vegetarian diet. Before becoming a

vegetarian, I didn't have any tummy problems... now I have pain and

gas on a daily basis... it's a bit frustrating.... I guess my

question is... how can my mind create my tummy problems, when before

changing my diet I didn't have anyn "IBS"?

 

Thanks and Sat Nam!

 

Carla