Be As You Are - Life in the world, (11, last)

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Q: What about diet?

A: Food affects the mind. For the practice of any kind of yoga, vegetarianism is absolutely necessary since it makes the mind more sattvic [pure and harmonious].

Q: Could one receive spiritual illumination while eating flesh foods?

 

A: Yes, but abandon them gradually and accustom yourself to sattvic foods. However, once you have attained illumination it will make less difference what you eat, as, on a great fire, it is immaterial what fuel is added.

Q: We Europeans are accustomed to a particular diet and a change of diet affects the health and weakens the mind. Is it not necessary to keep up one's physical health?

A: Quite necessary. The weaker the body the stronger the mind grows.

Q: In the absence of our usual diet our health suffers and the mind loses strength.

A: What do you mean by strength of mind?

 

Q: The power to eliminate worldly attachment.

 

A: The quality of food influences the mind. The mind feeds on the food consumed.

Q: Really! Then how can Europeans adjust themselves to sattvic food only?

A: Habit is only adjustment to the environment. It is the mind that matters. The fact is that the mind has been trained to think certain foods tasty and good. The food material is to be had both in vegetarian and non-vegetarian diet equally well. But the mind desires such food as it is accustomed to and considers tasty.

Q: Are there restrictions for the realized man with regard to food?

A: No. He is steady and not influenced by the food he takes.

Q: Is it not killing life to prepare meat diet?

 

A: Ahimsa [non-violence] stands foremost in the code of discipline for the yogis.

Q: Even plants have life.

A: So too the slabs you sit on!

Q: May we gradually get ourselves accustomed to vegetarian food?

A: Yes. That is the way.

Q: Is it harmless to continue smoking?

A: No, for tobacco is a poison. It is better to do without it. It is good that you have given up smoking. Men are enslaved by tobacco and cannot give it up. But tobacco only gives a temporary stimulation to which there must be a reaction with craving for more. It is also not good for meditation practice.

Q: Do you recommend that meat and alcoholic drinks be given up?

A: It is advisable to give them up because this abstention is a useful aid for beginners. The difficulty in surrendering them does not arise because they are really necessary, but merely because we have become inured by custom and habit to them.

Q: Generally speaking, what are the rules of conduct which an aspirant should follow? A: Moderation in food, moderation in sleep and moderation in speech.