yogic basis and importance for vegetarianism

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Yogic Basis for Vegetarianism

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The question often arises as to the relevancy of vegetarianism in the modern

diet. To understand the vedic/yogic conception of food, you have to understand

the vedic/yogic conception of the body.

 

Pranayama is the practice of regulated (yama) breathing which results in the

cleansing of the nadis in the body. Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana, Samana are the 5

vital breaths. These breaths are components of the whole inflow and outflow of

vital energy that corresponds with the inflow/outflow of the breath itself. The

entire atmosphere is charged with the life force, known as prana. When the body

is respirating, there is an inflow of O2, and an outflow of CO2. In the normal

mode of breathing, with fast shallow breaths, this process is very inefficient.

There is only partial conversion (like a dirty/partial burn in a furnace). The

metabolic process of burning up the O2, is related to the stoking of the

internal fire, known as Jatar-Agni. When the jataragni is healthy, the body is

automatically healthy, and the mind follows suit. When there is a disruption in

the metabolism, the body falls prey to diseases and illnesses, with

correposnding physical

and mental problems.

 

The animal kingdom converts O2 into CO2, while the plant kingdom converts CO2

into O2. What serves as the vehicle for prana inflows in one (O2, in animals),

serves as the vehicle for apana outflows in the other (plants). Naturally, by

consuming our counterparts, we gain life force energy accordingly. The

jataragni consumes everything, but specifically, in the case of vegetarian diet,

it absorbs a greater quantity of prana. In the case of the non-vegetarian diet,

you absorb cells, tissues, and organelles designed to convert O2 into CO2. In

the case of vegetarian diet, you imbibe cells, organelles, and tissues that are

designed to convert CO2 into O2.

 

If you observe nature, everythign is based on a give-and-take mechanism. This

is known as Yajna. Yajna is synonymous with a fire sacrifice. The entire world

/ universe is known as Hiranyagarbha, because the universe is like His stomach,

and the ongoing world processes are akin to the jataragni of the Lord himself.

Everything is burned up and consumed by Him. He is Kala (time) and Death

(Mruthyu). The process of His consumption is Samsaara: The fires of

consumption are the world process. This was the vision given to Arjuna by Sri

Krishna, that utterly terrified Arjuna, causing his hairs to stand on end.

Ultimately, all things merge into Him.

 

We not only take our breath from plants, we take our food from their byproducts;

likewise, plants breath whatever we exhale, and likewise, they use as fertilizer

whatever we throw off.

 

It is no secret that by eating a well regulated yogic diet, one can live longer,

and generally remain slimmer and healthy/fit for practicing the disciplines

required to master/overcome the mind/body.

 

The body is considered to be a temple. One should not put junk into a temple.

One should not turn the temple of God into a marketplace. This was the reason

why Jesus overturned the tables of the money-changers and freed the animals that

were being sold in the temples of the day.

 

" God giveth the grains and the fruits of the earth for food: and for righteous

man truly there is no other lawful sustenance for the body. "

 

And God said, " Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon

the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree

yielding seed; to you it shall be for food. And to every beast of the earth, and

to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth,

wherein there is a living soul, I have given every green herb for food: and it

was so. " ~God, Genesis 1:29-30

 

This is why in various traditions they have their own purification rituals for

the eating of food (Halal, Kosher, etc.). The implication being that it was

impure to begin with (let's not forget that point).

 

" Not only was did the original Quran affirm vegetarianism, but it did so using

references from the Ethiopic Book of Enoch, a book which is indisputably

vegetarian in its teachings, condemning any alteration of nature whatsoever,

such as mining, which alters the earth, or cosmetics, which alters the

appearance of humans. The Book of Enoch is against animal sacrifices, and

against any form of the shedding of blood. For example in the second Surah,

" The Cow, " called the Quran in little, because it is said to contain the major

concerns of the Quran, criticizes the shedding of blood and making mischief on

earth. "

 

And when thy Lord said to the angels, I am going to place a ruler (khalifah) in

the earth, they said: Wilt Thou place in it such as make mischief in it and

shed blood? The Cow 2:30

 

In hinduism, while purification is important and stressed before the eating of

each meal, it is said that it is better not to eat impure food to begin with.

Of course, in harsher climates and in conditions unsupportive of vegetarian

diets, the other traditions provided a means for survival. However, in today's

world, where you can get vegetables and fruits and nuts SO easily, it makes no

sense to harm your spiritual bodies in the least.

 

From a worldly point of view the question of " Why should we be vegetarian? "

arises, from a yogic point of view, one does whatever is necessary to cleanse

the impurities of the body/mind so that one merges in pure spirit at the

conclusion of the allotted lifespan. So, if one is yogically directed, one will

naturally do things that are good for the body/mind; if one is worldly directed,

one will naturally eat all the wrong foods, damage their bodies, behave in an

unregulated manner, etc. The yogic perspective makes all the difference in

life. Hence, Sri Krishna tells Arjuna " Be thou a Yogi, Oh Arjuna! "

 

While people may scoff at these explanations and these concepts, its a fact that

Sri Swamiji is vegetarian. It's a fact that indian saints have stressed this

for ages. The proof is in the pudding. There is even significant evidence that

even Jesus was vegetarian, as were his parents. Vegetarianism was, to some

unknown degree, part of the Nazarene way of life: This was also for a reason.

 

While one cannot become vegetarian overnight, one should consider it as a yajna,

and slowly develop mastery over themselves, beginning with their diet. This is

also a spiritual sadhana - to control what goes into your body (food, breath),

and what comes out (thoughts -> words). This constitutes one of the yamas

pertaining to the physical discipline of surrender. It should be understood

that this aids one in the mental disciplines of surrender.

 

Those people who are already vegetarian, should learn to regulate their eating

habits. Over-eating and under-eating are both not conducive to yoga. One

should ideally eat in a yogic manner - so much food as to provide sustenance and

nourishment, but not so much that your stomach aches for hours afterwards.

 

" Oh Arjuna! This yoga is not attained by him who eats too much, or abstains from

food, by him who sleeps, nor by him who keeps vigil. The Yoga which destroys

pain is attained by him who eats and lives properly, whose every action is

regulated by reason, whose sleep and waking are balanced. " - Bhagavad Gita

(chapter 6: The Yoga of Meditation, verse 16)

 

The body is a temple, and should be maintained accordingly. It is the House of

God. When living in the presence of the living God, one should gradually learn

to live a disciplined (yogic) lifestyle. This is the physical sadhana required

of true yogis. Yoga means 'balance' (physical, mental, spiritual).

 

I hope it is clear that vegetarianism is well regarded in/by all the major

religious traditions of the world.

 

The reason for this email being that I recall once that someone once, a long

time ago, asked " Can we know once and for all, why we should practice

vegetarianism? " ...this person is not alone in this question. It comes up

again and again from time to time.

 

If spirituality matters to you, then you will yourself take the first steps to

try to be more " in line " with what a merciful creator would be pleased with.

This doesn't mean you go around telling other people how to live their lives -

it means imposing your own discipline on yourself (that's all) - this

self-imposed discipline is yoga sadhana. It is a child's reasoning that

constantly tries to find out " what can I get away with? " This is OK for your

worldly life - but not OK for your spiritual pursuit. As far as vegetarianism

is concerned - all the scriptures are clear - to advance spiritually, one must

follow a vegetarian diet. As to whether you will/won't follow this - is really

only up to you. It is understood that you must do what you must to get by in

the world, but don't make the mistake of doing that with your spiritual

practices. One must gradually grow up from the " what can I get away with "

mentality to the " what pleases the Lord, my God "

mentality that Jesus talks about (i.e., " devotion " " surrender " etc.) and to do

what pleases Him. It is one thing to live by the LETTER of the law, as a lawyer

might, it is another level of devotion to live by the SPIRIT of the law, as a

Yogi must. If one constantly ignores the SPIRIT of the law, and focuses only on

the printed word, how will one ever hope to become consonant with Jnana? So, at

the end of the day, " WHY we should practice " is simply a matter of " what matters

to you? " You cannot on the one hand separate yourself spiritually from the

animal kingdom, and then tell yourself that its ok to do what animals do. If

it's ok to do what animals do, then you should tell yourself, I am no different

from this animal (because there is no difference). If you do separate yourself

from the animal kingdom spiritually, then physically you have no basis to do

what lion's (or other carnivore's) do. You are only kidding yourself. The

beginning of

spirituality, is the end of kidding yourself from your little white lies you

tell yourself to get by in the world.

 

The very meaning of " sadhu rakshana " in your dattapeetham prayers means " one who

saves the meek " . Meek (Sadhu) implies one who avoids doing harm, in anyway, to

anyone, at anytime, whatsoever.

 

Anyway, as Swamiji says, it " Anyway, it doesn't matter " ...go slowly, patiently,

and one day everything will dawn on you, for yourself, by yourself, within

yourself.

 

Swamiji is with you ALWAYS. Jaya Guru Datta!

 

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Gurorangripadme ManaScenna Lagnam tata: kim! tata: kim! tata: kim! tata: kim!?

Sarva Kartha, Sarva Dhartha, Sarva Hartha, Mangalam!

Satchidananda, Satchidananda, Satchidananda Mangalam!

Tasmai Sri Guru-murthaye Nama Idam Sri Dakshinamurtaye!

 

Ata Nityo Narayanaha, Brahma Narayanaha, Sivascha Narayanaha, Kalascha

Narayanaha. Disascha Narayanaha, Vidisascha Narayanaha, Urdwamscha Narayanaha,

Adhascha Narayanaha, Antar-bahischa-Narayana.Narayana Eh Vedam Sarvam, Yat

BhootamYacchha Bhavyam.Nish-kalango Niranjano Nirvikalpo Nirakyadhas,suddhho

Deva Eko Narayanaha, Na dwiteeyosthi kaschit,ya evam Vedas Vishnu reva Bhavati,

Sa Vishnureva Bhavathi, Etat yajur veda sirodeeyathe.

 

Sundara Sundara Siva Siva! Karuna Bandhura Siva Siva! Karuna Rupa Spanda Siva!

Girisha Sat-Chit-Ananda Siva!

 

Jaya Jaya Jnana Bodha Sabha, ...Atma Tattva Bodha Sabha, ...Bhakthi Jnana

Vairagya Sabha, ...Namasankeerthana Dhama Sabha

 

Satchitananda Rupaya, Krishnayaa Aklishtakarine, Namo Vedanta Vedyaya, Gurave

Buddhi Saakshine

 

~*Om * Ayim * Hreem * Sreem * Siva * Rama * Anagha * Dattaya * Namaha*~