Food
The Adiveda Weekly #37
Hari Aum Sadhakas!
Ayurveda says, “Let food be your medicine and medicine your food!”
Food is the most important part of our life. Here’s how should we deal with it.
The Dharmic Way of Life
The Sanatana Dharma gives us very good instructions on the type and quality of foods that we should eat and the method and the time and so many other important factors which have been completely ignored by the modern generation. The Vedas say that “Food is verily the Brahman.”
What types of food should be consumed in order to inculcate dharmic values in our life?
The food we eat should be nourishing and healthy for both the body and mind. Ayurveda classifies people into the three body types – vata, pitta and kapha. These are known as “doshas”. Ayurveda gives elaborate diets to suit each of these “doshas” as they are called. These can be found in any chart on “diets to suit the doshas”. Actually, all the spices used in Indian cooking help to balance the doshas. Spices like, mustard, fenugreek, hing, cumin, coriander and green chillies, go to offset the drawbacks which we may have in our diet.
We are always advised to use only local and seasonal vegetables and fruits. Nature knows what is best for us and gives us the type of vegetables and fruits in each season, that are good for our system. So, it is best to keep to this rule and not spend large amounts of money buying foods coming from various parts of the globe that are not suitable for our seasons and our physical systems.
Reflection of the Week
If we want to have a healthy life we will have to change our food habits.
For your health and well-being
Did you know, there is phase of digestion called the cephalic phase that happens even before we even put any food into our mouths? Just by looking and smelling our food, our digestive process can come alive. This is an essential stage of our digestion as it readies our bodies to produce the right enzymes and chemicals required for digesting our meal. Imagine what happens when you instead eat your meal on the go, whilst watching TV, or mindlessly.... Today's health tip is to thereby take some time out every meal to eat mindfully: look at your food and admire all its colours, smell it slowly and relish all its fragrances. When your stomach awakens to what you are about to give it, then start your meal in this mindful and thoughtful way.
By Dr. Poorna Menon, Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Make a habit of chanting these mantras before starting to eat.
“Annapoorne, Sadapoorne, Shankara Pranavallabhe, Jnana Vairagya Siddhyartam Bhiksham Dehi Cha Parvati.”
Annapoorna is the name of Parvati in her role as the giver of food. So, in this mantra we are begging her to give us material food as well as spiritual food like “jnana and vairagya” which is wisdom and dispassion.
“Aham Vaishwanaro Bhutva Praninaam Dehamashritaha, Pranaapana Samaayuktam Pachamyannam Chaturbhujam”
This verse comes from the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. In this the Lord tells Arjuna that He is the Vaiswanara fire of digestion which is found in the bodies of all creatures. He combines the prana and apana vayus and “cooks” the four different types of food.
“Aum Brahmarpanam, Brahmahavir, Brahmagnau, Brahmanahutam. Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam, Brahmakarma Samadhina.”
This verse also comes from the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. “I offer this food to the Brahman, who is actually the offering, the fire, the utensils and the taste. Thus, may this act of eating lead me to that supreme divinity- the Brahman.
Important dates this week
Papmochni Ekadashi on Saturday March 18th, 2023.
That’s all for now. What would you like to see more of ? Let us know! Thank you very much for reading.
At your service,
The Adiveda Team