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Improper
Diet: Hindrance to Spiritual Progress |
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body is the only vehicle man has for attaining Self Realization,
and as such it is best kept strong and healthy. A man may practices
Yoga, or any, other discipline or religions and die before attaining
perfection. Then he is born in another life, practices for some
years more and dies again. Although one should not be attached to
the body, it is essential that it be kept strong, clean, and able
to withstand rigorous practice. |
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healthy mind is also important. Because body and mind are intimately
connected, it is important to maintain a cheerful frame of mind
at all times. Cheerfulness and good health walk hand in hand. The
wise aspirant keeps his body healthy with regular exercise, Yoga
postures and breath control, a moderate diet, rest, and plenty of
fresh air. One should avoid drugs and meditations as much as possible
and, when necessary, resort to natural cures. |
At
the other extreme, there are some aspirants who refuse to take meditation
even though they are seriously ill. Soon they become physically
unfit to continue their practice. It is much better to take meditation
for a couple of days and resume practice quickly than to allow a
disease to reach advanced stages, thereby causing great difficulty
and delay in resuming regular practice. |
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Improper
diet is another hindrance to spiritual progress. All foods have
distinct energies.Just as the physical body is formed from the gross |
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physical
portion of the foods that are eaten, so the mind is formed from
the more subtle portions. If the food is impure, the mind also becomes
impure. |
Cigarettes,
liquor, narcotics, and state or aged food are most detrimental.
Meals should be simple, light and nutritious. Moderation is the
keynote in one’s daily habits. The body may become more susceptible
to disease because of too much or too little sleep, eating the wrong
foods, exposure to crowds, laborious mental work, excessive sexual
activity, or lack of regular exercise. If a student of meditation
becomes sick, he may be inclined to blame the practice rather than
his own indiscretions and excesses. |
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