A SUMPTUOUS DINE, Series: PART 4 - A SPIRITUAL SUP

The aroma of the garam masala (powdered mixture of spices) that was being stewed; the pungent smell of the garnish of garlic, chilly, bay leaves and sesame seeds; the vanilla essences was probably added in the right measurement into the dessert that was being prepared; and when the peppery aroma of the fish that was being fried caressed my nose, my famished stomach roared and rumbled; and it occurred to my senses that I had mentally slipped into my neighbor's kitchen during a session of meditation that I was undertaking on an empty stomach one afternoon. 😋 I was under the impression that 'Fasting' was a piece of cake, but when one does so with a neighbor who cooks mouth watering dishes, it surely turns out to be an arduous task. Task in terms of Self Control.

If people gorge on food thrice a day while snacking intermittently; going on a Fast is a part of every culture for purification, spiritual purposes and good health. Fasting is the willing abstinence or reduction from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time. An elderly gentleman from the Muslim community whom I spoke to recently; with pride and joy in his heart declared that he had been observing 30 days of fast from early morning to evening for the past 40 years during the holy season of Ramadan. While in school I was amazed to see my Christian friends fast, and say prayers benevolently at the school chapel during the holy season of Lent. When it comes to the Hindus, Fasting during religious festivals is very common. For example, most people conduct a strict fast on Maha Shivaratri, not even consuming a drop of water; or during the nine days of Navaratri which occurs twice a year in the months of April and October/November.

Fasting and the spiritual upliftment of ones consciousness goes hand in hand in every culture. But today Fasting is being recommended by the Doctors around the world and also the health experts, considering the various advantages that it brings to ones physical health. Everyone wants to flaunt a slim, trim and a healthy body. When it comes to reducing weight, many have started considering Fasting as an easy way out. Dr. Edward F. Group III founder of Global Healing Center, USA is world-renowned for his research on the root cause of disease. His research on Fasting surely proclaims a number of benefits that it brings to ones body. A few of them are as follows: Boosts Our Metabolism; Supports Fat Loss; Improves Cardiovascular Health; Lowers Blood Pressure; Promotes Heart Health; and Improves Cell Recycling.

To keep our self healthy, eating right is also a must. We need to be aware of what we eat. In the Indian culture, food is revered as God. The Hindus with reverence consider it as the Goddess Maa (Mother) Annapurneshwari. Be it at home or the holy shrine, food offered to the deity invariably gets positively charged. Energy plays an important role in the food we eat, be it vegetarian or non vegetarian. Most of the people are ignorant of the fact that the bio etheric energy (the subtle life sustaining energy) is what we primarily survive on. Plants retain some amount of bio etheric energy for some time even after they are cut and cooked. Where as, when it comes to the non vegetarian food, once the animal is killed the life force energy goes out of the creature. Once cooked, all that remains is dead meat. The health experts also advice the masses to consider consuming sprouts everyday. They are very much alive and are not only filled with proteins but are teeming with bio etheric energy.

Vegetable Salad

The bio etheric energy has surely played a vital role in the sustenance of life on earth. So much so that's the very reason for the entire universe to be alive with planets, stars, galaxies, and the celestial bodies. India, from eons has seen saints who have survived only on the bio etheric energy forgoing the consumption of food and water, and at times even air. But at one point in their life they too survived by consuming food. This only proves that man can live without consuming food only if he has been blessed with the knowledge on how to survive without it. Today an ideal Saintly sup is normally deprived of the spices and salt; and is completely vegetarian. Raw vegetables and fruits make an important part of their diet as well. 😇

Never the less, at present 99% of the world's population survive on food to keep themselves alive. We have been introduced to both vegetarian which is high on bio etheric energy and the non vegetarian food. It is up to us to choose to eat the right kind of food, as the food that we eat not only has an influence on our mind, but also on our actions and invariably on our life. After all, 'what we eat, that we become'. We also need to be alive to the fact that only eating nutritious food will not keep us healthy but abstaining from it intermittently surely has a positive effect on our health physically, mentally and spiritually.