Aug 28 2015 : The Economic Times (Delhi)

the speaking tree - A Green Diet

SWAMI CHINMAYANANDA





What we like to eat depends upon one's taste. There are only four things available: stones, plants, animals and humans.We cannot eat stones because our system is not geared to digest and assimilate them directly. And even though we sometimes destroy human beings with our cruelty , our progressive society does not allow eating them. That leaves us the vegetable and animal kingdom to choose from.We find that the very first progenitor of humanity , Adam himself, was eating only vegetables. It is only his second son who started this easy method of obtaining food because agriculture seemed to be too difficult for him, as it required a continuous process of putting forward effort to produce.
Whereas sitting behind a stone, waiting for innocent animals to come along, and destroying and eating them seemed to be the easier way! The food we eat and the thoughts and actions that spring forth from us have a distinct relationship. What is true in the computer world -garbage in, garbage out -seems to be true of our bodies too. If you put toxic food, or garbage, into your system, the texture of your thoughts and actions has a tendency to become more un-reconciling, selfish, less concerned for others, and lusty -and potentially dangerous to society .
Since our culture is essentially geared for the life of meditation, the mind that is constantly agitated and wandering finds it difficult to plunge into meditation. To such an individual, the toxin is an obstacle in reaching his goal.