VEGETARIAN LIFESTYLE

Why adopt a vegetarian lifestyle?

“Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances of survival of like on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” Albert Einstein

You are what you eat. When a person discovers within that his spiritual nature is awakening, many changes start taking place. A spiritual awakening always makes a person more sensitive. Subtle energies become very tangible and the individual notices very clearly whether something taken into the body is toxic or healthy.

The Rajyogis of Brahma Kumaris practice lacto-vegetarianism, which is also called Satvic diet or sentient food. This energy force is characterized by purity, self-awareness, love, peace and joy. This category of food includes fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, grains, milk and dairy products. This means that no meat, fish, poultry, or eggs are ingested. Satvic diet keeps the mind and emotions in a tranquil state. Being vegetarian ensures a healthy body and a healthy mind. Besides providing much better nutrition than non-vegetarian diet, the veg-food also guarantees a positive a positive karmic account with nature.

Food feeds more than the stomach; its subtle energy influences the mind

Importance is also given to the way in which the food is prepared. Just an energy levels in foods influence us, the reverse occurs as well, our thought patterns (negative or positive) create an aura of energy around us and any physical matter, be it living or non-living is influenced by it.

Health factors of vegetarianism good health is our birthright, it is time we claim it.

Practicing meditation makes a person tend towards vegetarian diet, and vegetarian food will tends to keep a person closer to spirituality and is conductive to taking time for contemplation and introspection. This very healthy and restorative combination is especially beneficial in modern stressful lives.

“As a person eats, so he thinks.  As a person thinks, so he acts .As a person acts, so he becomes.”

Spiritual and ethical reasons:

Non-violence is the essential characteristic of the spiritually awakened individual. The essence of the human should is peace, tranquility and stillness,. The inner stillness of quiet contemplation of one’s essence comes easily when the body is naturally ingesting Satvic food.

The vibrations of the violent death of an animal are imprinted in its flesh, and then taken on by one who eats the meat. This robs one of one’s natural serenity.

There is a phrase in Hindi that says “jaisa ann vaisa mann” implying “as your food, so your mind’”

Being vegetarian ensures a healthy body and a healthy mind.

Good health is our birthright, it is time we claim it. Non-violence is the essential characteristic of the spiritually awakened individual.

“As your food, so your mind’” There are many reasons that make people decide that vegetarianism is the best lifestyle choice for them. Some people do not eat meant because of religious, spiritual or ethical reasons, others adopt vegetarianism for health related concerns and still others choose vegetarianism as a means of supporting the environment. How a vegetarian lifestyle supports the environment? In this age of overpopulation, a vegetarian lifestyle takes economically from nature and prevents environmental degradation.

Because:

•  Worthwhile use of food a steer that provides 200 kg of meat enables the preparations of about 1500 meals; with the cereal it ate, about 18000 meals could have been made.

• Worthwhile use of water; 1 kg of meat requires at least 15000-30000 litres; 1 kg of wheat requires just 1000 litres.

•  Worthwhile use of soil, a field of land can produce 6000 kg carrots, or 4000 kg apples, or 1000 kg cherries, or only 50 kg meat

• Preventing deforestation: about 70% of arable land on earth is used for cattle-raising and growing cereals to feed them; enough land to feed the whole world population many times with vegetarian food;

• Preventing air and water pollution: about 50% of water pollution in Europe is due to intensive animal farming; the pollution comes from slurry, manure and chemical fertilizers; every day, 2 million tons of these wastes pollute the earth’s water.

By adopting a vegetarian lifestyle, more land, more water and more food are available and less nature is destroyed or polluted. “Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances of survival of like on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” Albert Einstein. (Purity Bureau

•  Sources: “Livestock’s Long Shadow (2006) – FAO, for the environment Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic diseases (1990)- WHO.

 (Source: PURITY, Vol. xxx No. 2)

(Compiled By: Roshan Singh)