Tagged: food

The mind could be mine

apple

Avyakt Murli – October 19, 2011

“BapDada saw that the mind is your creation; that you are the creator of your mind and so you control the mind. You are the masters with the controlling power and ruling power of the mind, but nevertheless, your mind still deceives you. It is your creation, you say, “it is mine!.” However, because of not having enough controlling power, it deceives you. The mind is also said to be a horse, but you have the reins of Shrimat.

You do have those reins, do you not? If your mind ever takes you to any waste, then, by tightening the reins, you can finish the slightest impurity of waste thoughts that still remains. Become a master of your mind. Just as Father Brahma checked his mind every day, in the same way, check your mind every day and finish the waste thoughts. Today BapDada wants you to finish these waste thoughts.”

Above are one of the teachings of BapDada concerning how to be a “master of our minds.”
The above teaching is very simple. Anyone can grasp it and understand it BUT, paradoxically; it is that simple that many will not understand. 🙂

Why if we have a mind that we call “ours,” we cannot usually “will” our thoughts?
Why do we have waste thoughts? What does “applying the rein of Shrimat” means?
Is conquering the mind a matter of checking our mind every day? How many times? 🙂

The mind and its work is just a reflection of our sanskaras. A Sanskara expresses through the mind so it could be put into action by our physical organs through a “decision.”

Let us say that there is an apple pie there. It appears delicious but I just eat. The sanskara comes up of “taste lust” (indulging in particular flavors is a mild form of lust, then we can overeat for the taste of it) then if that sasnkara is strong in me, it will express through my thoughts. “I should get a piece now.. No.. maybe 3 pieces before someone comes up and eats it… No, maybe the whole pie. No one will know. I am slick. I will leave no way to trace me…. etc…etc. “Waste thoughts” keep coming until the decision is made to eat the pie.

That is what is known as “normal.” On the other hand, through BK “reformation” we will be told to ask for permission before eating that apple pie. That is Shrimat. As a matter of fact, there is a line of 50 souls wanting to eat that only pie! Chances are that we will not get anything.
We call that “renunciation.” I am renouncing that apple pie for the good of others. I will delight on their savoring of that pie. I become a “Saint.” 🙂 Have you seen a smiling saint?

On the other hand, someone who understands about the “healthy” options will not choose the apple pie, when he can have an apple. BUT, someone who has “control” meaning who can choose to eat apple pie or not eat it because that sanskara of “taste-lust” (gluttony) is not there; that one could care less if the apple pie is there or not. Similarly, that sanskara of “renunciation” of the so called “saint,” is not helpful at all; for that sanskara of renouncing will not allow that person to enjoy life when taken into extremes.

As we can see, it depends on the intensity of a particular sanskara. Renouncing or indulging in apple pie are 2 extremes.

When the mind sees 2 extremes, the mind is not balanced. At this point, we talk about “having yoga” to submerge the sanskara of gluttony and renunciation. Nevertheless what we experience is that a submerged sanskara can emerge again if we do not “sit in yoga everyday…” Why is that?
Because I have not created a new sanskara instead to replace it. That is, I have not transformed the original sanskara.

How do I do that? How do I transform every single one of my sanskaras? What is the “yukti”?
Then, someone will come up with a list of 108 yukties for every single sanskara which needs to be transformed.
Something like:
1. Gluttony : Do this drill 3 times a day for 30 days.
2. Renunciation: Baba says that renunciation is good so keep that one… No! BapDada has said to renounce renunciation… To renounce seeing the defects in someone… To renounce the old sanskaras, etc. Let us please take the word renunciation in context and not just apply it for the sake of it.
3. Etc. etc.. 108 times.

Then, we think that we need to “memorize” that list and “practice” it to really get to know those sanskaras…

I know there are souls who like the structure of a check list. That is great if those souls feel comfortable with that. But I wonder is there is an easier way…

There is a simple way.

It is the first “Shrimat,” that is remembrance. Where remembrance starts? It starts with the self. Once I observe “me” in my daily interaction as a detached observer, I will learn to see when “my” mind takes over. That requires AWARENESS. I am not “my” body. I am not “my” mind, I am not “my” thoughts; I am not “my” feelings/emotions. Whatever remains is who I am. That is the experience.

As we feel “centered” then we observe the mind. When we observe the mind, all of the sudden “my” mind is not “mine” anymore. When I use the heart rather than the mind, I will feel love without labeling.

When I feel love and I observe the mind, I will not react. That requires awareness. Constant awareness. That is to be conscious, that is remembrance. That is constant meditation.

BapDada will make a point in such a way that it is easy to grasp what He says by everyone, however; the interpretation, the filter; will depend on our experience of that which He is talking about.

Our task is to experience that experience rather than to intellectually understand just words.

Question: Omshanti I’m in gyan for last 4 yrs , now i’m living in a hostel (a medical student) and unable to follow the pure diet. I eat in the remembrance of god but i’m observing that the food is having bad effect on my consciousness. What are the options i can go for?

Thank you for your question.

Dear soul,
Here is the list: fruits, vegetables, yogurts, juices and plenty of water.
Raw vegetables, if you are used to that.
You can accept those from anyone at any time and those items will be beneficial for your health. If you could use the kitchen of the hostel, then you can prepare your own meals in your own pots. I have done that while living in a hostel in India for about a month.

Best wishes!

Question: Om shanti. Dear Brother Soul, My question is regarding Food. Till now I don’t have any problem as I’m staying alone and mostly I had raw food without any cooking. Now I’m planning to start my profession life where my role is to interact with people. Do we (Brahmin souls) have to strictly avoid any item (cooked as well as natural food item) offered by the colleagues, boss and other friends. What is your experience and your views on this? what about food cooked by lokik mother who is not in gyan?

Thank you for your question.

Dear soul,

Similar question have been answered here. You can search the word “cooking” in the blog.

You are fortunate if you have created a taste for “raw” food. Certainly, it is a great choice. In my experience at work, whenever there is a “party” (once every month at least) fortunately they have fruit platters or veggie platters as well. I would pick a couple of items and mingle with the people and extend my “eating time.” Other times I have been offered to eat their lasagna or pizza or something else. Here is where my “list of allergies” and the “severe punishment” that I receive after indulging in such tasty food items, comes in handy.

I am “allergic” to onions and garlic (so everything they cook, have those items) and they know that I am vegetarian, and it is viewed as something “good” which if they had the “will power” to do it, they would do it.

I would stick with “raw” food so, issues will not appear when mingling with people. That includes your relatives as well. If you would like to eat a cooked item, it is much better to do it yourself.

As you know we are “numberwise” so, whatever I have stated above is just my own way of tackling those issues. By the way, I am considering increasing the amount of “raw” food items into my diet. I have never liked to cook. It is something which does not come “naturally” to me, but I have seen the benefits and that is what matters to me.

Best wishes!

Question: Dear brother, can you please mention once again that what kind of diet one should prefer for a Brahmin (celebate) lifestyle ? “Non processed food” means only raw fruits and vegetables?

Question:Dear brother, as you have mentioned food is very important for our spiritual upliftment .I am the only person in gyan from our family. And the food making incharge is my mother.I have talked to her about this but she doesn’t like the idea of me, not having food prepared by her. I have to keep making excuses for avoiding food prepared by her and have to prepare something when she is not at home :-) Our relationship gets strained due to this. Please guide how to handle this situation. Thankyou.

Thank you for your question!
Dear soul, you could concentrate with her on those items that she can give you like: salads (non –cooked items) fruit juices, fruit salads and anything else where there is no need to cook.
You haven’t mentioned your age nor other aspects of your life which are preventing you from living by yourself, so this issue will not arise.

This situation usually becomes a problem when there is some sort of “dependency.” (economical, emotional, socio-cultural.) No one can force you to ingest food items that you do not want to eat. To prepare your own meals should be part of your “independent” life style and your right to “choose” unless you are adding a burden on others.

In the meantime, what you are doing seems to work until another option appears in your Drama.

Best wishes!

Question: Om Shanti Dear Brother, In today’s Murli, Shiv Baba talked about food. I’m new to this knowledge. Prior to this knowledge, i’m practicing Naturopathy life style by eating complete raw food for the whole day. After I got the knowledge, I started attending Murli class daily. But when the Thursday’s Bhog is offered to me, i felt that it is not the food a Brahmin soul to eat ( as it is made with salt etc. which are harmful to the body). Should I accept the food offered in the center or not? and I want to know what kind of food a Brahmin soul should eat? Are we interpreting the meaning of food according to our wish?

diet

Thank you for your very good question!

Brahmin diet gives you the “do not consume” items. Those things are meat of any kind, eggs, garlic, onions, tobacco, alcohol and any non prescribed drugs. The rest you may “indulge.”
However, that “space” of things which you can eat, is open for you to decide.

As far as myself, I do not eat spicy food, cheese, processed sugars, white rice, flours and I do not drink coffee. That pretty much leaves BK sugary tolis out of the picture. My aim is Sattvic food as much as possible.
Also, I am not fond on eating food that it is cooked by others but myself. I will accept from someone who I feel is in a similar effort making stage than mine.
When it comes to bhog there are 2 schools of thought: ” Take everything that Baba offers” or “Do not take everything and pick what you feel will agree with you.” I go for the later. If you do not feel that what is being offered to Baba is something that you would like to eat, do not feel compelled to eat it. Just say thank you and take Drishti.

When I go to Madhuban or any other BK center; I may have to make some exceptions in my diet, but still I will eat lots of fruits and drink lots of juices as much as possible.

Even though I have requested in an “unofficial” way to have a BK seminar on combining food items properly and trying raw foods as well, here in the USA,( Which I feel is very healthy and wholesome) that request hasn’t been followed up.

Therefore, if you have any knowledge about combining food items properly and eating them at their proper time, it would appreciated if you share it.

What you eat affects your mind and even though that is something that BapDada has mentioned, still we do not seem to “get it.”

Best wishes!

Question: My lokik mother who is 100% vegetarian (but eats onion & garlic) who has faith in Baba (but cannot dedicate her life as a BK!!!) who has been to Madhuban twice has been cooking my food for the past month. She loves to cook & cooks with a lot of love. Please may i have your comments on this type of situations. Thank you.

Thank you for your question!

There is a saying: “As the food so the mind.”

In my experience, food is extremely important in maintaining a good stage. Spiritually speaking, the vibrations are important. Baba usually mentions that “if we eat food cooked by a yogi, our stage will become good.” Also, “if we cook our food while in yoga, that food will give us power.”

In my case, I am extremely picky as to what I eat as well as if I have to accept food from another BK. I cook my own food and even though I am not a “cook” by any means, I manage to do it because I know it is important.

When I first started in gyan, My ex-mother in law liked to cook. She would accommodate my needs, she was celibate and she was a good cook! I asked around if I shouldn’t accept her food anymore.
The reply I received from Baba’s instruments was that I should accept it (to avoid confrontations and knowing that I was “new” in gyan.) However, back in my mind, I wanted to “do everything” from the beginning; and “asked Baba for His help.” 🙂

I told my ex-mother in law that in my new faith, I needed to prepare my own food but that I could accept fruits, if she had some.
To my surprise, she was very accepting and did not feel offended. Magic!

With that background information, I think that you could see my viewpoint.

Best wishes!