Re: Trivial issue, but unable to find solution
Originally Posted by
Anirudh
Namaste
I am practicing strict vegetarianism for about 4 to 5 years.
Because I had been consuming N.V diet in the past it becomes difficult to practice strict vegetarianism like in parties or get together where we don't have the control over the plates, spoons, kitchen etc. It is very difficult to find pure vegetarian hotels in cities.
I can order/request for a Vegetarian items, but my silly mind questions if the same vessel. stove or the plate was used to cook or serve N.V items.The same happen when I visit friends and relatives.
I really can't run away from this worldly life but don't see a solution other than carrying my food where ever I go. Sometimes people see it as an offense if I refuse politely.
This is not a new issue because all vegetarian people would have faced this issue in the past, can you please share your ideas.
PS: I didn't check if anyone had raised same question in past.
Namaste Anirudhji,
First of all, I congratulate you on your endeavour to become a vegetarian after years of being a non-vegetarian. That itself is a great hurdle that you have crossed. Your decision to carry your own food where-ever you go is an another praiseworthy step.
The vegetarian food that we may order in hotels and restaurants is filled with the vibrations of the chef who had cooked the food. Often his or her thoughts while cooking the food may be of worldly matters or money matters or even negative thoughts and these thoughts and vibrations can affect the food. These in turn are absorbed by us and we begin to think the same thoughts as the chef had thought.
Hence for this reason, advanced spiritual practicioners often cook their own food offering it to God sincerely with love, and then eat the purified food. This food can increase spiritual energy and thoughts within us and also works wonders with respect to one's health as it contains a large amount of prana , as it had been lovingly offered to God in devotion.
This is also the reason why most of us prefer homemade food cooked by our mothers and loved ones rather than food in restaurants due to the vibrations of love present in it . Such vibrations of love is not present in food made in restaurants as the chef is usually a complete stranger and does this work merely for earning money.
I remember reading a story about a sannyasin from the Mata Amritanandamayi ashram who had opened a centre in a remote village for service activities upon his Guru's command. The sannyasin , while performing his duties in the centre, found himself to be having thoughts about politics all of a sudden even though he never had any interest in politics. After a span of time, he consulted his Guru in this regard on his recent political interests. The Guru asked him to check the centre's chef who was preparing his food. Upon checking the chef, he found out that the chef had a habit of reading political newspapers while cooking the food, and the sannyasin thereby deducted the source of his recent political thoughts.
After this, the sannyasin made it a point to cook his own food .
Similarly, in an another ashram, I came across the story of a rich guy who was having thoughts of renting a house in a slum area. The guy was not able to understand why he was having these kind of thoughts, and similarly his spiritual mentor told him to check who was preparing his food. He found that the food in his house was prepared by a poor lady in a slum area who had been asked to vacate her present house and she had been trying to get a new house in the same area.
So, I would say that cooking your own food , offering it to God in devotion and eating it as prasad is the best way to take food. I have found this to be true in my own experience as well.
Hope you find this information worthwhile !
Pranams.
In every moment you only have one real choice: to be self-aware or to identify with the body and the mind. -- Annamalai Swami
Body-consciousness is the source of all misery. -- Ramana Maharshi
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