The question arises, about what kind of food and drink should we take. What should be the lifestyle, should we smoke or not and should we take alcohol or not?
Kind of Drinks intake
In the cold countries and with their traditions, if I say that you should not drink, that may not be practical. You can drink as little as possible, but not more by which you will damage your brain and liver. It is best to avoid it altogether. So, in essence, the practical point is that limitation in your drinking is a good idea.
Kind of Food intake
This is a question I face very often in many places. The question is whether you should be a vegetarian or non-vegetarian. The food which you can digest, the food to which your tradition has made you habituated. Food which is fresh, soothing, gives strength and vigor, and which gives calmness of mind that food is good for you. This means that you should eat the food you can digest nicely and gain the nutrition which will benefit you.
- If you eat a non-vegetarian diet, you are not going to lose your spirituality, even if you are practicing spirituality.
- If you eat a vegetarian diet like grains and vegetables in plenty, you are not going to be spiritual automatically.
You have to practice spirituality. So the diet approach is a common sense approach. We do not insist that you eat this or not eat that.
Effects of drugs and smoking
- Please do not smoke
- Please do not take drugs like Cocaine, Heroin, etc.
All these are dangerous and they damage your brain. They will bring about degeneration faster. They will not give you any constructive idea or energy. Subsequently, this may give rise to focus on cancer; growing there silently, you may never know. Your thoughts are the cause or determining factor for your happiness or unhappiness, spiritual liberation, or material bondage. Though Nicotine is a stimulant, it can cause brain damage temporarily. It can slow down the blood circulation, leading to the risk of Vascular Thrombosis, Stroke, etc. You should go without it as it is not necessary.
Benefits of Kriya Yoga
Kriya Yoga and deep breathing techniques are very stimulating for the brain. If you are having fatigue in your office or you are tired, or you are depressed, it is suggested that you sit up in your seat (wherever you are sitting). Exhale deeply, take a deep inhalation and hold. Focus your attention on the Soul as long as you feel comfortable. If you experiment with this once or twice, you will feel the difference. There will be a remarkable difference in your refreshed attitude, in the freshness of the brain and the mind. Fatigue will go away. By taking drugs and smoking you are only whipping a tired horse. If you whip, only one end is possible for the tired horse; it will fall down. So, this life gets lost and any other life is also lost. Because any action you are doing in this life gets deposited in the subconscious. It becomes the seeds (“Samskaara”) and which works out in future lives. So by practicing Kriya Yoga, daily, sincerely with “Sraddha”, you can influence your destiny and reach perfection sooner.
May God bless you with Love, Laughter, Light, Longevity and Life.
With Love and Best Wishes,
Paramahansa Atmananda Ji