Food is consciousness
Everything we take in is converted into atoms and then into the tissues that make up our bodies. The food we take in thus also affects our mind and our inner experience of the world and, consequently, our outer functioning. The condition of our skin is also directly linked to our nutrient intake. And of course, we shouldn’t forget about hygge!
That food is consciousness is emphasised by the well-known Ayurvedic physician and teacher Dr Vasant Lad. As he reflects on consciousness in one of his excellent webinars: “Consciousness is awareness, but what is it? Is it knowledge? Is it knowledge? Is it listening? Is it looking? Is it touching? Are we aware of our senses, of the functions of our senses? We are consciousness! Consciousness is a universal phenomenon. Animals and plants have consciousness and we ourselves have consciousness. But we have (unfortunately) developed the habit of identification – identification with roles, with a body, with a name. But when we are born, we have no name, no role … In our consciousness is the history of the whole world, the whole universe. Awareness is the existence and the act of knowing without the presence of the one who knows. The I is rooted in the necessity of survival, but in awareness itself the I disappears. The I AM is therefore AWARENESS without the I AM.”
The whole Vedic science (Ayurveda – the science of life) talks about atman (Sanskrit for inner self/soul/spirit) – the pure principle of consciousness, and from consciousness we pass into air. Air becomes fire, fire becomes water, water becomes earth, earth becomes plants and plants become food. Vedic science, therefore, speaks of the journey of consciousness into food, from which it follows that food is consciousness.
When the kitchen becomes a home pharmacy
But we also know that diseases often stem from the wrong lifestyle and the right diet. But our kitchen can indeed become our home pharmacy – Dr Lad, of course, says so, and the saying that food is medicine and medicine is food is also attributed to Hippocrates (although this particular quotation is apparently not to be found in any of his works, but his oath reads: “I will use the elements of diet and exercise to the best of my ability and judgment to help the sick; I will protect them from evil and injustice.”).
In general, healthy food makes us happy, it gives us the ‘right energy’, and the whole process starts in the mouth (and with the sense of smell) and works its way up to the agni (the inner fire) and on to the mala (the secretions). We won’t go into details in this blog – which is inspired by freshly prepared Ayurvedic recommendations (I won’t use the word ‘diet’ because it suggests a certain period of adherence, while ‘recommendations’ can be anchored in our daily lives for the rest of our lives) for weight management for a 32-year-old lady, but for balancing digestion itself (because in stronger people the stomach fire is often very strong, but the cellular fire in the tissue is very low, and when excess food or calories are not used, they turn into fatty tissue, which in turn leads to overweight and obesity), a very well-known Ayurvedic recommendation is triphala (in the evening), and turmeric in general (antibacterial, blood sugar regulating).
Let’s not forget ginger (antioxidant, improves digestion, boosts the immune system), cinnamon (regulates blood sugar, reduces the risk of heart disease), cardamom (antiseptic, aids digestion, treats bad breath, antidepressant), mustard seeds (mustard detoxifies the body, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory, improves digestion, benefits heart disease, rheumatic and arthritic pain, protects against respiratory and urinary tract infections), to name but a few of the wonderful gifts that Mother Nature offers us. And let’s not forget: add all the spices at the end of the cooking process, taking care not to burn them (medium heat).
For a long, vital, healthy and happy life, let’s eat nutritious food!
And while we are on the subject of food from an Ayurvedic point of view, let’s touch on it (diet) through the so-called gunas. In addition to the three doshas (vata, pitta and kapha) that primarily determine our physical constitution, Ayurveda also recognises three energies that primarily influence the psychic qualities of the individual or the state of mind. These three energies or states are called sattva, rajas and tamas.
Guna rajas is characterised by energy, passion, restlessness, explosiveness, activity. Its opposite is guna tamas. Tamas means slowness, inactivity, passivity and laziness. Guna in balance is satva. It is characterised by intelligence, prudence, clarity, lucidity, composure and calmness.
Satvic energy is contained in freshly prepared, unprocessed and properly seasoned foods. A complete meal includes carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals in the form of vegetables. Satiety food ensures longevity, vitality, health and joy.
Rastastic foods are foods that are very or very. too spicy, hot, bitter, dry or salty, tempting or over-stimulating. Overconsumption of rajasic foods – just imagine the consequences of eating, for example, crisps or smoothies on a daily basis – can lead to mental and emotional imbalances and consequent sadness, anxiety or even illness.
But foods dominated by tamastic energy are fasted, processed and prepared in a hurry (think of fast food, for example). As such, they are difficult to digest and cause a heavy stomach.
So it’s no secret which foods will have the most beneficial effect on our well-being, health and consciousness, right? What I personally like about Ayurveda – even if it may sound a bit esoteric to some – is that it adapts to the time and place, and so in the case of diet it also encourages local, seasonal (at any given time and in our environment, for example, we can easily reach for cabbage, turnips, potatoes, buckwheat groats, apples, etc.) and as minimally processed as possible, which is also understood as pesticide-free.
Let’s not forget – ‘hygge’! 😀
So, as the Ayurvedic recommendations dictate, the basis of our diet should be fresh, properly combined, organic foods, full of sattvic energy. Rajastic foods in small quantities can also help (e.g. to achieve our goals), while a little tamastic food is appropriate when we need to bring more stability into our lives (or when we have too much rajasic energy).
And it’s worth adding that it’s absolutely worth ‘splashing out’ once in a while. If we smell chocolate, for example, we reach for it (still in moderation), if we ‘crave’ ice cream, we have it too – without beating ourselves up about it. Because if it remains an occasional vice, it won’t have any serious consequences (unless, of course, you’re diabetic, for example!), and the effect will be at most a feeling of ‘hygge’ or a sense of ‘being in the groove’. It will result in a greater sense of ‘hygge’, or ‘Danish Zen’, or, in our own words, inner warmth and contentment. Because we need that too! 😇 (The concept of hygge was introduced to us Slovenians last year by the ‘Danish happiness guru’ Meik Wiking, who visited Ljubljana and Lukovica at my invitation and with great pleasure..)
And why is it worth taking (at least a hint of) what is written into account? Because, as we said at the recent women’s meeting ‘Let’s Balance Life’, “food is consciousness”!
But with a healthy diet and only occasional (moderate) indulgences, beautiful skin will be a by-product, but it will certainly be a sign of a healthy mind in a healthy body. Oh, and external (skin) care will be just the icing on the cake! 😁
Sources:
Ayurveda – the complete guide to home pharmacy
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