What is most precious about being human? Surely it is our consciousness, our ability to become aware of ourselves, our surroundings, and the purpose of our life.
There is much discussion on what is the healthiest diet for our bodies, but how can we eat to develop our consciousness? Which foods are going to help us, and which are going to hinder us?
Of the qualities we need to develop our consciousness, maybe the first is an inner calm, so we can listen to ourselves and the more subtle thoughts we receive, so what foods create inner calm? Animals are active, so eating meat, birds and fish create a more active energy within us – good if we want to be physically active, but too much can also make our emotions and minds overly active. And then there are the stimulants like sugar, caffeine and alcohol – too much of these and our minds race. The best foods for inner calm are whole plant foods, peaceful yet nourishing – grains, vegetables, beans, seeds etc.
Another quality we need is clarity, for which we need strong energy in our nervous systems, so which foods create strong thinking and clarity? The plant foods with the most energy are seeds, they are packed with the nutrients and Chi to create a whole new plant, so by eating seeds we pack our body and nervous systems with energy. The seeds we eat the most of are those of the grass family – cereal grains, so eating whole grains on a daily basis helps our clarity and consciousness. We can also regularly eat the seeds of legumes – beans, as well as the seeds of sunflowers, pumpkins, sesame etc.
And if we want to realise the ultimate truth of life, the wholeness and interconnectedness of everything, it helps to eat whole foods – brown rice, whole millet and quinoa, unpeeled carrots and root vegetables etc. When foods are highly processed they are divided up into many parts and they lose their integrity. Eat corn or oats rather than breakfast cereals, wholemeal bread, unadulterated vegetables, seeds and nuts. If we eat food with divided energy, so is ours, and our view of the world easily becomes divided.
Spiritual Eating
If we want to understand the teachings of the great spiritual teachers like Lao Tzu, Buddha, Jesus and Mohammed, it helps to eat the same foods as they ate – a simple plant-based diet.
Many people have found that changing to a plant-based diet primarily using whole foods not only creates better physical health but also the greatest emotional stability, mental clarity, and intuitive recognition of the reality of life.
Please come and check out our courses at the International Macrobiotic School to realise your potential for health and a deeper awareness of life – such as our 5 day Looking After Your Health course.
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