== WHY YOU OVEREAT ==
Namaskar,
Overeating is a common phenomenon around the globe. People even
consciously say to themselves, "Today I am not going to overeat", but
still they do it. Many of us do it. It is not an easy habit to overcome.
The problem is pervasive.
As we know modern medical science and our AM philosophy both state that
overeating invites various diseases and decreases the lifespan. That is
why in family life and the general society, people try to control their
eating.
Even then overeating was a problem in the past, is a problem at present
and most likely will be a problem in the future also. Let us see why.
HANGING ON TO THE WAYS OF OLD
Those primitive humans had little security in life. They lived moment to
moment - captive to the weather and harsh ways of nature - never knowing
when they would be able to find food again. Life was unsettled. So when
the opportunity came to eat, they would purposely eat extra food and
store excess food in the appendix and then regurgitate that food later
when they would feel hungry. Indeed nature supplied them with "a second
stomach" and with their mental force they could regurgitate that food.
Baba says, "Human beings used to have an appendix to their intestines
for accumulated or excess food. As it was needed this food would
stimulate salivation in the mouth and be fully eaten and digested. The
proper eating and digesting of the surplus food in the appendix is
called romanthana in Sanskrit and ja'bar ka't'a' in Bengali. In good
English we call it "rumination" and in spoken English "chewing the
cud"...As the certainty of food supplies gradually increased, the need
for a corporal appendix to the intestines lessened. Eventually there was
even not the slightest need for it. Today a small vestige of it remains
in the human body although it is no longer used in times of distress.
Human beings have lost the capacity to ruminate." (Varn'a Vijia'na, p.285)
For thousands of years then those primitive humans followed this path:
Eat extra (more than what can fit in the stomach) -> store excess food
in the appendix -> search for food -> encounter food scarcity -> use
mental force -> ultimately regurgitate food in the appendix -> chew and
swallow -> fully digest that food in the stomach.
That was a central pattern of life. It was how those early human beings
survived.
Most herbivore animals still do this type of thing.
So this manner of overeating is an old human trait. Actually in the days
of old, it was out of necessity and the excess food was stored. It was
not over-eating per se; it did not all go into the stomach. Today
however, all the food we eat does go into the stomach. In that case it
most definitely is overeating.
SOME THINGS HAVE CHANGED - SOME NOT
Nowadays, in many lands, people's lives are more settled. This applies
to food as well. People have kitchens, a stock of food, and cooking
facilities etc. In brief, we are able to plan our meals - we usually
know exactly when we are doing to eat next.
Because of all these modern developments, we have lost the power of
regurgitation. Our bodies can no longer do that. That is what Baba has
explained.
Baba says, "As the certainty of food supplies gradually increased, the
need for a corporal appendix to the intestines lessened. Eventually
there was even not the slightest need for it. Today a small vestige of
it remains in the human body although it is no longer used in times of
distress. Human beings have lost the capacity to ruminate." (VV)
Due to a distinct lack of use, slowly over time, the appendix has become
very small. And now if food gets in the appendix, it is serious problem.
One will be rushed to the hospital for an operation to have it removed.
Thus even though our bodies have changed a lot, still there is a
prevalent desire to eat to excess; it is common. So we should pay heed
to Baba's below mandates.
BABA'S RECIPE FOR HEALTHY EATING
As we all know, in His Yogic Treatments book, so many disease,
sicknesses and ailments are due to overeating.
Here is Baba's recipe for healthy eating habits.
Baba says, "For proper digestion, fill the stomach halfway with food,
one quarter with water, and leave one quarter full of air." (CC-3)
To do this, one must stop eating when one still feels a little hungry,
in the next few minutes a natural feeling of satiation will come. If
however, one eats till they are full, then that constitutes overeating
and within a short time after completing their meal they will feel
bloated, heavy, lethargic, and uncomfortable.
It is a very fine line between proper eating and overeating. The best
way to get success is to eat slowly, take limited portions, and be
mindful to stop eating when one is still a little hungry. If done
regularly, this will become your habit.
If one is not taking 1/2 belly, then that is overeating. And if one is
strict and eats only half-full, then that is proper. They will have
overcome the the primitive ways of old - i.e. eating excessively.
Even though we have lost the physical ability to ruminate, the psychic
tendency is present in the mind to eat more, even when we have had
enough. Still humans suffer from this weakness of mind. Not all, of
course, but many or most suffer in this way.
Overcoming this tendency of mind to eat more and more is not at all
easy, that is why many people regularly overeat.
It is an age-old human pattern. It particularly haunts those people who
are weak-minded or less developed human beings.
Another thing to keep in mind is that when eating roti or other dry
foods (chips, roasted grains and potatoes) and breads, then it is
imperative to drink lots of water in regulated quantities 1/2 hr after
eating. Because the body will need a lot of water to digest dry foods.
Whereas a soupy meal is comparatively easy to digest.
Also be be aware that for good digestion, the right nostril should be
dominant. Just before taking food, while eating, and up to an hour after
food. This alone will help eliminate so many stomach diseases. If anyone
does not know how to change he nostrils then write me back.
PRAMITA'HA'RA
In His discourses on the Seven Secrets of Success, Baba discusses point
#6, known has pramita'ha'ra. This is an essential aspect of human health
and is directly related with our food intake.
Baba says, "Pramita'ha'ra, that is, balanced diet, balanced food. You
must not take this much [stretches arms far apart], you should take this
much [holds hands closer together]." (AV-12)
Baba says, "The sixth factor is pramita'ha'rah. The sixth requisite
factor is balanced and substantial, sentient food. A voracious man can’t
attain success. A voracious man always suffers from so many stomach
diseases. So, you should [never] encourage voracity." (AV-14)
As sadhakas, we are to take Baba's teaching to heart. Even though we may
have strong psychic inclinations to eat more food than our body can
handle - due to our attachment to our primitive manners - we should take
proper effort to ensure that we do not fall prey to overeating.
BABA'S BLESSING
By Baba's grace He has blessed us with the ability to overcome all kinds
of complexes and bad habits. That is the life of a sadhaka - to struggle
and surge ahead.
We should make the body and mind sound by proper life habits and not
fall prey to materials indulgences and excesses. The latter happens
primarily when the mind is weak and engrossed in worldly desires.
By following the ways of pramita'ha'ra, then we will have succeeded in
overcoming one of the most common weaknesses in human life - i.e.
overeating.
Baba says, "Food should be substantial, though moderate in quantity.
This is pramita'ha'ra." (AV-23)
Namaskar,
Surya
Note 1: BEFORE EATING
The following are Baba's guidelines from Carycarya:
Baba says, "Before eating do vya'paka shaoca properly with cold water.
In an extremely cold climate use lukewarm water. The system is: Wash the
arms, the face, the legs, the neck and the genital organs. Then, keeping
the eyes wide open, hold a mouthful of water and gently splash the eyes
a minimum of twelve times."
"Before sitting down for a meal, invite whatever persons are present
around you and share your food with them. If they do not want to share,
enquire whether they have enough food with them or not."
"At the time of eating find a comfortable sitting position. It is better
to eat in company than to eat alone. Do not sit down to eat if you are
in an angry mood or in a debased frame of mind."
"If several people are eating together from the same plate, make sure
that sick persons do not take part. Otherwise healthy persons may become
infected. There is no harm, however, in eating together from the same
plate if there is no contagious disease among the participants. Rather,
this is a nice thing to see."
"It is good to take food when the main flow of breath is through the
right nostril. Even after meal, it is good if the flow of breath is
mainly through the right nostril and continues for some time, because
that is the time when the digestive glands start secreting a sufficient
quantity of fluids to help digestion."
"Eating when one is not hungry or only half-hungry is very harmful to
the health. So is eating rich food for days together or over-eating
tasty and sumptuous food out of greed, or not taking rest after the meal
before running off to the office, or filling the stomach with food. All
these habits are harmful to the health."
"(For proper digestion, fill the stomach halfway with food, one quarter
with water, and leave one quarter full of air.)"
"After finishing the evening meal take a short walk. This is very
beneficial to health." (CC-3)
Note 2: OTHER OLD HABITS
Overeating is not the only habit we carry over from earlier times. Here
are habits that stem from when we were monkeys.
Baba says, "Some of the old habits still continue. Humans today fight
among themselves in the same manner as monkeys do. While fighting a
person cries, “Um, um” – this is a monkeys’ habit. Sometimes people not
only cry like this but bite with their teeth. This is also an old habit
of monkeys. Monkeys live in trees...while fighting on the branch of a
tree monkeys have to catch hold of the branch strongly with their hands,
so that they do not fall down and die. Human beings fight in a similar
manner. They also grin and grimace. This is an old habit of monkeys." (AV-5)
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Six Tastes of the Tongue
Baba says, "The six tastes are: tikta – neem (bitter); katu – chilli
(hot and spicy); kas'ava – plantain (alkaline); lavan'a (salty); amala
(acidic); and madhu (sweet)." (IF)
Note: Not only are there six tastes in the human pallet but they should
be taken in a distinct order. Bitter taken in the beginning and sweet
taken in the end.
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