Right Eating

A surprisingly large portion of the Vinaya [monastic code]’s two hundred and fifty rules advocate a proper way to eat. “A lot of things are based on this idea of eating food properly,” the Tibetan teacher Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche taught his American students, “which is how to behave as a basically decent person.”  –Sandra Garson, "Food for Enlightenment" A Buddhist book often used for teaching.

The idea of right eating has been around for a long time.  However, for me, over the last several weeks, the need to eat the best food in the healthiest manner, has been pushing at me.  I want green, clean food.  I want food that is home made. And, I want food that boosts my immune system.  It feels that a strong immune system will be very important towards the end of 2011.

When I say I crave green – I am not saying that I will not eat meat.  I was reading a teaching about meat eating in Buddhism.  I’d like to share part of it with you.

In the days of the Buddha, the Buddhist monks wandered from village to village carrying minimum necessities, which included a begging bowl. They ate whatever food that was given to them, without preference and choice as a part of their effort to control greed and desires. Since choice meant desire, they shunned all preferences and choices in matters of living and practicing the Buddhist Dharma. The tolerated harsh conditions of life and accepted them as opportunities to practice the Eightfold Path. They observed the same discipline in matters of eating food. When they passed through a village and if someone offered them meat, they ate it dispassionately, without craving or contempt. 

The essential practice of Buddhism, which was based on the Four Noble Truth and The Eightfold Path precluded any possibility of seeking and desiring on the part of the monks. The teachings of the Buddha encouraged them to overcome their desires and live unconditionally with an ethical bent of mind. Thus there were no restrictions on meat eating in the early days of Buddhism. This practice continues till today in many schools of Buddhism. For the followers of the Buddha, right resolve or right intention is more important than the superficial display of morality, which is defined as "resolved on renunciation, on freedom from ill-will and on harmlessness.  

- from a teaching by Jayarm V

Everyone gets to make up their own mind about what they eat and how they eat it.  I believe that decision should come from the heart, not because someone says so.

May you choose what is right for you and may you allow others the same right.

Many blessings,

Judy

Is There A Right Choice?

                         

Poster comes from an email from a friend

Several days ago, a friend and I were talking about how one can know if they are making the right choice.  Her opinion was that if it moves you forward, then it is the correct choice.  I did not disagree with her.

However, later, as I thought about it, I think that there are many factors to making a right choice.  For me, if a choice feels right and resonates through my heart, then it is the right choice for me.  Granted, it may not be the right choice for someone else.  

One of the easiest, safest places for me to make my choices is out on a walk in the forest in the park or in the mountains.  Nature provides a balanced, neutral space for us to unravel our inner thoughts and to focus on a particular point without pressure.  

I also think there are degrees of choices that warrant more consideration than others.  For example, the choice of whether I have oatmeal or eggs for breakfast is a very simple choice and does not affect world peace.  Other choices like whether to take a plane or drive to a far off destination has more impact on everyone.  Similarly, the choice about whether to support one political party over the other, or whether to support the SPCA or not, can have consequences that you are not aware of.  Those choices may affect both humans and animals.  The choice to support or not, however, is not right or wrong because that judgement comes from outside.  Each choice that you make is right for you.

Many blessings,

Judy

Earthworm is A Caretaker - Spirit Animal

Earthworms are the caretakers of our flower beds and of our garden.  As Earthworms fascinate me, I thought I would share some of the information that I found about Earthworm on Wikipedia. 

“Worms can make gurgling noises underground when disturbed as a result of the worm moving through its lubricated tunnels. They also work as biological "pistons" forcing air through the tunnels as they move. Thus earthworm activity aerates and mixes the soil, and is constructive to mineralization and nutrient uptake by vegetation. 

Investigations in the US show that fresh earthworm casts are 5 times richer in available nitrogen, 7 times richer in available phosphates and 11 times richer in available potash than the surrounding upper 6 inches (150 mm) of soil. In conditions where there is plenty of available humus, the weight of casts produced may be greater than 4.5 kg (10 lb) per worm per year, in itself an indicator of why it pays the gardener or farmer to keep worm populations high.– from Wikipedia”

Earthworm, as you can see from the Wikipedia information, is a powerful caretaker of the soil, and therefore, of all of us on the planet.  Yet, Earthworm receives little credit for all that it does.  The Earthworm, who never asks for anything in all of the legends, is now asking for your help.

• When you see a stranded Earthworm –  on pavement or a sidewalk, and if it is possible, put them back on the soil. 
• If you have no Earthworms in your flower beds or in your garden, get some.  Get them from a neighbour or from a green house. 
• Send a blessing to Earthworm for all that it does.

Many blessings,

Judy