Vegetarianism and Cultivation

[RiverSnake]

I recently decided to adopt a quasi vegetarian diet for a variety of reasons and I was wondering about some of the supposed benefits it has for cultivation? I have read that the practice makes your more sensitive to Chi? Has anyone experienced this....and are there any other benefits to it?

 

I have been only practicing it for a couple of days....I think it may also allow you to achieve deeper states in meditation but its still to early to tell. I would look to hear anyone's opinion on those whom have experience with the topic. I know people like to beat the morality drum a lot in regards to this topic....but I would like to keep this thread a purely about the cultivation benefits. Thanks for any feedback you can give.

 

My 2 cents, Peace

Edited July 19, 2013 by OldChi

[C T]

Best wishes on your new diet regime! I'd be interested to hear of your progress.

 

As for me, well, in the last couple of years the need for meat consumption have gradually decreased. Previously i would have to have meat at least once a day to function optimally, especially when i am working.

 

Im quite flexible now. If there is good meat (organic), i would eat some maybe once a week, if not, cheese, fruits, juices, salads, soups, rice and noodles with fragrant oils (with herbs and garlic) and sea vegetables would form my main diet. I would also tend to eat more seafood than red or white meat, just a preference i have had since young.

 

I am not a chi fan, so cant really say if there was a significant swing between then and now.

[Protector]

Allow me to direct you to the Meat Eating Thread

http://thetaobums.com/topic/22893-meat-eating-thread/

huh, I really like adding the worth 'thread' to the titles, don't I?

[RiverSnake]

Best wishes on your new diet regime! I'd be interested to hear of your progress.

 

As for me, well, in the last couple of years the need for meat consumption have gradually decreased. Previously i would have to have meat at least once a day to function optimally, especially when i am working.

 

Im quite flexible now. If there is good meat (organic), i would eat some maybe once a week, if not, cheese, fruits, juices, salads, soups, rice and noodles with fragrant oils (with herbs and garlic) and sea vegetables would form my main diet. I would also tend to eat more seafood than red or white meat, just a preference i have had since young.

 

I am not a chi fan, so cant really say if there was a significant swing between then and now.

It's interesting about the flexibility. Thanks, I may eat meat but probably very sparingly....once ever couple months....gonna consult a TCM guy in a week or 2. Edited July 20, 2013 by OldChi

[RiverSnake]

Thanks protector for the link to the mea eating thread.

[thelerner]

For those who are vegetarian or mostly vegetarian, how does milk and eggs fit into your picture? Do you think of it as meat and does it weigh you down in a similar fashion?

 

Thanks.

[RiverSnake]

For those who are vegetarian or mostly vegetarian, how does milk and eggs fit into your picture? Do you think of it as meat and does it weigh you down in a similar fashion?

 

Thanks.

IME, dairy is heavy on the digestive system. I need to eat it alone otherwise it doesn't get digested properly. I try not to eat eggs anymore....I get chest pains when I do. I don't think it's good for the heart.

 

 

My 2 cents, Peqce

Edited July 20, 2013 by OldChi

[RiverSnake]

It is said that being a vegetarian is out of great compassion for living beings. Honestly, if I haven't ate meat all my life and my body relies on it so much, I would've quit it. But I don't know right now. My body is being weird when I try to eat only vegetarian diets. Perhaps, it's because I don't buy vegetables from a farmer's market and cook it myself.

It's hard to get good quality food nowadays....whether your a vegetarian or a meat eater. Blessing the food helps to purify it a bit so it goes through your system more efficiently with less friction in the pipes.

 

My 2 cents, Peace

[Cookie Monster]

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Edited May 5, 2021 by Ocean Form

[Protector]

And it closes you up to energetic space that would be open if you ate meat.

[RiverSnake]

IME it does increase energy sensitivity yes.

I've heard it opens you up to work with energetic space that would be closed if you ate meat.

Interesting stuff. Thanks for sharing.

 

My 2 cents, Peace

[RiverSnake]

Been listening to the advice of other practitioners as well as reading about others experiences and have decided to include a little bit for meat in my diet. Gonna either have a small portion of meat every week or a large portion once a month....not sure but it does seem that for "long term" health meat is important in some ways and can also function as a tool to keep one grounded.

 

My 2 cents, Peace

[i am]

I think a lot depends.

 

I have a friend who stopped eating meat when he was a wilderness backcountry ranger. 8 day stints of backpacking in steep rugged mountains with a 4 foot saw, gear and food for 8 days. Hiking mountain passes, sawing trees out of the trail with the crosscut saw, doing general trail work.

 

He did it on grains, braggs, and some natural supplements like nutritional yeast and some super greens stuff.

 

He could out hike and out work pretty much all of us, even though he was at least 10 years older.

Edited July 25, 2013 by i am

[hotforest]

I think Osho has the best bit on the use of vegetarianism in spiritual development: http://www.osho.com/library/online-library-gratitude-buddha-vegetarian-ef67d5dc-fe2.aspx.

I think if one is adept enough in one's qigong/energy practice, lives in a good environment and is wise in lifestyle a vegetarian or vegan diet would be ideal, however for the majority of people vegetarianism or veganism is rather dangerous as it makes you much more prone to nutritional deficiencies and TCM doctors are often against it.

[thelerner]

Been listening to the advice of other practitioners as well as reading about others experiences and have decided to include a little bit for meat in my diet. Gonna either have a small portion of meat every week or a large portion once a month....not sure but it does seem that for "long term" health meat is important in some ways and can also function as a tool to keep one grounded.

 

The ability to keep an open mind and experiment in life is an awesome power.

[rene]

OldChi, hi, I can only share a small experience. Back when I was younger, I wanted to stop eating meat so I did the research first (to combine grains/legumes/etc to make complete proteins) and all went well. After about 6 months though... something didn't feel 'right' so I had a hamburger and before I had even finished eating it, my mind cleared and I realized that I had been slowly going into like a mental fog without realizing it. That meal was like pouring water on a bone-dry plant. lol Not saying it's like this for everyone, that's just my experience. Best of luck!

 

[Protector]

OldChi, hi, I can only share a small experience. Back when I was younger, I wanted to stop eating meat so I did the research first (to combine grains/legumes/etc to make complete proteins) and all went well. After about 6 months though... something didn't feel 'right' so I had a hamburger and before I had even finished eating it, my mind cleared and I realized that I had been slowly going into like a mental fog without realizing it. That meal was like pouring water on a bone-dry plant. lol Not saying it's like this for everyone, that's just my experience. Best of luck!

 

I ate a pizza with pepperoni beef and bacon, they call it Canadian pizza on the box

Felt like enlightenment right there

[thetaoiseasy]

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Edited March 24, 2014 by thetaoiseasy

[RiverSnake]

Rene, iamsam, Lerner, Rene,taoiseasy.....etc.....Thanks for all your advice gonna keep experimenting. I tend to have a watery body and live in a hot climate but also plan to move to colder areas in the future. Gonna see how my body reacts to this new way of living for several months and adjust accordingly. Much remains to be seen on my side of the fence.

 

My 2 cents, Peace

[i am]

I've been amazed at how little meat I eat lately. For a while I've thought "I'd like to eat less meat". But it was just over the last winter that it just kind of "happend".

 

I still eat more than I feel I need, just because I'm a little weak and don't feel like having to explain myself when I friend has me over for dinner and I don't eat the steak...or having to tell them I'm not eating much meat so please change the menu...

 

So at home I'm eating occasional fish and some eggs. Didn't shoot a deer last fall so I've had no red meat in my house for about a year. Haven't had store-bought red meat (or chicken or pork or turkey) in my house for over two years.

 

I was stressed when I didn't get a deer...because I've basically stopped buying anything but fish from the store, as far as meat. Wasn't sure what I was going to do...then I realized I was half way through the winter, still stressing about it, and oh...wait...I'm halfway through the winter and I'm fine! So what am I stressing about? Clearly I'm fine.

 

Depending on how often people have me over for dinner, I'm eating meat and fish probably 3-4 times a week. It would probably be more like twice a week if I only ate my own food. And there may come a day when I let my friends know I'm not eating meat.

 

It's just tough when you're only cutting back...it's like trying to cut back on drinking. If you just DON'T drink, you don't drink. Simple. But if you're "trying to cut back", you and your friends can find all sorts of excuses for you to have a beer, or have one more beer, or one more...

Edited July 26, 2013 by i am

[rene]

I like what thetaoiseasy said. Maybe better to let your body decide - rather than what your mind thinks it should or shouldn't do based on what you think you understand about this or that. Well, maybe that's not what he said, but that's what I heard him say. LOL

 

warm regards

[Aaron]

I don't believe a vegetarian diet is any healthier than a low carb diet involving mostly meat. In fact, if done right both can be extremely healthy alternatives to the high fat, high carb diet most Westerners live on these days. Personally I'm an agnostic, so when it comes to all this "cleanse the soul of evil meat" propaganda, I let it go in one ear out the other. If someone is really interested in eating a diet that is healthy, then the first thing they need to get rid of is genetically modified vegetables. If you're a vegetarian eating that crap, you might as well be injecting cancer directly into your body. (BTW nearly everything you're buying in your supermarkets, even Trader Joes, is GMO. If you want to get rid of it, start buying from local farms that are growing organic.)

 

Aaron

Edited July 27, 2013 by Aaron

[Aaron]

Watch this for more info.... and if an 11 year old can understand all of this, then why can't we?

 

[Songtsan]

I've been mostly vegetarian lately..what I do is take whey protein powder, drink shots of egg-whites from the carton, and I supplement with a good B-multi in addition to regular vitamins.

[RiverSnake]

1. Kale, Collards, Spinach, Broccoli, or any leafy greens.

2. Peanuts, Walnuts, Cashews -- nuts and seeds.

3. Non-processed Soy products, or Beans of any kind

4. Whole grains

5. And...Hamburgers

 

These are great foods for your practice. In general, these are very yang foods that can open up the upper body channels... except for the fifth item. So if you increase their consumption, learn how to center your energy as well! I encourage a balanced approach, independent of moral judgment if meat is good or bad. Appropriateness and health are most important.

Thanks for the updated list. I find it interesting that you describe beef as Yin. In TCM most meat is considered yang and Beef is neutral and vegetables are Yin. You looking at it from a Jing, Qi, Shen perspective?

 

My 2 cents, Peace

Edited July 28, 2013 by OldChi