Does Eating Outside Effects One's Mind?

[jasdeepsingh2k125]

Waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh

Sangat ji daas was wondering if eating food made resturants or more precisely in hostel mess effects our Mann spiritually? What do u think?

[Mehtab Singh]

You might want to ask that question here: http://gurmatbibek.com/forum/list.php?3

[singh598]

Yes the saying goes Jaisa Ann Taisa Mann

Rehatnama says

Jeh Tah ka shakeh prashad so sikh nahe mera,

Aad Jugaad ja ki rehat na janieh, Gurmantr nahee cheet. Ta ka pojan kahe ke visreh har syu preet

[N1Y4NG]

Yes it does. This is why the Nihang Singhs in the Dal Panth only eat food that they prepare themselves, even the vegetables are planted and harvested by them. Each person carries an aura about them, and from the scale of Satogun to Tamogun, someone who is preparing outside food may be more inclined towards Tamogun which can affect spiritual growth.

[luckysingh99]

Yes it does. This is why the Nihang Singhs in the Dal Panth only eat food that they prepare themselves, even the vegetables are planted and harvested by them. Each person carries an aura about them, and from the scale of Satogun to Tamogun, someone who is preparing outside food may be more inclined towards Tamogun which can affect spiritual growth.

I totally agree with the above. :biggrin2:

This is the reason behind having bibek rehit.

Again, it goes back to having as much emphasis on sirgun and nirgun.

For eg, if you are purchasing food from outside like a restaurant, then you want to be assured that good physical hygiene was there.

You expect that everyone that prepared it used clean hands, clean utensils, and clean surfaces throughout the process.

We know with physical hygiene, one has to repeatedly wash at frequent intervals.

We know that just one thorough wash before work is not enough because in between the hands shall be used in bathroom, to scratch your nose, scratch arm, touching other foods and materials...etc..etc....

Therefore, the physical sargun washing and hygiene has to be maintained continuously.

This is all about physical-sargun cleanliness.

Now, what if we think about nirgun and inner cleanliness ?

Do you want the person involved with your food prep to have some inner rehit and be in some way spiritually clean ?

Those following bibek rehit have good reasons to be giving this nirgun and unseen cleanliness some regard.

Example....-

If you cook yourself, even something real simple, then you may have noticed that when you cook it at a steady, calm and relaxed mind pace with good inner feelings or intentions of love... then your simple dish comes out tasting delicious.

-we say that this was cooked with pyaar!

On the other hand, if you cooked it with exact same stuff in a huge un-calm, angry, vigorous and rough manner.... then it comes out tasting pretty bad and un-steady like the thoughts and intentions you had when cooking it !

-we say this wasn't cooked with any pyaar!

See what I mean.??

There must be some direction of positive and negative energies that has an influence in the food.

Or the nirgun attributes go on to affect the sargun attributes of the food itself.

Now, if you keep eating this same foods cooked with krodh and ill intentions, then surely these same attributes will affect you in some way as energies.

Having your food cooked by someone who is spiritually clean and has positive Godly intentions will affect your own absorption of the same highly positive energies from the food.

I don't keep any kind of bibek rehit, but I totally understand those that do..

Some sikhs see it as an extreme and prejudice issue because they claim that those practicing bibek look down at others and refuse to eat from others hands.... they see it as the old brahmnin 'untouchable' phenomena.....

But, If you understand the reason about inner cleanliness, then you may realize that there is some importance in this ''inner'' cleanliness.

Now, for the original question of affecting your own Mind........ then you can see......Yes, there can be some kind of negatives that affect our minds!

I know some of us don't have the choice and when I was a student, I ate out all the time as i rarely cooked.

So, what do we do if we a majboor and have to rely on restaurants and take outs ?

I would probably say and advise that you should do ardas and do an inner matha tek to waheguru to thank for the food you are eating for your own survival.

As long as our thoughts are with waheguru, when we begin to eat and are thankful, I personally feel OK.

Waheguru himself can baksh and bless all your requirements, be they food and drink.

Remember that Saas Graas means every breath and morsel of food we should dhyia (meditate/focus) his name.

[jasdeepsingh2k125]

So what can one do if he lives in a university and has to eat mess food?

Any suggestions?

[dasamdwar]

Do what's best in given situation and get on the right path when able "conquer within"

[luckysingh99]

So what can one do if he lives in a university and has to eat mess food?

Any suggestions?

I would probably say and advise that you should do ardas and do an inner matha tek to waheguru to thank for the food you are eating for your own survival.

As long as our thoughts are with waheguru, when we begin to eat and are thankful, I personally feel OK.

Waheguru himself can baksh and bless all your requirements, be they food and drink.

Remember that Saas Graas means every breath and morsel of food we should dhyia (meditate/focus) his name.

Build that layer of naam around yourself with simran.

When we soak the cotton in ghee and then ignite it.......only the ghee continues to burn but the cotton underneath and in the core remains untouched !

In the same way, naam can help build that layer of ghee, whilst you walk and eat through the fire of maya.