Do you abstain from meat? If so, why? Is it to help your Reiki practice? Or, to help you spiritually?

While the exact nature of why the Buddha died is a matter of debate, what is clear is that he was eating Sukaramaddava, which translates as 'soft pork'. So, the Buddha wasn't a veggie. Didn't seem to hamper him any.

If i'm honest, the idea of being veggie in spirituality, seems just right. Except, i personally am not Veggie, haha! How's that for hypocrisy!

Any views on this? any yes, feel free to discuss how much a hypocrite i am, haha!

warmest wishes
wayne

Hi Wayne,

I have wondered about this too. My M.D. (studies reiki, yoga, meditation and has a degree in chineese medicine), explained to me thats it`s not the meat...what is important is to eat as much freshly harvested produce...stuff that has much living matter in it when it`s consumed. Live food...well I`m sure one can see the connection energetically...

Jim

During the 1990's when I practiced Zen Buddhism I was a vegetarian out of moral reasons, and by 1999 returned to the meat-eaters way of life. That continued a few years until I read the books Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan and The China Study by Drs. Campbell (a father and son team).

Those two books gave me the incentive I needed to gradually transform to a vegetarian, almost vegan lifestyle until 2008. I would only rarely eat meat on the occasions I went out to eat, and even then I would not consume the entire portion served.

During 2008 I became involved in social clubs that had regular meals together, and avoiding meat was just impossible if I wanted to eat with others. I struggled during 2008 to maintain my diet as much as possible and that struggle continued until about mid-way through 2009 when I finally gave up and started to eat the entire portion served.

I only ate meat when I would go out (sometimes 3-4 times per week) until last June when Bayardo moved in with me. His diet was strictly meat & carbs, only lightly flavored with a tomato or onion. I decided to eat his way and since then, have gained about 25 pounds.

I felt infinitely better on a largely vegetarian/vegan diet than I do now.

When you know you are doing your very best within the circumstances of your existence, applaud yourself! - Rusty Berkus

Due to family economics I rarely had meat.
On Friday's we eat the cheapest cut of
white fish. I remember my father saying
"eating fish on Friday was no big deal
for our family"

As I advanced into adult-hood earning a
paycheck, I could afford more "Luxury"
foods such as meat & chicken.

It was during my self-healing journey
that I re-evaluated my eating patterns
and chose not to eat meat & dairy products
because they contained hormones/antibiotics.

I eat raw/cooked veggies,fish,chicken,no
red meat. I shop cautiously reading labels
avoiding hydrodgonated oils now listed
as "interesterified" I use stevia instead
of sugar, avoid anything labeled "diet".

We are part of and depend on the Web Of life.

Hi i am a reiki master and i am a spiritual devotee of god.
And i belive eating meat causes Anger. All these spiritual souls people seem to eat,And as for Buddha he was a vegetarian,he was on this earth to teach us nonviolence(ahimsa) vedic scriptures.
Reiki Blessings

Hi Michele, Welcome to the Reiki Learning Lounge

Michele said:
Hi i am a reiki master and i am a spiritual devotee of god.
And i belive eating meat causes Anger. All these spiritual souls people seem to eat,And as for Buddha he was a vegetarian,he was on this earth to teach us nonviolence(ahimsa) vedic scriptures.
Reiki Blessings

Are you refering to red meats only?

Bridget

michele wrote:Hi i am a reiki master and i am a spiritual devotee of god.
And i belive eating meat causes Anger. All these spiritual souls people seem to eat,And as for Buddha he was a vegetarian,he was on this earth to teach us nonviolence(ahimsa) vedic scriptures.
Reiki Blessings

Hi Michele

Welcome to the Reiki Learning Lounge.

I acknowledge your belief that eating meat causes Anger - if you believe that then it probably will! However, I must challenge your statement that Buddha was a vegetarian - he wasn't and vegetarianism was not actually part of his original teachings:

Dharma Data: Vegetarianism


There are differences of opinion between Buddhists on this issue so we will attempt to present the arguments of those who believe that vegetarianism is necessary for Buddhists and those who do not. Vegetarianism was not a part of the early Buddhist tradition and the Buddha himself was not a vegetarian. The Buddha got his food either by going on alms rounds or by being invited to the houses of his supporters and in both cases he ate what he was given. Before his enlightenment he had experimented with various diets including a meatless diet, but he eventually abandoned them believing that they did not contribute to spiritual development


http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/dharmadata/fdd21.htm

I believe that moderation (i.e. not excess) in the various things we eat is more important than avoiding certain things completely. It is important to maintain a healthy balance.

Now avoiding certain foods because of the way they have been grown, reared or killed (pesticides, hormones, terrible living conditions or inhumane slaughter etc.) - that is a different ball game.

There are tales that tribes believed
if they eat bear ect; that they would
be strong and take on the qualities
of that animal. They hunted,killed &
then enjoyed eating the animal making
use of all parts.

Mindful eating today is important. Being
aware of how the food is grown,trucked,
stored in warehouses,sold in the store and
makes it's way to your kitchen table. Then
we give thanks for our food like Thich Nhat
Hanh does in Plum Village. The whole universe
comes to our tables.

Hi all:o)

I have tried being a vegetarian, but I can feel that my body do want meat.

I don't eat it every, some times only once a week and when I do, I make sure that it is an animal, that has had a good natural "organic" life. (I don't know if that is good english, but I hope you understand:o)
So I don't eat meat with hormones and antibiotics and all that.
And I can feel and taste the difference in my body, regarding the animals life.

I can also feel the difference in vegetables. I eat alotof organic fresh food and when I eat out, I can feel and taste the difference.

Here's an interesting articel I hope you will read: http://www.relfe.com/health_benefits_of_garlic.html

That to I could feel, before I knew anything about it..

We can also bless our food
using Reiki symbols

It's imporant that we learn about
alkalize/acidic challenges to our
bodies after eating certain foods.
We want to avoid acidic foods that
creates inflammation causing the
dis-eases mentioned below.

PH Miracle : Robert O Young.

How can you tell if your body is acidic? Your body may warn you by developing symptoms such as allergies, fatigue, acne, arthritis, asthma, foot fungus, restlessness, insomnia, boils, bronchitis, itchy skin, cancers, frequent colds and flu, diarrhea, constipation and even eczema. You may want to test your saliva with Litmus pH testers. The pH of your body may fluctuate from hour to hour and day to day, any test is a general guide. You may think that your body pH levels are great, with no need to take action. Remember prevention is far better than any cure,

Milarepa wrote:...While the exact nature of why the Buddha died is a matter of debate, what is clear is that he was eating Sukaramaddava, which translates as 'soft pork'. So, the Buddha wasn't a veggie.

The way I heard it, Gautama was a vegetarian, then one day he decided to eat some pork, and it stuck in his throat, and he choked to death.

And so, the moral of the story is ...



If you've been a vegetarian for years and decide to start eating meat again, chew your food properly and swallow carefully!





According to Hawayo Takata:

"In the Reiki health treatments, we are vegetarians, and eat all kinds of fruits in season."

(Though apparently she did enjoy Devilled Kidneys from time to time)

Rlei_ki wrote:

Milarepa wrote:...While the exact nature of why the Buddha died is a matter of debate, what is clear is that he was eating Sukaramaddava, which translates as 'soft pork'. So, the Buddha wasn't a veggie.

The way I heard it, Gautama was a vegetarian, then one day he decided to eat some pork, and it stuck in his throat, and he choked to death.

And so, the moral of the story is ...



If you've been a vegetarian for years and decide to start eating meat again, chew your food properly and swallow carefully!





According to Hawayo Takata:

"In the Reiki health treatments, we are vegetarians, and eat all kinds of fruits in season."

(Though apparently she did enjoy Devilled Kidneys from time to time)

List of CD tracks from "mindful eating"

Mindful eating meditations
ask the body what it needs
who is hungry in there?examining the 7 hungers
food mood
slow it down (put down the fork & spoon)
taking in the right amounts
loving kindness towards the body
a basic body scan
mindfulness meditation on the body with gratitude
look deeply ino our food
experiencing emptiness in the body/mind
bonus track,tongue practice

Rlei_ki wrote:
According to Hawayo Takata:

"In the Reiki health treatments, we are vegetarians, and eat all kinds of fruits in season."

(Though apparently she did enjoy Devilled Kidneys from time to time)

Also, according to an interview/article (Reiki - Japanese method of healing could spark public interest similar to Chinese acupuncture) that appeared in a Chicago newspaper in 1974:

When Mrs. Takata or those trained by her heal, they give advice on diet. It is simple and sensible: never eat when worried or upset and choose fruits and vegetables. However, everything is allowed, including meat and liquors. Moderation in all is the rule. “We must have health and happiness in this world so we can fulfill the purpose for which we came. Good sense and Reiki energy make this possible,” assures Mrs. Takata.

Helen Haberly states that Takata's
favorite home remedy was a mixture of
fresh veggies-water cress,beets,carrots,
& celery. She recommended this juice to
others as an excellent blood builder which
energized the whole body

Hi there,
Yes, the above receipe sounds alot like the REiki-slaw one I have.

I became a vegetarian around the same time I got into Reiki. My reason was not necessarily a spiritual or animal rights one, my father was diagnosed with colon polyps and the medical community feels I could be at risk. So I quit meat - cold turkey. (yes, pun intended)

Does being vegetarian make you more spiritual? I'm not sure. I think Doreen Virtue wrote a book saying that you would hold more light or something like that.
I think this thought goes along with the one that a practitioner who is a 'lightworker' needs to wear white.
It is personal preference, if your belief system feels that it is necessary then do so if not enjoy the abundance available to you. (within moderation of course)