I do not intend to turn my blogs into a scriptural forum, but as I focus on environment and health, the scriptures just cut right across. So, what to do? I shall take in few leads from the iso-upanisad to guide my discuss in the coming weeks.Yesterday was janmasthami and I fasted the whole day, in spite of 9 hour day work. My colleagues persuaded me to drink water which I objected to. This is not a strain on my body; it’s a fulfillment of my spirit. Tomorrow will come and I shall eat to my satisfaction.Food indulgence and the inability to restrain and skip a meal or two or even the 3-square meals in a day (I don’t know if that term 3-sq. exist anymore as people now eats and eats or 'snacking', as it is put now) is more or less the norm these days. But we all need a break, the eyes bleak, the sited stands, the standing sits, the computer reboots and the land is left to fallow... Thence why not the digestive system? An uncontrolled tongue or digestive system can put to compromise, the health and wellbeing of the individual and the planet at large. How? Because the individual is a microcosm of the planet. Here lies the recipe for a sustainable world. Need induced consumption should triumph over craving-induced consumption. Mantra 1 of the Iso-upanisad, states:"īśāvāsyam idaḿ sarvaḿ yat kiḿ ca jagatyāḿ jagat tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svit dhanam "Translations: "Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong"We can only take what is due for the maintenance of body and spirit, taking more means we're taking what is not officially given to us. So, someone who lives on 3 fingers of banana and a cup of milk for breakfast, 3 rotis and a bowl of dahl (beans) for lunch and a bowl of steamed vegetables for dinner can not be said to have taken too much. But when a Texas styled 4-bedroom house and a gas clunker is added to it, one definitely have taken more than s/he deserves. A sustainable world is hereby compromised, just by the action of one individual!It is hard to keep this craving induced consumption out of the way. But if we take lessons from inspirational texts as the Upanishads, we gain both understanding and strength to cut consumption to need induced level. This is the internal catalyst required to activate the reaction for a viable world. As a physician of my own body I shall write this prescription for myself. Anyone out there objects?
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