How many Bless their food?

[Ya Mu]

Was wondering how many of you bless their food before eating? And I don't equate blessing food as the same thing as the "giving thanks" as it is not. I'm referring to the true energetic cleaning and transmutation of the food before ingesting.

I ask because in the latest "meat thread" this was only brought up by a couple of people.

I think, with the unclean stuff they call food in the grocery stores that this technique should be utilized by everyone. Of course it is very difficult to do without an energetic base practice. Easy to do with proper energetics.

[Aetherous]

How long do you do it for?

[mwight]

I don't give thanks, but I ask for the forgiveness of the life that was taken so I could eat it. One thing since I was a child that has really really bothered me was the fact that everything I consume was slaughtered (even vegetables) just so I could eat it.

 

I know this sounds insane, but I view myself as a society of cells, and my consciousness / ego is the government. It seems as though I conquer other lesser societies and slaughter them to take their lives resources and integrate them into my being.

 

It all seems so wrong, I wish I could photosynthesize my own food sometimes, without killing anything to do it.

[Ya Mu]

How long do you do it for?

 

Doesn't take long. Depends on how clean it is. For instance, food picked fresh from a garden, washed and prepared by a cook who has love, will require not much if anything. Same food prepared by someone cussing, smoking a cigarette, or angry, will require a good bit more oomph to clean it. Bad food grown with pesticides and prepared by the 2nd example cook will require much more energy to clean it. The time required would depend on what level a person has reached with his qi and INTENT. Anywhere from a couple of seconds to several minutes.

 

I don't give thanks, but I ask for the forgiveness of the life that was taken so I could eat it. One thing since I was a child that has really really bothered me was the fact that everything I consume was slaughtered (even vegetables) just so I could eat it.

 

I know this sounds insane, but I view myself as a society of cells, and my consciousness / ego is the government. It seems as though I conquer other lesser societies and slaughter them to take their lives resources and integrate them into my being.

 

It all seems so wrong, I wish I could photosynthesize my own food sometimes, without killing anything to do it.

 

No more insane than any other model.

 

One thing I would suggest. Try growing a small garden. Till the soil. Plant the seeds. Project qi to the plants. Water and care for the plants. Say a prayer and harvest the plants. Prepare the food and enjoy. See if that process makes a difference in how you feel about it.

[doc benway]

I just eat...

I do often find it difficult to eat meat, however.

[shontonga]

Was wondering how many of you bless their food before eating? And I don't equate blessing food as the same thing as the "giving thanks" as it is not. I'm referring to the true energetic cleaning and transmutation of the food before ingesting.

I ask because in the latest "meat thread" this was only brought up by a couple of people.

I think, with the unclean stuff they call food in the grocery stores that this technique should be utilized by everyone. Of course it is very difficult to do without an energetic base practice. Easy to do with proper energetics.

 

 

 

Have gone through tough stuff with this body of mine at times

and that's just one of those things that makes a big difference.

 

Give thanks also but this is more like syncing things up somehow?

With the food and the body.

 

... seem to have to?

 

works well, don't think of weather to do it or not, just part of life.

[Ya Mu]

I just eat...

I do often find it difficult to eat meat, however.

 

Blessing the meat helps a lot.

 

 

Have gone through tough stuff with this body of mine at times

and that's just one of those things that makes a big difference.

 

Give thanks also but this is more like syncing things up somehow?

With the food and the body.

 

... seem to have to?

 

works well, don't think of weather to do it or not, just part of life.

 

Sure does make a big difference. I like your reference to syncing things up; it surely does.

[Taiji Bum]

I pray before my major meals in public and when I am alone.

 

"Bless this Our Lord and these Thy gifts which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ Our Lord, Amen."

[Ryan T.]

It all seems so wrong, I wish I could photosynthesize my own food sometimes, without killing anything to do it.

 

Why do we think that what we "call" photosynthesis is not killing? Or really I think it all comes down to energy transformation. Sometimes I think we just have to accept the limitations related to the fact that we are spirits having a physical experience. Our need to consume other stored energy sources is just part of those limitations. We eventually will be consumed in some shape or fashion.

 

I do quite well with what I eat. I have spent a large portion of my life dedicated to ethical food choices, both personally and professionally. This topic does make me realize that I have not been doing enough on the spiritual side of my diet. Along with greater gratitude I have also been focusing very intently on my internal economy to become more and more efficient with what I consume. I haven't really done any energy blessings/cleansing with my food but often I will pray over it. I believe that to hold a vast amount of energy blessing/cleansing though...so maybe I do!

 

And I do not draw an ethical line in the sand when it comes to fruits/vegetables vs. meat. All deserve our gratitude!

[Ya Mu]

I pray before my major meals in public and when I am alone.

 

"Bless this Our Lord and these Thy gifts which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ Our Lord, Amen."

 

Cool

But do you think that possibly we, as vibrant energy beings, should take responsibility for doing the actual act of blessing instead of asking the Lord to do it for us?

 

I haven't really done any energy blessings/cleansing with my food but often I will pray over it. I believe that to hold a vast amount of energy blessing/cleansing though...so maybe I do!

 

Prayer = casting of INTENT. So if done with the INTENT of cleaning the food, and you are an accomplished energy practitioner, then same thing.

[Ryan T.]

Prayer = casting of INTENT. So if done with the INTENT of cleaning the food, and you are an accomplished energy practitioner, then same thing.

 

How does one define oneself as an "accomplished" energy practitioner? Or is this one of those "if you have to ask" things?

[shontonga]

Cool

But do you think that possibly we, as vibrant energy beings, should take responsibility for doing the actual act of blessing instead of asking the Lord to do it for us?

 

 

Hmm?

Or is the Lord doing it through us so it's the same either way?

 

that might depend on each persons

personal relationship with the Lord (or the "divine"Name of choice)?

 

Some would argue.

Some would laugh.

and some smile and just continue on.

 

Chicken and the egg sorta thing

 

... Both should be blessed and thanked before being eaten!

 

Scrambled ... fried ...

[Ya Mu]

How does one define oneself as an "accomplished" energy practitioner? Or is this one of those "if you have to ask" things?

 

Ability to manipulate energy through time & effort energy practice.

 

Hmm?

 

that might depend on each persons

personal relationship with the Lord (or the "divine"Name of choice)?

 

 

++++

Same as saying accomplished energy practitioner.

[Vajrasattva]

Every time before i eat, while I eat & Chew, while I digest, & while I defecate. Cause even your "crap" becomes food/nectar for many beings in many realms and is nourishment for them and towards their "enlightenment". So it needs to be blessed and offered and energized.

 

: )

 

This is what is taught in Bon po, Native shamanism, Tantra & in Sufism. to keep constant prayer, awareness & Transmutation .

 

Peace & God Bless,

 

Santiago

Edited February 3, 2009 by Vajrasattva

[Taiji Bum]

Cool

But do you think that possibly we, as vibrant energy beings, should take responsibility for doing the actual act of blessing instead of asking the Lord to do it for us?

No. I recognize a higher power and enjoy the humility I cultivate when I am being grateful or asking "It" (God/Tao) for a blessing.

[Ya Mu]

Every time before i eat, while I eat & Chew, while I digest, & while I defecate. Cause even your "crap" becomes food/nectar for many beings in many realms and is nourishment for them and towards their "enlightenment". So it needs to be blessed and offered and energized.

 

: )

 

This is what is taught in Bon po, Tantra & in Sufism. to keep constant prayer, awareness & Transmutation .

 

Peace & God Bless,

 

Santiago

 

And I do peeing qigong as well

All this makes tremendous difference.

 

You are one of the only other folks on this forum that I have heard talking about this (from "meat thread"). I think we all should be aware of these things and more teachers should teach their qigong students this.

[shontonga]

Every time before i eat, while I eat & Chew, while I digest, & while I defecate. Cause even your "crap" becomes food/nectar for many beings in many realms and is nourishment for them and towards their "enlightenment". So it needs to be blessed and offered and energized.

 

: )

 

This is what is taught in Bon po, Tantra & in Sufism. to keep constant prayer, awareness & Transmutation .

 

Santiago

 

 

Lol, um? Lot of native stuff too

 

American and other indigenousness peoples

 

a key there is There is a humility to that too LOL

 

Shoot, not many talk of that aspect openly you know!

 

 

Peace kids

[Ya Mu]

No. I recognize a higher power and enjoy the humility I cultivate when I am being grateful or asking "It" (God/Tao) for a blessing.

 

So do you think only belief, humility and being grateful is required for an actual effect to occur on the food?

 

This has not been my experience. I am talking about being able to SEE and taste a difference in the food. I have watched many men of highly accomplished religion say the "blessing" at dinner but nothing happens to the food. My experience is that it takes energy and INTENT to actually manifest the cleaning.

[Taiji Bum]

So do you think only belief, humility and being grateful is required for an actual effect to occur on the food?

 

This has not been my experience. I am talking about being able to SEE and taste a difference in the food. I have watched many men of highly accomplished religion say the "blessing" at dinner but nothing happens to the food. My experience is that it takes energy and INTENT to actually manifest the cleaning.

I dont know what effect it has on my food but it has an effect on me when I ask for a blessing with gratitude. As a Christian I believe it when Jesus said "Its not what you put in your mouth that makes you unclean but what comes out of it". If I had a banana and I blessed it in Jesus Christs name everyday for a month straight, all I would get is a rotten banana and a lot of happy fruit flies. Like I said, when I bless something I am cultivating humility as an effect on myself, not my food.

[seadog]

Lol, um? Lot of native stuff too

 

American and other indigenousness peoples

 

a key there is There is a humility to that too LOL

 

Shoot, not many talk of that aspect openly you know!

 

 

Peace kids

Thats true.

If you have been truly hungry in your life,its humbling on lot of levels.

And you can't help but feel thankful any time you eat again.

No hocus pocus just down right respect and thankfulness.

[mwight]

[NeutralWire]

This is an interesting question. One of the first things Bardon teaches is to bless a meal and eat consciously, using it as a symbol for fortifying yourself with a virtue. In other words his idea is to use it for transformation.

 

A book recently came out called 'Self-Hypnosis Revolution' by a man named Forbes Robbins Blair -- who is also a practitioner. This expands the idea to include eating, drinking, walking, and any of about a hundred other daily activities. These can act as symbols for seeding your subconscious with self change. I mention that book because it really got results for me in terms of self-change, quick results. I've used it constantly over the last couple of months and I will probably do so for the rest of my life.

 

The principle comes from the author's experience in dream interpretation. If taking a shower in a dream can represent cleansing negativity, then taking a physical shower can represent the same thing in a conscious manner. This is what Bardonists use meals for -- it's a kind of 'prayer' to fortify oneself. I was very surprised how well this worked as I'd played in that area for ages. This skyrocketted the results.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Self-Hypnosis-Revolu...4008&sr=1-1

 

(Not a normal 'self-hypnosis' book since no trance is involved BTW).

 

All best wishes,

 

~NeutralWire~

[mat black]

Was wondering how many of you bless their food before eating? And I don't equate blessing food as the same thing as the "giving thanks" as it is not. I'm referring to the true energetic cleaning and transmutation of the food before ingesting.

I understand the difference you are pointing at, but I feel both are equally valid.

 

On the energetic/cleansing side, I say one of either:

 

- the great bright six syllable mantra

- Medicine Buddha mantra

- part/s of the Shurangama Mantra

- Buddha name

 

On the side of 'giving thanks' - I feel that it is very important, because even if the food has been energetically cleansed, without gratitiude on our part we are not trully understanding what it's about.

 

So I also say something along the lines of:

"May all people in the workd who are hungry soon be relieved of their hunger."

"thanks for this food, may this food help to sustain my body so that living in this body I may awaken to wisdom, compassion, virtue and understanding of the Way."

 

I also really respect what Darin said here:

Like I said, when I bless something I am cultivating humility as an effect on myself, not my food.

[Ya Mu]

One of the first things Bardon teaches is to bless a meal and eat consciously

As opposed to unconscious eating, which is what most people do. Shovel it down.

 

 

I understand the difference you are pointing at, but I feel both are equally valid.

...

I also really respect what Darin said here:

 

Both are valid but are two separate things. I also respect what Darin said about cultivation, but that is also a different thing than cleaning/transmuting the food. Cleaning is easy, transmutation requires more energy cultivation on the part of the practitioner.

 

My whole point is that this is a Taoist method that I believe all teachers of qigong should teach to their students and if anyone calls themselves a teacher of qigong and doesn't know how to do this I believe they should study more.

[Dainin]

"Earth, water, fire, air, and space combined to make this food.

 

Numberless beings gave their lives and labor that we may eat.

 

May we be nourished so that we may nourish life."