Recently I saw notes on a conversation with Brahmachari Satyanand, a student of the Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math who worked with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi for many years. This was notes from a personal conversation, so consider it paraphrased.
When asked about food, he said of course food is important because you are what you eat. But if you eat the wrong thing, in 2-3 days, it goes out of your system. [Assuming you largely eat appropriately.]
He pointed out there was a more important type of food that was not so easy to get out of your system: the food you eat through your senses.
What you hear and see, what you read, the television and movies you watch… these are a more subtle food: what your mind eats, digests, and assimilates.
The food of the mind becomes your subconscious conditioning. If it is negative, it can take years to release it. You may not even know it’s there.
[The impact will depend on how identified you are with this content and how you responded to it.]
But the most important type of food is the company you keep. Your friends [and family] have the biggest influence on your life.
In India we have a word: Satsang. Satsang means meeting in the company of the sages. Seeking the company of the enlightened.
If there is no enlightened one around, keep the company of other seekers.
Sage advice,
Davidya
Maharishi also said that as we evolve, more and more we’re able to extract
the rasayana value from any experience.
Yes, Share. We can digest the essence of whatever experience arises. Be it the essence of a food, of a learning, knowledge, perspective… this comes back to the laws of nature in play and our relationship with them. Harmonious and they can bring us their gifts.
Thanks for the mention.