Veg and non-veg

H.H.Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi has spoken many times throughout the world about balance in food consumption, and about vegetarianism. What follows here is a selection of comments given in India and in western countries.

We are Sahaja Yogis and we understand the balance. Of course I always say that Westerners for example, maybe Australians also, should take more to carbohydrates because they eat lot of meat, so they can take to carbohydrates, but that doesn’t mean vegetarianism by any chance. I mean, to compensate. And in India I always say they must take to more meats, it will do them good. But then by no means I say that you just eat meat and nothing else. But a balance has to be found out, and once you strike it then you’ll be surprised that you’ll feel so relaxed, so much better, so much enlightened and the vibrations will flow much better than normally.
(Shri Mahavira Puja, Western Australia, 28/3/91)

Now I’ll touch a point which is very important today for you people to understand about non-vegetarianism and vegetarianism. Because this subject I wanted to handle, because if they are vegetarians they can’t bear to see that Mother says it doesn't matter if you are a non-vegetarian, because it doesn’t go against your awareness. It does not. But drinking does. Drinking does go against your awareness. But not eating meat or not eating meat. But one has to understand. Now somebody told me that in Gita it is written that those who eat meat are Tamo Gunis. I am surprised at Gita itself. Because Shri Krishna Himself in the very beginning, has told Arjuna that you should go all out to kill all these people, even your relations, kill, actually kill human beings. Your relations and your guru also is to be killed, because I have already killed. Nothing is going to be killed by you because they are already killed. And He gives so many explanations that it should not be done, but He said, “No, I tell you, you have to go and kill. Surrender yourself to Me and I'll take care of them.” So how did He preach this, I just don’t understand, in Gita.
Now this seems to be a new introduction that the people who eat (meat) are Tamo Gunis. They are not, they are never. They are Rajo Gunis. If you eat meat you become Rajo Gunis not Tamo Gunis. Tamo Gunis are the people who eat carbohydrates, we have seen it in Sahaja Yoga. We have two types of diseases, one is lethargic organs and one is active organs. So those who are lethargic having too much carbohydrates and those who are overactive are having too much proteins in them. I mean if you take proteins, in the science, scientifically, will you become lethargic? I mean ask any doctor. And then the doctor says Gita is all humbug because it doesn't understand what it is saying. And while you say like this that “We must follow Gita.” I think somebody has gone wrong there and has written something wrong in Gita as they have written in Bible, they have written in every book.
(Talk on Nabhi Chakra, Delhi, 31/1/83)

Question: Regarding movements like vegetarianism, is there a rule how we should eat?
Shri Mataji: No, in Sahaja Yoga you have to eat a balanced diet. Supposing you are a right-sided person, then you must take to vegetarian food more. If you are a left-sided person then you have to take to more right-sided food. It is a very balanced, open, fair understanding of the whole thing. It’s not hard and fast rule for something.

Question: Are there no limitations to eat animals in Sahaja Yoga?
Shri Mataji: No, only thing you yourself will judge, you will know what problems you have and accordingly you will eat your food.
(Public Program, Audimax University, Vienna, Austria, 12/10/87)

Question: Is it important to be a vegetarian, Mother?
Shri Mataji: Not at all. You see, in Sahaja Yoga we don’t eat animals which are bigger than us and you need not eat animals in case you are a person who requires more vegetables. So depends on your constitution. Now supposing a person who is vegetarian and gets diarrhea, he should stop. I’m not a vegetarian.
(Public Program, Holland Park School, London, 27/9/2000)

Then another sort of things starts, “Let us be vegetarians.” This is another madness. It’s all right if you don’t feel like eating; don’t eat. But these things are not important. The way we become vegetarians, you see. Am I going to give realization to chickens? You have to be human beings. And they are the most important thing.
(Talk, Bristol, England, 9/7/80)

Question: I’d like to know if Mother is a vegetarian.
Shri Mataji: No, not at all. So, supposing I was Kali once upon a time, I had to drink the blood of these horrible devils. How could I be a vegetarian? Krishna was not a vegetarian, Rama was not a vegetarian. Don’t become vegetarians, I cannot save chickens and I cannot give them Realization. That doesn’t mean that you all the time eat meat, meat, meat. Also doesn’t mean all the time think of food. You see, I’m not bothered what I eat. If you ask me what I ate in the morning, I don’t know. There’s no fuss about food. I’m not a vegetarian. How could I be? Hindu Indians know that, that Mother can’t be a vegetarian. Krishna could not be because He had to kill so many people. And you should not be. By becoming vegetarian you won’t reach to God, I can tell you. On the contrary, you catch on the left Nabhi if you become these horrible vegetarians like the Jains we have in India. Jains, have you heard about them, Jains? They try to save even the mosquitoes and the bugs. Now, I can’t do, I can’t do anything about mosquitoes and bugs.
(Public Program, Houston, Texas, USA, 6/10/81)

Now the first one [question] is about vegetarianism, somebody’s asked. Who has asked about vegetarianism? Raise your hand. Ah, you, all right. Now, I said that there should be, there is no question of vegetarianism; whether you are a vegetarian or not makes no difference to your meditation. But for people, you see, the food is only important because, supposing you’re Chinese, you eat too much of fish and all that. So to give it a balance, if you become a vegetarian more you’d be better.
It’s a question of balancing, but those people who eat too much of, say, vegetarian, like in India, they should take more to non-veg, or to proteins; it’s a question of carbohydrates and proteins, it’s not question of vegetarianism. Now to say that Buddha was vegetarian is not true; it’s false. Because how Buddha died, you know? Buddha died when he went to a disciple who had killed a wild boar, and the wild boar is allowed to leave for some time and then you should eat the meat. But he was in a hurry, so they didn’t do that and he ate it and he died.
(Talk to Sahaja Yogis in Hong Kong, 10/3/96)

That's why I say sometimes that the Western people should take to less of meat, especially the red meats and beefs, and horses, and dogs - and I don't know what else you eat.[LAUGHS] Take more to vegetarian food. I'm not saying vegetarianism, you understand that. Take more to things which do not give you so much heat in the body. Even fish is very [degrading?]. So take to a life which is in a way ascetic, but don't take to these horrible health foods also. I can't tolerate them I tell you. They're not meant for human beings, but for animals I think. They churn your stomach completely, and it's horrible. This Country Store thing I took once and I said, “had enough of it!” Country Store - the whole country went into my stomach. [LAUGHS]
(Talk to Sahaja yogis on Mooladhara Chakra, Birmingham, England, 4/4/85)