Vegetarian Diet

"I have given you every herb-bearing seed, which is upon the face of the earth, and every tree,
in the which is the fruit of a tree-yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat"           Genesis 1:29

A vegetarian diet is absolutely essential if one is to truly follow the path of spirituality. The saints and mystics of past ages have preached a strict vegetarian diet for those who wish to pursue the path of self-knowledge and God-realization.

Pythagoras, the Greek Philosopher taught his disciples to follow a strict vegetarian diet. Prince Siddhartha, the Buddha, taught nonviolence and vegetarianism. Our beloved Jesus Christ taught universal love and compassion for all of God's creatures, which inveritably would have included a diet free of killing. Sufi and Sikh saints have preached vegetarianism as a path to the Light of God. The mystic tradition of many Eastern religions have clearly advocated a vegetarian lifestyle.

Many great thinkers of the ages have been vegetarians as well. Sir Isaac Newton, Leonardo da Vinci, Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein and many others adopted vegetarian diets, free from the karma of death.

God, in his infinite wisdom, has provided humanity with enough fruits, grains, herbs, nuts, and vegetables to maintain a balanced nutritional diet without the need to slaughter innocent life. The saints of all ages have recognized humanities need for nourishment, so they advocate a diet that causes the lest amount of pain and suffering.

Leading a spiritual life means having compassion and love for all of creation. Our diet should be a means to an end; a fundamental element of an enlightened philosophy. If we also abstain from alcohol, drugs and tobacco we will be able to maintain a healthier body and mind.

The mystics of the East have categorized food in the following manner:
      A) Pure foods - Beans, Fruits, Grains, Milk (butter, cheese & yogurt), Nuts and Vegetables.
      B) Energizing foods - Bitter herbs, Condiments, Pepper, Spices, and Sour foods.
      C) Stupefying foods - Alcoholic beverages, Eggs, Fish, Fowl, and Meat of any kind.


Sarmad, a Sufi mystic said: "The Light of Life, which is the essence of our Lord, lies dormant in the mineral world, lies in a dream-state in the vegetable world, is awakened in the animal world, and comes to full consciousness in man."

A Persian mystic, Sheikh Saadi advised us to divide our stomach into four parts: two for simple foods; one for water; and one part reserved for the Light and Spirit of God. The Prophet Mohammed instructed his congregation: "Always eat a little less than what one may, in his hunger, otherwise like to take."