“Food should be eaten fresh. Food is not only physical substance but shakti, or energy, a manifestation of Consciousness in living beings [...] finally, although rajas and tamas are desirable in moderate amounts, the state of mind in which food is gathered, prepared and consumed should be sattvic. Because food is given by God to sustain life, one eats with gratitude, not fear or desire. See the body as a temple or an instrument of the Divine and treat it with great love and respect. If the ultimate purpose of life is the realization of the Self and meditation the means to it, then one‘s relationship to food is important because it directly affects the quality of the mind. (pp. 72-74)” VedantaVegetarian DietSpiritual Lifestyle Book:Meditation: Inquiry Into the Self Source: Meditation: Inquiry Into the Self