Why one meal a day?

A place to discuss health and fitness, healthy diets. A fit body makes for a fit mind.
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Biija
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Re: I've tried, I've failed. / eating habit / health

Post by Biija »

Mkoll wrote: Guess all our bodies are different. I must be reaping the fruit (in this life) of not injuring living beings (in a previous life). But once I eat that good fruit, it's all gone. So I better go make more of it!
MN 135 wrote:"But then there is the case where a woman or man is not one who harms beings with his/her fists, with clods, with sticks, or with knives. Through having adopted & carried out such actions, on the break-up of the body, after death, he/she reappears in a good destination... If instead he/she comes to the human state, then he/she is healthy wherever reborn. This is the way leading to health: not to be one who harms beings with one's fists, with clods, with sticks, or with knives.
:jumping:
Yes, our body differs from one another. That's why the "middle way" differs from one person to another, too. In my understanding, with regard to physical limits, the condition of the body is intrinsically related to the "level of middle way" each person can reach. Both walk together. Does it make any sense?!
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Mkoll
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Re: I've tried, I've failed. / eating habit / health

Post by Mkoll »

Biija wrote:
Mkoll wrote: Guess all our bodies are different. I must be reaping the fruit (in this life) of not injuring living beings (in a previous life). But once I eat that good fruit, it's all gone. So I better go make more of it!
MN 135 wrote:"But then there is the case where a woman or man is not one who harms beings with his/her fists, with clods, with sticks, or with knives. Through having adopted & carried out such actions, on the break-up of the body, after death, he/she reappears in a good destination... If instead he/she comes to the human state, then he/she is healthy wherever reborn. This is the way leading to health: not to be one who harms beings with one's fists, with clods, with sticks, or with knives.
:jumping:
Yes, our body differs from one another. That's why the "middle way" differs from one person to another, too. In my understanding, with regard to physical limits, the condition of the body is intrinsically related to the "level of middle way" each person can reach. Both walk together. Does it make any sense?!
Yes it does. And put quite poetically to boot! :smile:
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
alan
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Re: I've tried, I've failed. / eating habit / health

Post by alan »

Tried to create a home monastery. I'm up at 4, out to the beach for some walking meditation just after 5, when there is barely enough light enough to see. Might even take a picture, if the sunrise is nice. Breakfast comes at 8:30 or so, and after exercise and Yoga lunch at 11. Light meal again in the afternoon. So you see, I'm not asking for much.
Here's my latest sunrise post, just for fun.
https://www.facebook.com/CoastalPhotogr ... =1&theater
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TheNoBSBuddhist
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Re: I've tried, I've failed. / eating habit / health

Post by TheNoBSBuddhist »

When it comes to the evening meal, try saying "no thanks". You may not be 'asking much' but it seems 'your requirements' are supplied to you without any personal sacrifice or restraint.
This is the whole measure of renunciation. Understanding that if you dedicate your life to a particular calling, you have to take it as it comes.
I know many nuns and not a few priests within the Catholic faith. Many of them had to renounce much of what the non-ordained took for granted, and enjoyed freely. Rather like being able to eat what they wanted, when they wanted, for example....Some found the going very difficult, until they managed to integrate it into their practice - as part of their practice.
It's something you become accustomed to. It's part of personal discipline. It's all a measure of how you face aspects of devotion.
You are doing what you want, when you want, because you feel it's what you want to do. So it's actually no discipline at all. It's a self-imposed regime you feel perhaps proves.... what? That you can get up early?

What a wonderful ambience you have.... a beach... when no two days are ever the same, when the land and sky-scape play together to give you a different picture from moment to moment. Some might say that is a sheer joy to rise to. Most of us have brick buildings, traffic, dust and noise.
Would you be so ready to ensure you awaken at 4am then? I wonder.

I didn't bother looking at your blog post. That's not instruction, that's just gloating.
So you see, you have a very easy life, set out according to your own dictates.

Big deal.
:namaste:

You will not be punished FOR your 'emotions'; you will be punished BY your 'emotions'.



Image

Pay attention, simplify, and (Meditation instruction in a nutshell) "Mind - the Gap."
‘Absit invidia verbo’ - may ill-will be absent from the word. And mindful of that, if I don't respond, this may be why....
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Anagarika
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Re: I've tried, I've failed. / eating habit / health

Post by Anagarika »

Yes, but, NoBS....at least Alan as a layperson has established some level of mindfulness of the practice. His 'monastery' life may not be entirely ascetic, but the Buddha did not call lay people to a life of asceticism, and I always congratulate anyone that tries to embrace the Dhamma and live a life mindful of how they live, how they practice, etc. By living on a Florida beach part time and in Asia part time, and practicing yoga during the day, Alan's just living the life that I have planned for my next life, assuming I'm not reborn as a mollusk. :) If Alan is mindful of his life, embraces the Dhamma in his life, and is just simply kind to others, then in my view, that is a big deal. All of us, whether living on beaches or living in dirty, noisy, angry cities, must put this Dhamma into play in our lives as each of us sees fit.
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TheNoBSBuddhist
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Re: I've tried, I've failed. / eating habit / health

Post by TheNoBSBuddhist »

That wasn't my point, but I will let it lie.
:namaste:

You will not be punished FOR your 'emotions'; you will be punished BY your 'emotions'.



Image

Pay attention, simplify, and (Meditation instruction in a nutshell) "Mind - the Gap."
‘Absit invidia verbo’ - may ill-will be absent from the word. And mindful of that, if I don't respond, this may be why....
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Biija
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Re: I've tried, I've failed. / eating habit / health

Post by Biija »

I've edited this message. Only one person has answered through PM and I already know what to do. Anyway. Thanks again! Case closed!
:anjali:
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Valujira
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Re: I've tried, I've failed. / eating habit / health

Post by Valujira »

Biija wrote:I've edited this message. Only one person has answered through PM and I already know what to do. Anyway. Thanks again! Case closed!
:anjali:
My friend, where did you ordinate? What the monastery's name?
:anjali:
All beings, be happy! :hug:
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Biija
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Re: I've tried, I've failed. / eating habit / health

Post by Biija »

Valujira wrote: My friend, where did you ordinate? What the monastery's name?
:anjali:
Hello, friend. I suggest reading the thread again. I didn't ordain.
I hope I don't sound rude.
:anjali:
denise
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Re: One meal a day... at night?

Post by denise »

your body will show you and tell you what's going on with what you eat and drink.... :popcorn:
Last edited by denise on Fri Oct 24, 2014 4:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Nicolas
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Re: One meal a day... at night?

Post by Nicolas »

kmath wrote:It's important to consider why monks only eat once a day. We're told it's so as to minimize strain on the lay people. If lay people are not supporting you, I don't see the rational for it.
Not only:
Kitagiri Sutta (MN 70) wrote: I abstain from the night-time meal. As I am abstaining from the night-time meal, I sense next-to-no illness, next-to-no affliction, lightness, strength, & a comfortable abiding. Come now. You too abstain from the night-time meal. As you are abstaining from the night-time meal, you, too, will sense next-to-no illness, next-to-no affliction, lightness, strength, & a comfortable abiding.
VVVK
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Re: One meal a day... at night?

Post by VVVK »

Please be careful with this sudden move changing food habbits in your life.

This eating pattern is for Bhikkus as I know because their life harmonizes with this type of eating habits. You need lot of training and discipline developed over a long period. This is why Bhikkus are ordained very young, sometimes 7 years of age. The human body is amazing and it will over the time will adjust.

Without this, suddenly switching to once a day eating habit could lead to troubles.

Today, it is a known factor that you are waving to diabetes if you delay or skip your breakfast. Long hours without food is leading to gastritis. So be careful.. eventually we need to be healthy for everything, according to Lord Buddha himself ‘health is wealth’.. Good luck!
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mikenz66
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Re: One meal a day... at night?

Post by mikenz66 »

I think you also have to look at the lifestyle that the eating is supporting. I have no problem switching to the Bhikkhu routine of two meals a day (breakfast and lunch) when on retreat. I generally have some fruit juice or similar in the afternoon/evening, so it's not as if my stomach gets really empty at any point.

However, that's on a retreat, where the day is spent doing walking and sitting meditation, not a normal working schedule. There's a big difference there in the demands on the body.

:anjali:
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SarathW
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Re: One meal a day... at night?

Post by SarathW »

Nicolas wrote:
kmath wrote:It's important to consider why monks only eat once a day. We're told it's so as to minimize strain on the lay people. If lay people are not supporting you, I don't see the rational for it.
Not only:
Kitagiri Sutta (MN 70) wrote: I abstain from the night-time meal. As I am abstaining from the night-time meal, I sense next-to-no illness, next-to-no affliction, lightness, strength, & a comfortable abiding. Come now. You too abstain from the night-time meal. As you are abstaining from the night-time meal, you, too, will sense next-to-no illness, next-to-no affliction, lightness, strength, & a comfortable abiding.
I think b

Does fasting build new neurons?

http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=16953&hilit

Eating after mid day.
http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f= ... t=+fasting
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Anagarika
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Re: One meal a day... at night?

Post by Anagarika »

My two cents. I have accepted the training rule to avoid eating after midday. I've found that with morning activity, it is good to have some food early in the day ( 6 am) and then the main meal at midday. For midday, I try to eat at or before 11am, as the solar noon varies through the year and in my region it is at around 1130 am this time of year. As it is a training rule, I try not to be neurotic about the timing, but if I'm close to 11 or 1130 am, I am at midday for most all of the solar sun calendar.

For me, it took some time to get my body accustomed to not eating in the evening, but for the limited permitted items. Once my body adjusted (and it helped to be in a wat for some time and going on almsrounds in the morning), in a non-wat environment the morning grains and later main meal works well. I prefer not sleeping on a full stomach, and when I have a sense of hunger at night, I am mindful of the role of food as to provide fuel for the functioning of the body, as well as mindful that there are many that go to sleep at night who have not eaten all day.

I hope to be fulltime in a Thai wat in later years, so being on this schedule of eating before midday makes sense as a training rule.

For a layperson, if eating one meal in the evening cultivated mindfulness of the limited role of food, and mindfulness of others' lack of food, and just a general renunciate sensibility, it seems like a very good idea.
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