Lets have some Christmas Pork..I think Not!
I was wondering the other day why it is that we Christians are the only monotheistic peoples to still eat ham. Muslims shun it as a dirty creature that will eat anything and thus we better not eat it and Jews also know from their holy texts that it is a forbidden food by God. Therefore, why, especially during our most sacred of holidays, the birth of Jesus on December 25th, do we consume our Christmas Ham?
My family as many other families throughout America and on other continents enjoy ham on Christmas and for some reason even as a kid I always despised it and preferred the chicken instead. However, I would never refuse one of my grandparent’s juicy pork chops thus my hands are not clean even as a vegetarian I would “take a break” when I went to their house. It is just too hard to resist. So I thought it would be no big deal to go the rest of my life without devouring this particular animal when I married a Muslim man. But, as the season rolls around I find myself reminiscing about this oh so traditional of holiday fare and I wonder why on earth if it is really as bad as they say it is on Christmas it remains a token item. I even remember fondly a Christmas we spent on the Hawaiian island of Maui in a lu'au where a whole pig was eaten having been cooked in an underground pit with wood and imu stones. So how did a ham on Christmas start?
According to Wikipedia:
The tradition is suggested to have begun among the Germanic peoples as a tribute to Freyr, a god in Germanic Paganism associated with boars, harvest and fertility. It was later popularized by the Catholic Church as a test of truthful conversion.
The Christmas ham is also called the Yule Ham coming from Yule-tide, the traditional nordic pagan winter festival that was absorbed into Christmas. They say a bull’s head on a platter was served at the banquet to ask the god Freyr, one of the most important pagan gods, to ring in a happy new year. Interesting. So eating Ham at Christmas has absolutely nothing to do with Jesus or even the Christmas holiday, it simply continued from a much older tradition and unless you are of Nordic, Celtic or Russian descent really is not a part of your cultural heritage at all.
Okay, so my family does have Germanic roots, specifically Norwegian and German, so perhaps it is a family thing. But everyone virtually eats this food: there are over three million recipes for the Christmas version alone on google. So, what gives?
Again, according to Wiki there is in fact one Christian sect, the Seventh-day Adventists who forbid pork consumption along with the dietary laws of Jews (kashrut) and Muslims (halal). I am currently eating halal but I don’t believe it differs from the restrictions for the Jews so the food is interchangeable.
From the Hebrew or Old Testament Bible it says:
Leviticus 11:7-8
And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcass shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.
From the Quran it says:
Surah 2:173
He hath only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that on which any other name hath been invoked besides that of Allah..
Also, pigs, like humans are omnivores and will eat indiscriminately. According to “The Genesis Diet” they can commonly carry up to 200 diseases and 18 species of parasites and worms, which cannot be detected. One of these is trichinosis, which mimics arthritis, rheumatism and typhoid fever. Approximately 10-20 percent of Americans suffer from trichinosis at some time and in which worms inbed themselves in the digestive tract and larvae and other parasites in the muscle tissue that cause a host of unexplained symptoms ranging from unexplained fatigue or muscle pains. These problems occur very seldom among Muslims and Jews. So why is pork not expressly forbidden in the Christian New Testament Bible?
It’s a good question. The Bible does forbid it in the Old Testament but Jesus doesn’t discuss it so it is okay? Would Jesus be alright with us celebrating him with it when it was once offered up to an idol on the same day? Would God who strictly said in the Old Testament that Pork is unclean change his mind? Here are a few verses that may help:
For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.
Timothy 4:4
But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
Romans 14:23
So I suppose we each have to look within our own consciousness on this one.
Spiritual Musings
I’ve been in Newcastle now for over a month and it is indeed a new life. I have new hobbies, friends and obsessions and a new view of myself. Last night, on a Friday, I went to the ISKCON Temple for a service. There we sat on mats Indian style and sang “Hare Krisna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Hare Hare..” Afterwards there was a brief sermon by the head yogi, an Aussie, and then a heated question and answer session that resulted in one potential convertee storming out and others errupting in hysterical chuckles as the questions became more and more dispersed, but the yogi continued to answer them directly and often quixotically. I went with two of my roommates, the first of which, a Geordie, abandoned us after ten minutes of chanting, which became too taxing for him.
I sat in stunned amusement throughout, mainly because I never realized that this was a proper religion with a strong emphasis on our conversion. They worship Krisna in the same manor as a Christian worships Jesus and it seemed like just another name for the same exact person. And I wondered how does one even choose between this dispora of religions that seem to all be grasping at you with their own promises and threats. I suppose I sound like I am bashing religion, but on the contrary, I think they can be very beneficial and I know I’ve borrowed many values from Christianity and others that have made my life more worthy to be lived. Without the knowledge that there is someone much greater than you that can be with you at all times, life loses its sanctity and becomes just a tedious burden. But I think we can also practice at anytime, anywhere with no restricitions, whatever we feel a higher calling to do and I dislike the enforced rules that religions can enforce. I suppose this is necessary at first, but essentially we must all gain our own self-control and sense of right and wrong, otherwise essential nature will take all possession of us and this is when we can commit any and all evils under the sun.
“But for one who takes pleasure in the self, whose human life is one of self-realization, and who is satisfied in the self only, fully satiated-for him there is no duty.” ~Bhagavad-Gita, Karma Yoga.
O Tara Tutare Ture Soha!
I have just completed a full week retreat up here in the mountains of the Alpujarras. The retreat was very interesting. We started at 7.30 with meditation and then 8.30 breakfast. A typical Spanish timetable I suppose. At 10.00 the teachings and then 12.00 more teachings and throughout the afternoon until 10.00 at night. So perhaps six hours a day plus an hour of questions and answers and chai tea and biscuits prepared by your chef. Besides that I spent about five hours a day in the kitchen. So you could say I only had time to sleep and do a bit of reading. I have been taking advantage of this time to the best of my ability. I am currently reading a book about the Yoga of dreams, the Tibeten way. In this type of practice you can live and do whatever you want in your sleep just as you do in your daily life, the difference starts to blur and really you can do more things in your dreams than you thought were possible in your life. You can learn things, conquer demons, travel to exotic places or whatever. Well I dont know if I will get to that level but we will see. Most of my dreams are intense and always have been, many fearful and I am often caught by someone chasing me. So I suppose these are karmically created, but last night I decided I was sick of hiding from whatever deranged squadron was searching for me and I changed myself and my friend into dragonflies and flew out the door right after they broke it down. Now these types of dreams are easier to be aware in and know that you are dreaming, what is really difficult is to lucidly dream and be fully aware in calm relaxing dreams that have more to do with reality but where we can really play with all the events and switch things around. What is real anyway? The first thing to do is to sleep on your side like the Buddha, with your hand under your head and relax!
Ramadan: Not Muslim, No Problem
Tomorrow morning officially begins the month of Ramadan, well here in the far east . This came to mind because one of my friends in the massage class is a Muslim from the Philippines. I don’t know much about this holiest of holidays in the Muslim calendar so I did some research and discovered that it involves not eating during daylight hours for not one or two, but 30 days. So since I started yoga I’ve realized the helpful benefits of fasting. Actually, you should go one full day every week without eating any whole foods in order to aid your body in relaxing its work load and just promote general health. It has traditionally been done in India, as many other things, for a couple thousand years.
So I’ve decided to take up this challenge and sustain from not only eating, but also committing any type of sin and also being more compassionate to my compatriots, during daylight hours, well, only for the former and for thirty days starting on the first. It is supposed to bring you closer to God (even though he is everywhere), but symbolical anyway and Ramadan translates as a scorching, I suppose of all impurities. Buddhist monks only eat two meals a day, one at dawn, the other before noon. Only beverages I believe are taken in the heat of the day. I don’t think we westerners fast enough, we are always too preoccupied with eating. And abstaining from our favourite activity is another way of gaining self control, which helps in every aspect of our progress up. Anyway, I do see some points where it may become difficult already. For example, when I’m working on an organic farm next week. Also, when I’m studying one of a variety of eastern arts. But, it is an experiment, even if it doesn’t work out, life is about gaining experiences right, why else would our omnipotent consciousnesses choose to enter an earthly body in the first place?
Jesus assumed that all of his followers would fast. On the mount, he advises us on the method:
“When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” Matthew 6:17-18.
Yes, I will have a nice Indian head massage and a herbal sauna and body scrub from my favorite sauna, Wild Rose. I’m still not convinced this will get me through the month, though.
Same Same, however different
This week I started studying Thai massage. It is really just lazy people’s yoga, for the receiver anyway. For me it’s also quite a workout as it involves pulling and lifting and squeezing the entire body down and up and around in a continuous rythm that can leave you breathless. It’s definitely important to remember to breath deeply. The breath, after all, is the source of our prana (life force). These healing arts are really quite fascinating. Maybe, as one of my good friends commented, we will actually have to rely on these traditional techniques in the near future. I think the world would be much better if we did return to the ancient arts. If we all could slow down and just relax with some herbal tea, massage each other in the evenings, practice energizing techniques like yoga or tai chi in the mornings instead of a quick coffee and speed drive to work. I suppose work will always remain. For most of us, our pilgrims or parents don’t serve us food as we pursue financially non-beneficial passions. So I may have to use massage to earn money, but I think it’s also not bad as a gift for others (and ourselves). In Ayurveda they recommend rubbing a little oil on one’s belly, the tip of the spine and feet before bed. It’s much better than any sleeping pill.
On the topic of medication, David is under the weather now. The doctors think he has gengea fever. He;s on some antibiotics but it has been luckily pretty mild. I went over and made him some healing tea with Indian Pennywort. I don’t know if that lowered the side effects but according to the doctors he should have a high fever and be bed ridden with internal bleeding and no appetite. Yet the next day he was riding around on his bike and doing yoga and only a bit tired and itchy, and VERY cranky. He’s just not much fun to be around right now and so I’ve been practicing being “ever the same” (see quote below). I think this is something I have trouble with because I’m always letting outside situations and people affect my mood. Ultimately, we should just be affected internally. We should be able to remain in a blissful state and endure even the worst hardships without complaint. I’m practicing taking deep breaths and meditating when I start to feel myself getting annoyed or upset. At the massage school, which doubles as a traditional medicine school (in Thai only) the students interviewed AIDS patients here in Chiang Mai who have been living healthily just on a vegetarian diet and meditation. No medication or anything else, and some were diagnosed twenty or more years ago. So one more point for meditation and for the inspiring words of a female spiritual leader. A little about the life of Anandamayi Ma (or Joy-Permeated Mother): she was married at thirteen, but like many mystics remained celebate. Her husband did try to seduce her, she was awe-inspiringly beautiful afterall, and his wife. But, the moment he touched her he was suddenly struck as if by lightining. He transformed at that moment and knent before her pleading for forgiveness. He eventally became her first and most devoted disciple and took initiation from her, accepting her as his guru and served her with the greatest respect and admiration. As he should, of course. So this answers the question, women are just as powerful spiritually as men and can take a dominant instead of always subsidiary role, even in a male-dominated country like India.
Besides inspiring devotion in men, she was known for her yogic powers and was able to read people’s thoughts from afar, drastically alter her body and cure the sick. She spent continuous days in Samadhi perform asanas sporadically and possessed a divine wisdom even though she was illiterate. If only I could cure the sick, maybe they would pay me a little respect.
“My consciousness has never associated itself with this temporary body. Before I came on this earth, Father, I was the same. As a little girl, I was the same. I grew into womanhood, but still I was the same. When the family in which I had been born made arrangements to have this body married, I was the same… And, Father, in front of you now, I am the same. Ever afterward, though the dance of creation change around me in the hall of eternity, I shall be the same.” -Anandamayi Ma (the great Indian mother/ mystic) to Sri Yogananda.
Purifying myself
This week I’ve practiced two internal cleansing techniques, that although aren’t very sexy, I might as well share since they will probably prove to be useful to someone.
Sanka Praksalana (or peeing out your butt)
From sanskrit it translates to ‘conch cleansing.’ It should be done at least once a year every year of your life, but preferably at the start of each season (in India there are six seasons so that makes every two months). It does the same thing as a colonic or enema, but it is completely natural and doesn’t involve over-stretching the large intestines by forcing water up through a tube. Instead, you drink large amounts of salty water and it goes down the stomach and intestines cleansing through all the crusty, molded, fermented “mucoid plaque” that we all collect through just living and which if left there spreads toxins through out the body causing all types of things ranging from premature aging, body odour or cancer. After performing this ancient Indian technique you will feel lighter, your skin will be radiant and pimples will vanish, it also helps you lose excess fat and countless other diseases are supposedly cured or prevented. The Hindu scriptures state: It is the best dhauti. He who practices it with care and ease purifies his body of all impurities and makes it radiant and godlike.” So here are the instructions. Make sure to do this on an empty stomach, best thing is in the morning:
- Heat up 6-8 litres of water and put one tablespoon of sea or rock salt per litre.
- Drink one 250 ml cup and then perform the following exercises under yoga. Do each of them four-eight times on each side.
- After six cups you should experience the “unleashing of the siphon.” Sometimes it may take three litres but be patient! Don’t be too rough on yourself. Continue taking one glass and then doing the exercises and squatting a lot as you begin running to the toilet. Keep in rhythm. At first it will be poop and then little pellets and then murky water and then continue until the water coming out is as clear as possible. Good luck!
- Oh, I almost forgot. The first meal is super important. It must come within 30 minutes to one hour of the last savoury cup. No less and no more. It must be well-boiled rice with at least 40 grams of butter or olive oil. After that you may not eat milk, yogurt, acidic food and drinks, raw fruits and vegies and cheeses for 24 hours. For a whole 48 hours afterward you cannot eat any spices besides salt, nor can you have any alcohol or meat for two days. Give it a go!
The other technique was called vamana dhauti. It involved less water but instead making your self puke until all the water (and the contents of your stomach) came back up. It didn’t work for me and I think this other method is more my style, I suppose. But, vamana dhauti is recommended in Indian hospitals for patients and also for yogis who perform it every morning for 49 days and then less frequently. Yes, the joys of salty water and toilets! A morning activity that makes going out to the bars the night before completely unnecessary.
Women in Buddhism
Dharma means the absolute truth. There’s a discussion every other week called just that. Last time we discussed women in Buddhism. They are not allowed to be monks. The leader of the group who was a man said it really turned him off Buddhism. They discussed this religion that seemed so exotic and appealing to westerners. But really, if you had a foreigner come to you telling you the wise philosophical teachings of Jesus for the first time without knowing the background of the religion and served it to us in in its purest form we would be like wow, this is amazing. It’s the same for Buddhism. I realized there’s really a vast difference between the religion and the essence of it.
In the true core of any religion there lies the means to reach enlightenment and salvation. Ramakrishna, the great pure-hearted Indian saint/mystic, tried Hinduism, Christianity and Islam and with each was able to reach nirvana. He reported that they were all equally useful for man’s spiritual progress. But, there is a truth further up the path..
For the Thai the country’s religion is something the young perceive as backward and sexist, whereas westerners come and are blown away by the simple beauty of meditation, the teachings of the Buddha. The temple is full of old women with hymnal serving subordinate roles, mainly cooking food for the monks who have all the access to the teachings, which they are denied. I saw it myself here.
Similarly, our views of ourselves are grossly distorted. We have all the acquired impurities and life experiences that have served to shield our eyes from the reality of our own individual essence.We are in fact completely pure and all-powerful, but it’s one of the best-kept secrets.
Vivekananda:
“Believe in the possibility of everybody, even in the lowest man, having in himself the same possibility as in the Buddha.”
Why is it always he? I’ve heard it said that actually the female, not the male has the greater potential, at least in the spiritual sense. What do you think?
Drugs or Meditation?
“Infinite power and knowledge and blessedness are our
s, and we have not to acquire them; they are our own; we have only got to manifest them.” ~Swami Vivekananda
Drugs are completely unnecessary when you’ve got meditation. I’m living in Thailand, in a city that is practically the temple capital of the world. There are over 300 temples here (called wat in Thai) and meditation, particularly vipassana, or insight meditation, which Buddha used to reach enlightenment. So I supposed, since I’m stuck in this southeast asian buddhist enclave, I might as well give meditation a go.
Today I meditated just a little longer than usual and I had a drug-like experience. After spending some time practicing techniques to shoo excess thoughts away, like envisioning all the random thoughts in my over-active mind as clouds floating by, they began to evaporate and suddenly I was left silently focusing on my breathing (prana) and on the eternal soul – my topic of meditation for the session. Suddenly I felt a hazy, unaffected feeling, a feeling of bliss, simplicity of everything and a complete lack of concern or worry for anything: The exact feeling that one looks for in a joint or in a few pints down at the pub. No wonder everyone whose spiritual doesn’t need drugs! Yoga and meditation could be the best drug there is.
Osho in A New Man For a New Millenium writes:
“From the Vedas, the ancientmost book in the world, to Timothy Leary, man has always been attracted by drugs – alcohol, marijuana, opium. Why this attraction? All the moralists have been against it, all the puritans have been against it and all the governments have tried to curb and control but it seems beyond any government to control it. What has been the cause of it? It gives something – it gives a glimpse into the innocent mind of the child again [...] And unless meditation becomes available to millions of people, drugs cannot be prevented.”
I’m not sure if I’m ever going to reach samadhi, or enlightenment in this life, but it’s always possible. It supposedly can take just three years to complete the spiritual evolution and merge into the Infinite Person, or the Superconciousness or kundalini rising; all different names to call what Jesus, Buddha, Shiva and numerous others have attained. Anyway, that’s my first spiritual blog. I’m going to be going to weekly meditation sessions so I’ll report on the results.
