It’s no secret that modern life can be stressful and for many of us, meditation is a beautiful way to find stillness and quiet the mind, but many people find this quite challenging. What most people don’t realize is that the food they eat play a huge role in the ability to reach that deep meditative state.

To keep the body in good health is a duty, for otherwise we shall not be able to light the lamp of wisdom, and keep our mind strong and clear. – Buddha

We are not eating real food anymore. The problem we now face is an overabundance of chemically-laden products masquerading as foods, and a system that makes it difficult to acquire quality plant food, which is what we require most.

We eat without conscious thought as to what this food is doing within our body beyond the momentary taste sensation in the mouth. Our body is our temple and we need to look after what we eat, not only to stay healthy but also to improve our ability to undergo meditative and transcendental experiences.

Here are a few dietary principles you could use to nourish your body and experience enlightenment. Do you know that nutrition comes from the Latin word ‘nux,’ which means ‘light.’ So nutrition is literally nothing more than the ‘processing of light.’

• Drink plenty of clean, pure, filtered freshwater
• Eat food containing abundant omega-3
• Saturated fat from coconuts, eggs, raw cacao
• Magnesium-rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, nuts, and seeds
• Minimal stimulants such as caffeine
• Daily consumption of fermented/ probiotic-rich foods such as sauerkraut, kumbucha and kefir
• Avoidance of refined sugar and refined carbohydrates
• Limiting pasteurised toxic dairy products
• Avoiding the overconsumption of processed food, and synthetic/man-made food such as additives, sweeteners, preservatives
• Eating food in their whole and natural state

Intermittent fasting and remaining in the state of lightness are very beneficial to help you achieve this deep meditative state.

• Root chakra: The food to help you ground yourself are root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, garlic, onions…. Spices are hot paprika, cayenne, pepper, chives and horseradish… The protein-rich food such as eggs, meats, beans, tofu, soy products and peanut butter
• Sacral chakra: Fruits supporting sexual and creativity centre are melons, mangos, strawberries, passion fruit, oranges, coconut…. Honey and nuts are also a great source to help the sacral chakra. Spices and seeds, such as cinnamon, vanilla, sweet paprika, sesame seeds, caraway seeds
• Solar Plexus Chakra: Dairy Food, Granola and grains, pasta, bread, rice, flax seeds … are boosting self esteem and encouraging self-love. Spices such as ginger, mints, chamomile, turmeric, cumin and funnel
• Heart Chakra: Food that helps to heal emotional hurts and protect are leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, dandelion, and cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower. Spices such as basil, sage, thyme, cilantro, parsley and drinking green teas
• Throat chakra: Drink plenty of water, fruit juices and herbal teas (lemongrass)to unblock your throat chakra to be able to speak the truth, communicate and express yourself. Tart fruits such as lemons, limes, grapefruit and other tree fruits such as apples, pears, plums, apricots…
• Third Eye Chakra: Dark bluish fruits such as blueberries, blackberries… may awake the third eye senses and help with psychic development. Spices such as lavender, poppy seed, mugwort
• Crown Chakra: to open and clear your spiritual communication center you need to fast and detox, and drink water. Use incense and smudging herbs such as sage, copal, myrrh, frankincense and juniper

Love and light always