Dec. 30, 2025
The Spiritual Seeker Can Change the Normal Human Focus on Food to a More Balanced Perspective That Supports His Focus on Sadhana
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 4, Desire — Food — Sex, pg. 66
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/12/28/the-spiritual-seeker-can-change-the-normal-human-focus-on-food-to-a-more-balanced-perspective-that-supports-his-focus-on-sadhana/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are allavailable on the YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@santoshkrinsky871
More information about Sri Aurobindo can be found at www.aurobindo.net
The US editions and links to e-book editions of SriAurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
#Sri Aurobindo #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality #food #desire for food #craving for food #diet
1
00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:05,240
In the ordinary life in society,
food plays an especially
2
00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:10,760
important and high profile role.
We treat food as a centerpiece
3
00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:16,160
of our various celebrations, as
rewards, as comfort when we are
4
00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:21,000
under stress, and as something
we consume out of boredom or
5
00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:25,360
inattention.
Food taste, food preparation,
6
00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:30,160
food choices all become major
topics of consideration and
7
00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:33,480
discussion.
For those who live in a
8
00:00:33,480 --> 00:00:37,600
circumstance with modest or low
food availability, there is
9
00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:41,280
obviously a focus on acquiring
enough food for the basic needs
10
00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:45,040
of the body.
This is tempered by other life
11
00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:48,840
needs and a recognition of the
scarcity in the 1st place.
12
00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:53,560
Despite the need, food cannot
occupy a central place in the
13
00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:57,520
lives of people who simply do
not have access to sufficient
14
00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:01,520
food, although it still occupies
an important place.
15
00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:07,200
As availability becomes possible
for those who are in a position
16
00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:10,840
to reside in a society with an
abundance of food and wide
17
00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:15,400
availability, we see the role
and focus on food actually
18
00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:18,680
increasing.
There may be some habit or
19
00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:23,480
instinct carried over from a
past filled with scarcity that
20
00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:26,640
overcompensates beyond current
actual need.
21
00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:30,120
There is, however, a lot of
social interaction that
22
00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:35,520
accentuates the desire for food,
for special tastes or types of
23
00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:40,960
foods, and which uses food as a
reward, as a solace, and as
24
00:01:40,960 --> 00:01:45,160
compensation for other needs.
Health professionals and
25
00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:48,920
researchers bombard us
constantly with information on
26
00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:53,320
various nutrients we need and
the risks attended on not
27
00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:57,960
acquiring those nutrients, which
further increases our anxiety
28
00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:02,480
about getting enough and the
right type of foods and our
29
00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:07,040
fixation on food.
So much for the ordinary life
30
00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:10,039
and society.
All of this focus on the
31
00:02:10,039 --> 00:02:14,320
physical body and its needs or
demands tends to create a sense
32
00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:18,360
of dullness in the
consciousness, accentuating the
33
00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:23,680
action of the guna of tamas.
For the spiritual seeker, this
34
00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:26,960
focus on food becomes a major
distraction if it is not
35
00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:31,840
addressed by definition.
The spiritual aspirant needs to
36
00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:36,880
to direct his focus on the
sadhna, on the aspiration, on
37
00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:40,160
the receptivity, on the
surrender to the higher
38
00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:44,400
transformative forces and on the
rejection of various
39
00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:48,200
distractions that come through
the background that all human
40
00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:52,480
beings bring to the process,
which includes all of this
41
00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:57,640
enormous focus on food and its
availability, its taste, its
42
00:02:57,640 --> 00:03:00,760
preparation and its role in our
lives.
43
00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:07,080
The spiritual seeker, as he
shifts his focus away from the
44
00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:11,000
physical body and the vital
nature and begins to adopt the
45
00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:15,240
standpoint of the psychic being
which uses the human instrument
46
00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:19,400
but is not bound by it, can
begin to have an entirely
47
00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:24,200
different relationship to food.
If we look at our use of an
48
00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:28,280
automobile, we treat it as a
tool or instrument for achieving
49
00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:31,600
certain objectives.
We need to ensure it gets the
50
00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:35,720
fuel it requires when it
requires it, but we do not
51
00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:39,480
generally think about feeding it
fuel until the tank is close to
52
00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:43,520
empty.
Similarly, the various nutrients
53
00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:47,800
in the form of other fluids such
as steering fluid, brake fluid,
54
00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:52,520
transmission fluid, windshield
cleaning fluid are only
55
00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:55,480
addressed occasionally during
times of maintenance.
56
00:03:55,480 --> 00:04:00,160
Generally, if we begin to look
at the physical body along
57
00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:04,200
similar lines, we can find a
more balanced approach in our
58
00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:09,400
relationship to food, and thus
we can reduce the time and
59
00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:12,440
attention and importance we give
to it at present.
60
00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:18,920
This opens up more time, focus
and attention for the spiritual
61
00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:25,280
pursuits, Sriorovindo notes.
Quote Do not trouble your mind
62
00:04:25,280 --> 00:04:28,440
about food.
Take it in the right quantity,
63
00:04:28,840 --> 00:04:34,200
neither too much nor too little,
without greed or repulsion as
64
00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:36,800
the means given you by the
Mother for the maintenance of
65
00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:41,800
the body in the right spirit,
offering it to the Divine in
66
00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:45,360
you, then it need not create
Thomas.
67
00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:51,320
End Quote reference.
Srioro Bindo, Faces of Yoga,
68
00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:57,120
Chapter 4 Desire food Sex page
66.
00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:05,240
In the ordinary life in society,
food plays an especially
2
00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:10,760
important and high profile role.
We treat food as a centerpiece
3
00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:16,160
of our various celebrations, as
rewards, as comfort when we are
4
00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:21,000
under stress, and as something
we consume out of boredom or
5
00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:25,360
inattention.
Food taste, food preparation,
6
00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:30,160
food choices all become major
topics of consideration and
7
00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:33,480
discussion.
For those who live in a
8
00:00:33,480 --> 00:00:37,600
circumstance with modest or low
food availability, there is
9
00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:41,280
obviously a focus on acquiring
enough food for the basic needs
10
00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:45,040
of the body.
This is tempered by other life
11
00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:48,840
needs and a recognition of the
scarcity in the 1st place.
12
00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:53,560
Despite the need, food cannot
occupy a central place in the
13
00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:57,520
lives of people who simply do
not have access to sufficient
14
00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:01,520
food, although it still occupies
an important place.
15
00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:07,200
As availability becomes possible
for those who are in a position
16
00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:10,840
to reside in a society with an
abundance of food and wide
17
00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:15,400
availability, we see the role
and focus on food actually
18
00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:18,680
increasing.
There may be some habit or
19
00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:23,480
instinct carried over from a
past filled with scarcity that
20
00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:26,640
overcompensates beyond current
actual need.
21
00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:30,120
There is, however, a lot of
social interaction that
22
00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:35,520
accentuates the desire for food,
for special tastes or types of
23
00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:40,960
foods, and which uses food as a
reward, as a solace, and as
24
00:01:40,960 --> 00:01:45,160
compensation for other needs.
Health professionals and
25
00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:48,920
researchers bombard us
constantly with information on
26
00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:53,320
various nutrients we need and
the risks attended on not
27
00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:57,960
acquiring those nutrients, which
further increases our anxiety
28
00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:02,480
about getting enough and the
right type of foods and our
29
00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:07,040
fixation on food.
So much for the ordinary life
30
00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:10,039
and society.
All of this focus on the
31
00:02:10,039 --> 00:02:14,320
physical body and its needs or
demands tends to create a sense
32
00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:18,360
of dullness in the
consciousness, accentuating the
33
00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:23,680
action of the guna of tamas.
For the spiritual seeker, this
34
00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:26,960
focus on food becomes a major
distraction if it is not
35
00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:31,840
addressed by definition.
The spiritual aspirant needs to
36
00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:36,880
to direct his focus on the
sadhna, on the aspiration, on
37
00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:40,160
the receptivity, on the
surrender to the higher
38
00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:44,400
transformative forces and on the
rejection of various
39
00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:48,200
distractions that come through
the background that all human
40
00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:52,480
beings bring to the process,
which includes all of this
41
00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:57,640
enormous focus on food and its
availability, its taste, its
42
00:02:57,640 --> 00:03:00,760
preparation and its role in our
lives.
43
00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:07,080
The spiritual seeker, as he
shifts his focus away from the
44
00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:11,000
physical body and the vital
nature and begins to adopt the
45
00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:15,240
standpoint of the psychic being
which uses the human instrument
46
00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:19,400
but is not bound by it, can
begin to have an entirely
47
00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:24,200
different relationship to food.
If we look at our use of an
48
00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:28,280
automobile, we treat it as a
tool or instrument for achieving
49
00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:31,600
certain objectives.
We need to ensure it gets the
50
00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:35,720
fuel it requires when it
requires it, but we do not
51
00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:39,480
generally think about feeding it
fuel until the tank is close to
52
00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:43,520
empty.
Similarly, the various nutrients
53
00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:47,800
in the form of other fluids such
as steering fluid, brake fluid,
54
00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:52,520
transmission fluid, windshield
cleaning fluid are only
55
00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:55,480
addressed occasionally during
times of maintenance.
56
00:03:55,480 --> 00:04:00,160
Generally, if we begin to look
at the physical body along
57
00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:04,200
similar lines, we can find a
more balanced approach in our
58
00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:09,400
relationship to food, and thus
we can reduce the time and
59
00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:12,440
attention and importance we give
to it at present.
60
00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:18,920
This opens up more time, focus
and attention for the spiritual
61
00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:25,280
pursuits, Sriorovindo notes.
Quote Do not trouble your mind
62
00:04:25,280 --> 00:04:28,440
about food.
Take it in the right quantity,
63
00:04:28,840 --> 00:04:34,200
neither too much nor too little,
without greed or repulsion as
64
00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:36,800
the means given you by the
Mother for the maintenance of
65
00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:41,800
the body in the right spirit,
offering it to the Divine in
66
00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:45,360
you, then it need not create
Thomas.
67
00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:51,320
End Quote reference.
Srioro Bindo, Faces of Yoga,
68
00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:57,120
Chapter 4 Desire food Sex page
66.
