The Advantages of Being a Vegetarian (With Swami Kriyananda)

Does it matter what diet I follow? Do I have to be a vegetarian? Swami Kriyananda responds to this written inquiry in a talk about the advantages of being a vegetarian. Kriyananda goes on to explain the subtle but impactful influences that what we eat has on our consciousness. He also makes some recommendations about beneficial and preferential dietary choices. Kriyananda also cautions against being rigid or extreme one way or the other. He advises a balanced approach and says that a pure heart is much more important to spiritual growth than a pure diet.

ABOUT SWAMI KRIYANANDA
In 1948 at the age of twenty-two, Swami Kriyananda (J. Donald Walters) became a disciple of the Indian yoga master, Paramhansa Yogananda. Yogananda is best known for his spiritual classic, *Autobiography of a Yogi*.

In his book he recalls his experiences growing up in India and his life in America. He writes of meeting the great spiritual master Babaji, and how Babaji reintroduced the life changing meditation technique of Kriya Yoga. He tells of his life with his guru, Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri, of his guru Lahiri Mahasaya, and his meeting with Anandamayi Ma.

Yogananda moved to America and developed the energization exercises and taught the meditation techniques of Hatha Yoga and especially Kriya Yoga.

At Yogananda’s request, Swami Kriyananda devoted his life to lecturing and writing, helping others to experience the living presence of God within. He taught on four continents in seven languages over the course of 65 years. His talks, his music, and his many books have touched the lives of millions. An advocate of simple living and high thinking, his more than 150 books emphasize the need to live wisely by one’s own experience of life, and not by abstract theories or dogmas. A composer since 1964, Walters has written over 400 musical works. His music is inspiring, soothing, and uplifting.
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[Getnodrama]

Lot of wisdom here.
I dont get the comparison with the babys need for milk and adult need for milk though, but the idea of being non fanatical or moralist is very important

[falconbritt]

I tried vegetarianism without studying how to be sure I would get enough protein and certain vitamins. As I didn't eat kale then or other good protein sources to create complete proteins, my mind went into a worse and worse fog as the months passed. My hair began to fall out. I became forgetful and my studies became impossible. I had to go back to eating fish, then added chicken. Only decades later did I find out the studying one should do to be sure one gets the right nutrients to remain healthy and clear minded when shifting from being hugely carnivorous (as I was raised to be) to being vegetarian. And remember Jesus's admonition when asked what they should eat: "It is not that which goes into a man but that which comes out of his mouth which defiles him." Watching what we say (and thus create in the world) is more important than what we eat, although what we eat definitely affects us. I'm grateful for this video, though. People who eat a lot of beef definitely become more aggressive and routinely tense and stressed. I think it's because of the adrenaline in the carcasses from the slaughterhouses. So all this is an important consideration.

[britindian]

Being practical is the priority. Vegetarian is best.

[matthewpretorius]

I stayed in the West and now I live in India. Since living in India I can't think about drinking milk like I used to in the West. Or even Indian processed milk. Milk in the village straight from the cows is so different. It just tastes so good for you. If I drink Western or processed milk it just tastes dead and artificial. Theres no life or maybe no prana in it. 😅