Zen Macrobiotics (Eastern approach to diseases/illnesses)

[LastLegend]

Sorry, I have to post this book (ebook) called Zen Macrobiotics (translation) written by George Oshawa again for people to enjoy. I personally don't really read books, but this one has caught my attention and it is in English. I will read the Vietnamese version also. The whole Eastern philosophy is in this book. Trust me read and enjoy. You can buy a hard copy if you prefer to own one. The last thing I want to say is that Chinese culture was absorbed by Confucianism and Taoism as these traditions stress on how to live as a human being, how to behave and interact with other human beings and the environment that he/she lives in. This is basically accord with precepts, vows, and teachings that are taught by Buddhism. So the Chinese practitioners back in the day had the basic foundation in terms of human interaction through Confucianism and Taoism. So this is the reason why Mahayana has anchored itself deeply in the soil of China....but today is different, and if we truly want to practice Buddhism we have to start at the base, the basics in terms of human interaction and such through the teachings of precepts.

Thank for listening to my rant

And here is the book. You will need adobe reader.
http://www.mediafire.com/?mtdnmztimwz

It's off the hook in my opinion. So enjoy.

For those who still wonder what Macrobiotics is. The history of the writer George Oshawa is also included in this.
http://www.nutritionist-world.com/macrobiotic_diet.html

I am sincerely asking the mods to keep this post here also. Thank you.

[LastLegend]

# 7 of charts listed in that book.

I want to talk about deaths caused by Macrobiotics...This is a result from people not following instruction strictly. For example, if you are going to eat only brown nice with sea salt and sesame seeds for 10 days, and listen carefully to this during this 10 days, you cannot eat anything else especially solid food even if you are craving for it, chances are you will be craving for it because of attachment to eating, and that you are used to eat different things everyday. If you eat solid food during this eating of 10 days, you will die as this will create a reaction in your body when you accidentally or intentionally eat some solid food to satisfy your craving. When you eat brown rice with sea salt and sesame seeds, you are ONLY allowed to drink about 1/2 liter or less per day. Because of this reason, your blood will be inevitably thicker. So when 10 days are up, you will need to drink a glass of water first to dilute your blood, then start eating boiled vegatables or banana (remember no solid food) at this point. About 2 or 3 hours later, you can start consuming solid food but in a small to medium portion just to be safe.

Another reason why people die from eating Macrobiotics especially 7 is because during eating they get freaked out when experiencing symptoms of whatever diseases that Macrobiotics is curing. It is expected that you will experience the symptoms of all the diseases/illnesses can be cured through eating. So you will experience a lot of symptoms if this is your first time eating. But the symptoms will go away in a couple days. Some symptoms are not very pleasant at all, so people think that they are getting sicker and start rushing to the hospital, putting liquid and medications in their bodies, thus creating a reaction in their bodies and they will die.

The method of eating Macrobiotics mentioned above might be too extreme for people. And this method takes a strong mind and mental endurance to accomplish. Only a few are able to achieve this; perhaps this is the reason why this book is called Zen Macrobiotics. My mom and dad are practitioners of this method; my dad has been practicing this method for a long time. This method is actually a mental training and is no different from meditation. You have to keep your mind relaxed during this time. During this time of eating, you are fighting 1) the craving to taste other food 2) wandering thoughts. This method is also a way to cultivate merits of cultivation as you are cultivating your mind by limiting your body to eating only brown rice. As you can see diseases and illnesses are caused by attachment in this case eating. Attachment to eating is what causes diseases and illnesses. Now by cutting attachment to eating, we are curing diseases. Curing diseases here is at mental/mind and physical/body level; the best remedy is spiritual cultivation. When you have merits (especially merits of cultivation), you are less prone to diseases. Remember everything is a result of karma even your diseases. When your mind is pure, your body will be pure too because a pure mind does not bring attachments to the body. When you are pure, you will be free from diseases...however, you have to remember that some diseases from deep karma cannot be cured, just as some karma you have to receive the consequences for. Buddha still experienced results of karma that he created before becoming Buddha. But the results Buddha experienced were less severe because he had become Buddha. However, the seed only grows when it meets conditions. Consequences/results will come only with arising conditions. By cultivating and following the path, you are creating conditions that will not favor the arising conditions, thus will interfering with results/consequences of your actions...now you have understood diseases/illnesses in terms of Buddhism and Taoism and Eastern teachings in general. As you can see, Eastern teachings cannot be separated from its practice. That's why practice is important.

I personally don't recommend this method just for your safety. But there are other methods listed in the chart of that book. However, if you really want to try this method, let me know so I can find more information about it for you in terms of how to cook the rice and the measurements of proportions of salt to sesame seeds.

As with any practice, you have to grasp the theories/teachings firmly before you can practice. Once you have grasped the theory/teachings, you have to follow and practice. If you have not grasped theories/teachings and practice, this can hurt you very badly. Buddhism is no exception to this. Yes, there are countless deaths caused by not following correct methods when approaching Macrobiotics.

[catmoon]

I recall a certain fellow who spent some years in extreme, life-threatening ascetic practice and eventually decided it was not the Way.

[LastLegend]

I recall a certain fellow who spent some years in extreme, life-threatening ascetic practice and eventually decided it was not the Way.

Yes, that fellow was too extreme for he did not eat anything at all until he realized it was not the Way while the brown rice contains VITAMINS B COMPLEXES. Your body have all the nourishment from eating brown rice, but your mind needs some discipline from craving for food. But you do get thirsty though. The way to chew is to chew it until it turns into liquid. Then you can swallow.

[LastLegend]

Keep in mind here that extreme means not nourishing your body or punishing your body...you have to distinguish this from discipline for examples of what monks (especially Chinese and Vietnamese) do at the temples. They only sleep about 4 hours per day (good sleep of course), eat 1 meal per day, and the rest spent on practice and work.

And please please don't attempt Macrobiotics if you really don't know what you are doing. Consult with an expert first preferrably someone who has practiced for years.