Eating vegetarian (or meat) and magick

[AlfrunGrima]

Here is a quote from John Michael Greer. I am curious if practitioners recognize this from their own praxis. I am not, but perhaps but perhaps I am not so average. And now we are talking, people who are experience differences with fasting while doing magick? I do this sometimes and are able to focus better, but I am better focused in general when fasting .

"A word of warning for any of you who choose a vegetarian diet, by the way. Many people find that a meat-free diet doesn't work well with ritual magic. Eating meat helps bring your awareness back into contact with your physical body, which after all is made of meat. It doesn't happen with everyone, but fairly often people who try to learn magic while eating a vegetarian diet have trouble with their nerves. If you're learning magic and avoiding meat, and you find that you're becoming hypersensitive, jittery, and easily stressed out, you may have to choose between your diet and your magic. Just remember that there are other spiritual paths, and there are also other healthy diets." John Michael Greer

 

[juanitos]

usually, the solomonic grimoires requires fasting, no sex 3 days or more before any serious ritual.. I do not think that eating meat would be totally forbidden...

 

[Lucien6493]

Oh, absolutely. Your diet impacts your nervous system directly and can lead to neurological dysregulation. I went vegetarian once and nearly ended up in the hospital. Meditation, yoga, but especially magick, can make it worse. But there are also genetic, cultural and biochemical factors involved that make a vegetarian diet either appropriate or toxic to certain constitutions, so it depends on how you are wired. It is not a one-size fits all "life-style" choice. Quite honestly though, if you have to choose between your diet and your magick you are missing the cultural context of your praxis. Really, it is kind of sad that Greer would have to even bring this up in the first place. Our ancestors where happy when they had something to eat, but they also had common sense. I doubt very much it impacted their magic one way or the other. What they didn't have though was refined sugar, fast food, artificial light and electronic media. Those together are more toxic than going all out Italian for a night on the town. And if you fall asleep during a ritual summoning of Belial, you probably needed some sleep.

 

[Aldebaran]

Interesting topic, and it makes perfect sense. Your body is just as important a factor in Magick as any other component or ingredient. If your body is unhealthy and full of toxins, it could influence subtle work. How fascinating!

There is also the energetic property of food, specifically meat. The last week or so of an animal's life is something most of us don't want to think about. That fear and terror are stored in the cells of the animal, which we then eat

I find it all very sad.

 

[Swampdweller900]

I expect there's some "your mileage may vary" on this since everyone's physiology is different, but it sounds like a worthwhile experiment. As @juanitos noted, fasting and abstaining from sexual activity is also built into some practices. I've personally seen alcohol affect me within minutes, going from a heightened spiritual state to one sip of beer and that all fades like a cloud blowing away. Some people say even aspirin or coffee or vitamins can have effects.

There's also a wide spectrum between not eating meat and people who absolutely eat too much meat. Orthodox Christians (depends on the country) have a whole mix-n-match calendar in the lead up to Christmas and Easter of fasting days. Some days it's meat no eggs OK, no meat or eggs but cheese ok, some days none of those allowed, I think there's a "white day" where only dairy products and IIRC bread are allowed. Personally, cheese and yogurt are good with me, but drinking cow milk would not put me in a right state for doing much at all.

In terms of experiments to do one's self, it would be does meat work with you yes or no, beef vs. chicken vs. fish vs. lamb, animal products yes or no, if specific organs have effects (liver or sausage vs. steak), if there's a noticeable change when you've slaughtered the animal, and finally bone broth vs. flesh.

 

[Lucien6493]

Interesting topic, and it makes perfect sense. Your body is just as important a factor in Magick as any other component or ingredient. If your body is unhealthy and full of toxins, it could influence subtle work. How fascinating!

There is also the energetic property of food, specifically meat. The last week or so of an animal's life is something most of us don't want to think about. That fear and terror are stored in the cells of the animal, which we then eat

I find it all very sad.

And you can taste it, how an animal was slaughtered. You can also taste the hormones, antibiotics, steroids and untested pharmaceutical vaccines that are commonly used to help animals survive the toxic sludge that they are fed while under extreme stress on factory farms. You are not just eating that. You are eating death, and the ethos that supports corporate profits over whatever you chose to name it.

Post automatically merged: Yesterday at 5:24 PM

And you can taste it, how an animal was slaughtered. You can also taste the hormones, antibiotics, steroids and untested pharmaceutical vaccines that are commonly used to help animals survive the toxic sludge that they are fed while under extreme stress on factory farms. You are not just eating that. You are eating death, and the ethos that supports corporate profits over whatever you chose to name it.

What it comes down to is whether you eat with awareness or not; an awareness of what you are actually doing when you eat. If you just mindlessly shovel it in that will be reflected in your magick. For sure. Your body itself will turn against you.

 

[Sedim Haba]

I find that I must now be Pollo-Pescatarian. Closest label. Basically, omnivore except no mammal meat. Mammal dairy, ya (cheese!)
Can't even stand to smell or look at it, but nowadays plenty of poultry based alternatives: sandwich meat, hot dogs, etc.

It really is hand and hand with my spiritual growth, but I don't look down on other people's diets.

 

[Morell]

My two cents: Balanced diet is the best option for your life and magic is part of your life. If you feed your body well and give it enough exercise, then it doesn't matter that much what you eat. Your body can process it.

I've heard a theory, which makes sense to me, that in India some practicioners were eating vegetarian food in order to weaken the physical body so the astral travel would become way easier as the body would not hold the spirit so strongly. Rather masochistic approach if you ask me.

Strong and healthy body is the one that can support the mind and soul the best.

Short diet before ritual max up to 3 days can be used for many support effects and is quite within reason. Beyond that you are not doing so well for your body unless you do it for health reasons.