 Students studying the principles of Vedic Agriculture learn the importance of having high quality food to produce positive, life-supporting thought and behaviour in the nation.
|
How food and the farmer influence society Food is important to everyone. It sustains individual life and the life of the nation. If we explore food and the traditions of growing, harvesting, cooking, and eating food, we find that it provides a powerful influence on the life of the individual and the nation—much more than we might expect. Underlying the influence of food on society is the farmer himself—a hidden VIP in society. Students at Maharishi University of Enlightenment studying Maharishi Vedic Organic Agriculture are learning that the farmer and the food he produces actually affect the entire society and nation. By applying the principles and techniques offered by Maharishi Vedic Organic Agriculture, students can now see a way to raise the entire world's population to health, wealth, and enlightenment. The Vedic tradition of healthy food Having grown and harvested the crops in nearby fields, families would come together, eat together, and grow in strength. Children grew in the nourishing atmosphere of togetherness and family harmony, and ate delicious, fresh, pure, ripe food, that was grown and harvested in accord with Natural Law. The ancient Vedic Literature of India expresses this tradition of eating together and living in harmony with Nature: 'Let us be together, Food was a source of vitality, a product of Nature, enhanced by the farmer's consciousness and attention, as well as the influence of high quality seed, fertile soil, and seasons which came on time. In the ancient Vedic civilization, food was grown in a pure way, without chemicals or genetically modified seed. Crops were allowed to ripen on the vine. Produce was harvested locally so that it was fresh and full of nutrients and vitality. The farmer's own consciousness greatly influenced the production of nutritious, vital food. His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi explained that Nature responded to the farmer's desire when he was living in tune with Natural Law. The seasons came on time and the sun and rain were beneficial for the growth of his crop. In addition, the Vedic farmers used special Vedic practices to enhance the value of nutrients in the crops. The farmer and his children chanted verses of the Vedic Literature at home and at school and also to the plants and to their cows. The resulting crops, produced a strengthening, positive, harmonious influence in the mind of those that ate this nutritious food. The farmer's life flowed in tune with Nature, bringing the positive influence of Natural Law to the food for the benefit of the whole society. Communities who lived in tune with Natural Law, enjoyed vitality and lived peacefully with each other. In his book, Celebrating Perfection in Education, in the section on Vedic Agriculture, Maharishi describes the importance of having high quality food to produce positive, life-supporting thought and behaviour in the nation. Maharishi says, 'One little country saying emphasizes the quality of food: ''Jaisa khave amm, vaisa bane mann.'' Mind depends on the quality of food one eats. This means that the thinking and behaviour of the population has its basis in the quality of food.' Maharishi continues, explaining the far-reaching influence of the farmer's consciousness and his crop on society: 'If the procedure of growing food in the fields is enriched and supported by Vedic Vibrations of all the forty qualities of intelligence available in the forty fields of the Vedic Literature, the quality of food will be nourishing for all, and the thought, speech, action, and behaviour of everyone will be in the direction of evolution. Society will enjoy fresh waves of progress, season after season. Governmental administration will be free from problems. The benefit for the government will be the creation of a problem-free society, a problem-free government, and successful administration satisfying everyone—exalted Vedic Administration.' Today, most modern cultures have strayed from the traditional ideal. For many, eating habits reflect the fast pace and stressful demands of society. With Maharishi's insights, we can ask, 'Might the violence, unrest, and stress prevalent in modern society be connected to the chemically-fertilized, genetically modified, fast-food, highly processed, stale, unripe, or impure food, which the populations of developed nations consume? Is it possible we could we change the consciousness of our students and their families by providing them with higher quality food? And might raising the consciousness of the farmer and his community help bring the desired sun and rain at the proper time, so that crops are abundant and nutritious?' Ancient people, living in accord with Natural Law understood the connection between man, his environment, and his food. Now with Maharishi's revival of the practices of Vedic Organic Agriculture, society can once again return to health, well-being, and life in accord with Natural Law. Maharishi has not only revived the science of agriculture in its pure, most effective form, but has also provided a means to eliminate poverty and bring prosperity to every nation through agriculture. Maharishi's Poverty-removal programme uses a developmental currency, the Raam, which is loaned to poor farmers so that they can buy seed and cultivate unused land with Vedic Organic Agricultural products. These products, grown on fertile, pure soil, according to Vedic techniques, can then be sold to developed nations, who have poisoned their soils with chemicals. Through Maharishi Vedic Organic Agriculture, both poor and wealthy nations will benefit from nutritious pure food, and will grow in prosperity, good health, and well-being. See also Excellence in Action Article: Eating Right Extends Far Beyond What's on the Menu © Copyright 2008 Global Good News®
|
|
