Tom Campbell says in "My Big TOE" that early in his work with Bob Monroe he gave up ingesting all mind-altering drugs, including alcohol, and soon abolished from his diet food additives, preservatives, caffeine and sugar.  He reasoned "that subtle natural effects might be washed out by the impact that these substances had on consciousness.  I was right - the difference was dramatic."

To those with experience in exploring nonphysical matter reality, do you follow Campbell's practice?  Have you found a difference in your abilities and experiences depending on what you ingest?  I'd be interested in what connections you've made between what you eat and drink and what you experience. 

Perhaps we can set aside the intentional mind-altering drugs that have been recently discussed on this forum, since I'm really interested in the everyday things.  I enjoy the occasional glass of wine or margarita and the daily coffee and too-frequent sugar hit.  Do I have to choose between those pleasures and nonphysical reality exploration?  Of course, I'd probably be physically healthier if I gave up all those things, but......

Monroe never followed a diet that I'm aware of, but Campbell is very clear about what he thinks. I have battled with it. It is true that when I lay off of that stuff my mind is stiller during meditation, but the difference seems to not so great ultimately. I wish he had not been so blunt about it, but I know it's his experience. I found that when I took all that stuff out of my diet there were some good things happening in meditation but it doesn't seem to make a difference so much in the quality of my total experience. Some say you should avoid sex too, but I have to admit I am most relaxed after that and the only thing I think that was hindering me was the idea that I shouldn't be able to explore as well after indulging in any of this that we talk about. I try to limit coffee to the mornings. I have cut way down on sweets, though the holidays are coming up and my girlfriend has taken up baking now. I think it's your mind set, but Campbell believes the best clarity comes from a clean system and he may be right but so far that hasn't really been my experience with it. It has more to do with what I think. For example I slipped up a few times while trying Campbell's approach and forgot about it and had great sessions, then later remembered I had slipped, so my jury is still out on that for the most part.

I guess it's because to me it seems that once you are out of phase with the physical why would your body so greatly influence what you are doing. That's where I am with it right now. And I've read a lot of AP'ers say that diet makes no difference for them.

Then again maybe I am just lazy.

Yours,
Beau

Yeah I agree Bets. And remember too, Tom Campbell only has his body to go by. What he says makes sense but so far it hasn't proven itself out for me that I need to be that stringent in my diet, but then I haven't made the headway Campbell has either. He eats like a bird.

Everyone is differant and others will come up with many answers to your question about food and drink. As I can only speak about my personal experiences...With me, heaver meals make it "harder" for me to enter into the meditative state. This includes meat, bread, fish, pasta, salad.. among all other foods. Eating with reasonable moderation is my key. I don't believe you are required to give up meat of any kind. Although some would venture to oppose that thought. I would say it is important to eat sensibly. When it comes to drugs and booze, well I have to admit I have had plenty of experience with both. I have quit drugs completely now. I mean the kind you buy on the streets. After attending TMI the first time, and experiencing a connection with "All", I just didn't feel the desire any more. I still drink wine and beer. Every once and a while I will have booze. For me, I find remembering my experiences more difficult when I drink heavily or heavier. Again, moderation for me is the key. If I plan on deep medatation or directed medatation, I just don't bother with that glass of wine as I want to expearence all that I can, and remember all if I can. If someone tells you that you cant have one or the other, drugs or booze, just remember that you control your experiences, not them. (Not that there are not those who would just love to control your through.)

Well, we keep creating the reality we feel is the "right" one, and that includes things like food. Hardly anything in our culture is so confusing as anything to do with the word "diet". Help. Instant brainstorm. I'm not ready for all that purity. I love to splash in life's mud puddles, the more the better sometimes. When I was young I used to fast for days and days with no problem, but now that I am older and I have that very common ailment, insulin sensitivity, not diabetes but just a problem with cells all plugged up with "sugar" in some form, which often leads to diabetes, I try to be much more conscious about sticky buns and stuff, which I ate when I was tired or stressed when younger, but I no longer am interested in the level of purity I was when younger. Hey, I am knockin' on heaven's door at almost 66, and I can't wait to be 18 again. Life is complicated. I do lots of things that interfere with my purity, but I still get golden light in meditation and do Reiki with huge energy pouring out of my body, and am practicing a new set of skills- Silva - which I don't know much about yet, but it does work with light trances. It's all huge enjoyment and makes life so enticing. Still, it would be great to see my waistline again. On the other hand, when I had that desirable shape, all I did with it was get into trouble. I get into a lot less trouble nowadays! And noting Beau's comments about the relaxing effects of sex, well, I can't depend on that anymore either!! In my experience (says she), meditation is mercifully detached from a high degree of purity in eating...though drinking is another thing of course. On the other hand...you can't get too much fibre...at any age. Now THAT is something that can really play havoc with meditation and energy work...common old constipation. Gotta get that fibre. And lots of green leaf vegetables...they feed the nervous system, keep you out of the fridge. Constant hunger is often down to not enough green leaves. Iceberg lettuce doesn't cut it, so hamburgers don't work. Anyway. I am not qualified to write about nutrition. Just my own messing about with it. Vee

Thanks O,

I have read Far Journeys but I had forgotten that passage.  I do remember someone on the board here discussing Monroe once and saying he had a terrible diet, but perhaps that was before the intolerant stuff began. I guess I always had this impression of him munching Ding Dongs then laying back and exploring the new worlds, but I couldn't remember much about his diet. Bruce Moen didn't seem to go into  a lot of dietary detail either ...that I can remember.

I agree with those who state that it is best to avoid the additives, preservatives, etc., the main idea being to eat food close to its natural state. Fresh fruits and vegetables will 'brighten' you. Everything in moderation. I feel uncomfortable about eating meat and seafood, these days, and have been an off and on vegetarian in my life. However, that is really a personal choice, and there are many considerations, ethically, so it is not such a simple matter. I don't believe in strict rules, but that variety is the spice of life. In general, the fresher the diet the more energetic is the result, for me. The more cooked (comfort) and 'mixed' types of foods, such as casseroles and various well-cooked foods, have a sedating effect on me, a calming effect. So, I say just really pay attention to how you feel. If you are not eating the right foods you will feel less energy in general, and you may tend toward more depression. At least, that is my experience. Regarding how it affects meditation, I have never noticed any differences except that the body needs to be able to relax, which it cannot do if it is too uncomfortable, hungry, full, or polluted. Regarding drink, well, I don't think meditating after drinking alcohol is such a good idea. If one is attempting to find mental clarity in any way, alcohol is not helpful. Other drugs, well, that is a personal thing, in my book. I simply repeat that if one is attempting to clear the mind, to have the purest view, it's best to have a clean body in all ways. That's just my opinion, and I don't live up to it very well these days, having spent long periods of my life in a much 'cleaner' state than the one I inhabit now. Learn from what you do. Experiment and learn from it. It can only help you. There are other considerations besides food and drink. I feel that there are certain practices which are 'clearing' which can amplify the effects of the body's initial state of 'readiness' to let go and meditate fully. Such as hot baths. A pleasant and soothing environment. Certain music, at times. Silence, at times. Enough quiet room and time to think. All things work together, of course, and we all know that.

ROMC wrote that both her and Bob loved to go off to town and dig into a big old burger. (She preferred hers with cheese.) Later, after consultation with her helpers, she was convinced to eat a more healthy diet. It was suggested that more natural foods were the best as you would then be consuming more natural energy. Also that animal protein from beings more connected with the earth (ground) like pigs, beef, and the sort made it more difficult for her to explore. Foul and fish, perhaps being easier to digest, better. She was not told not to eat beef or pork, just to moderate her consumption and to eat healthier. It was also explained to her how thanking the provider of her food was nessassary. Both plant and animal. Both being equal.