From Taste to Truth: A Journey Beyond the Senses

🌼 Is Food the Centre of Our Life?

In today’s world, many of us place great emphasis on what we eat. We look for the best diet, healthiest routine, super herbs — trying to achieve health, energy, and peace.

It’s natural to care for the body — after all, it is our temple. But let’s reflect:

👉 Is food meant to be the central focus of our life?

👉 Is true fulfilment in satisfying the senses, or in elevating the intellect and the soul?

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📖 The Bhagavad Gita’s Wisdom — The Ladder of Self-Mastery

The Bhagavad Gita beautifully explains the hierarchy within us:

Verse 3.42

इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः।

मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्यो बुद्धेः परतस्तु सः॥

Meaning: The senses are superior to the body. The mind is higher than the senses. Above the mind is the intellect, and beyond the intellect is the soul.

👉 The body serves the senses.

👉 The senses feed the mind.

👉 The mind chooses between the senses and the intellect.

👉 The intellect is meant to guide the mind towards the soul.

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🌱 Food — A Tool, Not the Goal

Food keeps our body healthy to support the higher journey. The purpose of life is not to please the tongue or indulge the senses.

✅ Eat natural, local, simple food that nourishes.

✅ Don’t become obsessed — neither by chasing tastes nor by rigidly avoiding them.

✅ Let food serve the soul’s journey, not distract from it.

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🌟 Change Comes Slowly — With Habit and Wisdom

Verse 6.25

शनेः शनैरुपरमेद्बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया।

आत्मसंस्थं मनः कृत्वा न किञ्चिदपि चिन्तयेत्॥

Meaning: With steady intellect and determination, one should slowly withdraw the mind, fixing it on the Self, and think of nothing else.

Transformation is gradual. Small, consistent efforts help us shift from sense-pleasing to soul-serving.

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🌸 Reflections from the Path

Over the years, I explored many approaches — sattvik diets, Ayurvedic therapies, multiple programs and courses. I practised strict discipline, yet the greatest peace came when I realised:

👉 Life should be lived with सहजता (ease and naturalness).

👉 Don’t make food, or any sensory pleasure, the centre of life.

👉 Strengthen the intellect so the mind follows the higher path.

A glass of milk from a lovingly cared-for cow, a simple home-cooked meal, a healing herbal tea — these suffice.

It’s the attitude that matters, not the food alone.

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🌻 Takeaway for a Peaceful Life

✨ Nourish the body — don’t let food rule your life.

✨ Strengthen your intellect to guide your mind.

✨ Let the mind guide the senses — not the other way round.

When the senses are calm, and the mind flows towards the soul, life blossoms in harmony and peace.

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🙏 With love and in service,

Manjushree Rathi

ME Holistic Centre