Is anyone here familiar with the Baha'i Faith?

[sky]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

Define "mind".

No


Well it's a formless continuum that functions to perceive and understand , it thinks, reacts and recognises and when it doesn't function properly your ' Out of your mind '

[sky]

Originally Posted by Molearner

sky123,

Perhaps.....:) But what informs the mind ? Isn't it simply experiences from the external world ? Can the spirit which we assume to be external to the world inform the mind ? Having read many NDE accounts we learn that many people are declared brain dead....yet when they revive they are able to relate verifiable experiences. With a dead brain how can this be possible ? Isn't the brain the processor for what we call the mind ? I just do not know if we can legitimately and truthfully say that everything comes from the mind.....

I see the mind as being seperate from the brain and therefore the body. Because I believe in Rebirth I presume that what I take from one life to the next would be the baggage I carry around in my mind that's why it's important to understand the mind and it's function otherwise I will remain in Samsara going around in circles going nowhere carrying my little bag of ignorance

Outside influences do affect the mind but we do have the choice of ignoring that which is causes conflict, it's about controlling the mind and not being controlled by the mind.

I do try but life gets in my way

[Altair]

Originally Posted by sky123

What is inadequate for you maybe enough for others, everyone is different...
I suggest you do some research on what the ' Middle Path ' means in Buddhism...

But we're all humans. You may have a dairy allergy or I may be allergic to nuts but we thrive when getting all of our needed nutrients. Lack of certain nutrients will impact the brain. Eating certain foods will improve mental faculties. We might actually be sleepwalking towards more mental illnesses with our increased cultural obsession with not eating any animal food. I've noticed it's now the norm everywhere here with organized group activities to have only ''plant-based snacks''. Even cheese is considered bad! The brain needs cholesterol, among other things. Not sure if you get that on your retreat, but I did not. We got two vegan meals a day.

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by Molearner

sky123,

Perhaps.....:) But what informs the mind ? Isn't it simply experiences from the external world ? Can the spirit which we assume to be external to the world inform the mind ? Having read many NDE accounts we learn that many people are declared brain dead....yet when they revive they are able to relate verifiable experiences. With a dead brain how can this be possible ? Isn't the brain the processor for what we call the mind ? I just do not know if we can legitimately and truthfully say that everything comes from the mind.....

In my early 20s, as I believe I have mentioned before, I had a mind-boggling, life-transforming NDE during which I emerged symptom free from a 3-day "irreversible coma" with a vivid recollection of all that had transpired --- out of body, verifiable remote viewing, spontaneous healing, visionary experience which I misinterpreted but which turned out to be prophetic, etc.

There is definitely a vantage point beyond the egocentric "mind" which one could relate to expanded consciousness, divine mind, or the Jungian "collective unconscious". That is why the statement that "everything comes from the mind" might be correct but it depends on the definition of "mind".

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by Altair

But we're all humans. You may have a dairy allergy or I may be allergic to nuts but we thrive when getting all of our needed nutrients. Lack of certain nutrients will impact the brain. Eating certain foods will improve mental faculties. We might actually be sleepwalking towards more mental illnesses with our increased cultural obsession with not eating any animal food. I've noticed it's now the norm everywhere here with organized group activities to have only ''plant-based snacks''. Even cheese is considered bad! The brain needs cholesterol, among other things. Not sure if you get that on your retreat, but I did not. We got two vegan meals a day.

I agree that diet is important. As a matter of fact, I am taking a free MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) now on nutrition from www.coursera.org conducted by Stanford University.

In yoga, they talk about three types of food --- sattvic, rajas, and tamasic. Food is important.

However, there are some exceptional individuals who survive without food with one case being well-documented in Yogananda's "Autobiography of a Yogi". When I was at the Khumba Mela in India, I met one such being.

In any case, you are correct that these are rare exceptions. I agree that diet is very important but also feels that there are other factors in play regarding health. Are you aware that, with the multiple personality disorder, one personality can have a serious dis-ease like diabetes which vanishes immediately with the personality switch. As with my NDE, healing can take place instantaneously under certain conditions and medical science can not explain it. Nonetheless, I remain mindful of my nutrients and my specific food choices.

Originally Posted by sky123

I see the mind as being seperate from the brain and therefore the body. Because I believe in Rebirth I presume that what I take from one life to the next would be the baggage I carry around in my mind that's why it's important to understand the mind and it's function otherwise I will remain in Samsara going around in circles going nowhere carrying my little bag of ignorance

Outside influences do affect the mind but we do have the choice of ignoring that which is causes conflict, it's about controlling the mind and not being controlled by the mind.

I do try but life gets in my way

sky123,

Therefore if the mind is separate from the brain and the body does it stand to reason that there can be no such thing as mind-altering drugs ?

[sky]

If you are born into a culture that's eats different types of food and amounts from the Western World your body/mind would adapt to its natural state.
Just because a person eats a Vegetarian Diet doesn't always mean that they lack some nutrition especially if to them that is what they have always eaten. The body is a clever piece of machinery which can adapt. You would have the DNA from your Ancestors who would have probably eaten the same as you are eating now.... What's inadequate for some is plenty for others....

[sky]

Originally Posted by Molearner

sky123,

Therefore if the mind is separate from the brain and the body does it stand to reason that there can be no such thing as mind-altering drugs ?

I would say there are Brain Altering Drugs, not mind altering Mo...

[sky]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

I agree that diet is important. As a matter of fact, I am taking a free MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) now on nutrition from www.coursera.org conducted by Stanford University.

In yoga, they talk about three types of food --- sattvic, rajas, and tamasic. Food is important.

However, there are some exceptional individuals who survive without food with one case being well-documented in Yogananda's "Autobiography of a Yogi". When I was at the Khumba Mela in India, I met one such being.

In any case, you are correct that these are rare exceptions. I agree that diet is very important but also feels that there are other factors in play regarding health. Are you aware that, with the multiple personality disorder, one personality can have a serious dis-ease like diabetes which vanishes immediately with the personality switch. As with my NDE, healing can take place instantaneously under certain conditions and medical science can not explain it. Nonetheless, I remain mindful of my nutrients and my specific food choices.

The mind plays a very very important part in our health as much as nutrition....

[Altair]

Originally Posted by sky123

If you are born into a culture that's eats different types of food and amounts from the Western World your body/mind would adapt to its natural state.
Just because a person eats a Vegetarian Diet doesn't always mean that they lack some nutrition especially if to them that is what they have always eaten. The body is a clever piece of machinery which can adapt. You would have the DNA from your Ancestors who would have probably eaten the same as you are eating now.... What's inadequate for some is plenty for others....

There are differences between ethnic groups, such as with dairy intolerance. But overall, animal protein is key for good health for everyone because we evolved that way. It's not really surprising that common nutritional deficiencies among Indians are exactly the nutrients that are easy to get from animal food. The Brahmins and the mystics may argue for a semi-vegan diet but the human body isn't well equipped to thrive on it.