Vegetarian Diet
Since the vegetarian diet has been discussed lately, I thought I would say a few words about it. Someone quoted DK talking about the necessity of a strict vegetarian diet if the disciple wants to obtain certain results, such as reading the Akashic records. This is basically true though there are some exceptions. On the other hand, for the majority of endeavors tackled by disciples, especially in this age, the vegetarian diet is not essential.
In the rules for aspiring disciples DK admonished a vegetarian diet but when talking about the higher corresponding rule for disciples and initiates he said: “All the lesser rules are rules in time and space and cannot hold the group.”
The vegetarian diet is a lesser rule, but such a lesser rule can be bypassed if the purpose is right when one becomes a disciple.
Here are a couple other comments he made about the vegetarian diet.
“No set diet could be entirely correct for a group of people on differing rays, of different temperaments and equipment and at various ages. Individuals are every one of them unlike on some points; they require to find out what it is that they, as individuals, need, in what manner their bodily requirements can best be met, and what type of substances can enable them best to serve. Each person must find this out for himself. There is no group diet. No enforced elimination of meat is required or strict vegetarian diet compulsory. There are phases of life and sometimes entire incarnations wherein an aspirant subjects himself to a discipline of food, just as there may be other phases or an entire life wherein a strict celibacy is temporarily enforced. But there are other life cycles and incarnations wherein the disciple’s interest and his service lie in other directions. There are later incarnations where there is no constant thought about the physical body, and a man works free of the diet complex and lives without concentration upon the form life, eating that food which is available and upon which he can best sustain his life efficiency. In preparation for certain initiations, a vegetable diet has in the past been deemed essential. But this may not always be the case, and many disciples prematurely regard themselves as in preparation for initiation.” Esoteric Healing, Page 334
“These drastic physical disciplines are often attempted today by well-intentioned aspirants; they practice celibacy, strict vegetarianism, relaxation exercises and many kinds of physical exercises, in the hope of bringing the body under control. These forms of discipline would be very good for the undeveloped and the lowest type of human being, but they are not the methods which should be employed by the average man or the practising aspirant. Concentration upon the physical body only serves to enhance its potency and to feed its appetites and bring to the surface of consciousness that which should be securely secluded below the threshold of consciousness. The true aspirant should be occupied with emotional, not physical, control and ‘with the effort to focus himself upon the mental plane prior to achieving a stabilised contact with the soul.” Esoteric Healing, Page 578
The vegetarian diet is very important for aspirants and seekers preparing for or working on the first and second initiations. It is also helpful to higher initiates if it is practical for them to be on it. Like he said the vegetarian diet is essential to all who want to work on the astral plane or read the akashic records. Most advanced humans mentioned by DK ate a regular diet with meat such as FDR, Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, Beethoven, Martin Luther, Columbus, Roger Bacon, Francis Bacon, Newton, St. Francis of Assisi and even Buddha was said to eat meat if it was served to him as a guest.
The diet is important to the seeker working on the first initiation because it helps to demonstrate control over his physical body. It is important when working on the second initiation because the animal nature get less vitality and it helps him assume more control over the emotional body. The vegetarian diet doesn’t help a lot with the higher initiations.
I have been on a vegetarian diet several times in my life but for the past 20 years or so I have been impressed to be on a healthy diet but eat and drink what I please as long as it doesn’t hurt my health.
Then a few months ago I felt it was time to go not just on a vegetarian diet, but a raw foods diet. Not only is this a healthy diet but I figured it would help me lose weight.
At this time my diet basically consists of a fruit salad for lunch and a fresh vegetable salad for dinner. Then I eat a few nuts on the side and sometimes splurge on sesame blue corn chips with Artie’s healthy sesame dip. I do allow myself to go off my diet a little when we go out to eat and there is nothing on the menu that fits the diet. I also still drink wine, but have cut back some. If I want to study the akashic records I may have to give that up.
I think a lot of the weight I have gained over the past 20 years has not been due to overeating but to my strange sleeping schedule. I read somewhere that people who keep hours like me usually gain a couple pounds a year and that was what happened to me. I still keep a similar sleeping schedule but am losing weight because of the drastic change in my diet. I’m not losing it as fast as I thought I would. The last time I was on this diet my weight settled in to around 135 pounds. This time I started out at 216 pounds and am now down to 192. I doubt if I’ll get anywhere near 135 this time but should get below 180 – maybe down to 160 eventually. It’ll be interesting to see where I wind up as my metabolism has also changed.
(Note from 2025: Surprisingly my weight did not go own much on this diet so I tried intermittent fasting with some success – which I am still on)
Question: Does physically fasting from food have effect upon prayer or “communion with higher beings” …my ability to concentrate has generally seemed to DECREASE while fasting rather than increase.
JJ: Good question. Yes, I have had the same experience. When fasting my ability to concentrate has decreased and any higher contact has been no more than normal.
So, what is the advantage of fasting?
From my experience it is this. Fasting with a specific purpose in mind that involves petitioning spiritual assistance sometimes gets the attention of the soul. It is as if the soul notices the sacrifice being made and if the upward focus is strong enough then it will respond and help the seeker. If this connection is not made then it may seem harder than usual to focus on everyday living.
Fasting also has a physical benefit in that many of the powers of the digestive system switch from digesting food to cleansing the body. This is why many have a headache at the beginning of a fast – because the body has released toxins and they make the head ache. They also interfere with concentration. When the fast is over there is often an increase in the sense of well-being and then powers of concentration will increase.
Among those whom I like or admire, I can find no common denominator, but among those whom I love, I can: all of them make me laugh. – W. H. Auden
Aug 18, 2025
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