Food and spirituality

    Food is the energy source and the most crucial thing to stay alive. We eat food in different forms since we are born. We eat day in and day out, and food is always in our minds. My daily big question is what to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc. The essential thing that we do as a human is to eat. It is the physiological need as per Maslaw's hierarchy. In a way, we all work and do various things to put food on our table. That food can range from epicurean food like Almas caviar to humble food such as rice and daal, depending upon your financial status and your mood of the day. 

 

     We had putlock on Friday at my workplace, and I decided to make biryani on Thursday night. It is tedious work to make biryani. It needs a lot of ingredients and has multiple steps to make this dish. While driving to work on Friday morning, I think deeply about what drives me to cook and make food for others, even when I am exhausted after a challenging day at the workplace. At a superficial or one-dimensional level, it makes other people happy, and I am also sharing part of my culture, roots, and origin with others worldwide. In addition, I also get content to put in my social media platform. Food is the glue for social gatherings, where we talk passionately about food and share recipes. 


    However, if you ponder and think more deeply, food is not one-dimensional. It is not superficial and is profoundly connected to spiritual well-being. I always noticed food in every place of worship I have been to. I remember my childhood days, and I used to follow Grandpa to Krishna mandir for evening aarti because they would give us prasad. We all know if you go to any place of worship, regardless of their affiliated religion, they always give you something to eat. The root of serving food and cooking is that serving food is the selfless act of feeding another human being. So it is profoundly spiritual, multifaceted, and has a lot of gravity.


    We all know people who are very near and dear to us. When they visit or meet, we buy/ make the food they like the most. It's not only about the taste. It tells that you care about that person and is deeply connected via food. Food is the ultimate love language. One of the ways you express love, respect, and gratitude for the people is by serving the food they like. Some friends call me out of the blue and say I have made your favorite food. Please come and eat. Those people love me the most because they took time in their busy schedules to cook and invite me. In this day and age of AI and whatnot, I feel blessed to have those people in my life. A tiny gesture, but it has a significant impact on life. 


                                            




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