Om Sri Sairam - I AM Mother Earth



Go-Green Food

Lesson Plan 2

Group 3

Value: Peace

Sub Value: Purity

Purpose: How people's thoughts have an effect on the food we eat and how we can help minimize the effects.  To remember to always pray to God before eating and ask Him to purify and bless the food.

Materials: Sliced apples or fruits, food chart handout

1. 3 Oms, Prayers Vakrathunda Maha Kaya, Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu, Twameva Matha Cha Pitha Twameva

2. Sailent Sitting/Prayer - Brahmarpanam

|Brahmarpanam Brahma Havir |The act of offering is God, the oblation is God |

|Brahmagnau Brahmana Hutam |By God it is offered into the Fire of God |

|Brahmaiva Tena Ghantavyam |God is That which is to be attained by him |

|Brahmakarma Samadhinaha |      who sees God in all |

| |The whole creation being the gross projection of Bramham, |

| |the Cosmic Consciousness itself; the food too is Brahmam, |

| |the process of offering it is Bramhan |

| |it is being offered in the fire of Brahman. |

| |He who thus sees Brahman is action, reaches Bramham alone |

|Aham Vaishvanaro Bhutva |Becoming the life-fire in the bodies of living beings |

|Praninaam Dehamaa Ashritaha |mingling with the upward and downward breaths, |

|Prana Pana Samayuktah |I digest the four kinds of food. |

|Pachamyannam Chaturvidham |I, the Supreme Spirit, abiding in the body of living beings |

| |as the Fire (Vaiswanara) in their stomach I am associated |

| |with their Praana and Apaana, digest the four type of foods |

| |(solids, fluids, semi-fluid and liquid) which they eat. |

English version:

Oh Lord, Thou art the food

Thou are the enjoyer of the food

Thou are the giver of the food

Therefore I offer all I consume at Thy Lotus Feet

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

The two verses are from the Bhagavad Gita: Bhagavad Gita, Chapter IV, verse 24,Bhagavad Gita, Chapter XV, verse 14.

Teachers Notes: (from )

Swami's explanation of this prayer

“We should partake the food with a sathwic (pure, serene) mind. Our ancestors recommended the offering of food to God before partaking. Food so partaken becomes prasad (consecrated offering). Prayer cleanses the food of the three impurities caused by the absence of cleanliness of the vessel, cleanliness of the food stuff, and cleanliness in the process of cooking. It is necessary to get rid of these three impurities to purify the food, for pure food goes into the making of a pure mind. It is not possible to ensure the purity of the cooking process because we do not know what thoughts rage in the mind of the man who prepares the food. Similarly, we cannot ensure the cleanliness of the food ingredients because we do not know whether it was acquired in a righteous way by the person who sold it to us. Hence, it is essential on our part to offer food to God in the form of prayer so that these three impurities do not afflict our mind. The food thus offered to God is digested by 'Vaishwanara" in the digestive system. Since God exists in the form of fire as Vaishwanara, He digests the food along with the impurities. So, man will not be affected even if the impurities enter the food.“

3. Review of Life Application from previous lesson

Share different ways in which they reduced processed foods and packaging at home. What was their experience?

4. Quote from Geetha Vahini page 271 from

“There are three ‘purities’ to be observed: purity of the provisions, purity of the vessels in which food is prepared and purity of the persons who serve the prepared food. It is not enough if the provisions are pure and of good quality. They should have been procured by fair means. No unfair, unjust, untrue earnings should be used for one’s maintenance. These are fouled at the very source. The source as well as the course and the goal must all be equally pure. The vessel must be clean, free from tarnish. The person who serves must not only be clean in dress, but clean in habits, character and conduct. He should be free from hate, anger, worry and indifference while serving the dishes. He should be cheerful and fresh. And he must be humble and full of love. While attending on those who are dining, he should not allow his mind to dwell on wicked or vicious ideas.

5. Affirmation

“I pray before I eat to purify my food.”

6. Pre-Story Activity

Serve the children a slice of apple or grapes. Simply observe their behavior. Do not have any further discussion at this point. They can eat it if they want. Read the story.

Story

Potency of Brahmaarpanam Mantra Prahlad Rao gave a talk at the Sai Krishnan Kalyana Mandap in Brindavan and he covered the potency of the food mantra stated below.

In the early days (70s if I recall), Swami had asked all the Brindavan campus college boys to join Him for lunch. At that time, only about 100 boys were there. Kirlian photographer Dr Baranowski was also there and was invited for lunch. The sumptuous food was laid out on plates in front of the boys. The boys were waiting for Swami to come and join them. Dr Baranowski then used his Kirlian camera and took photos of the food laid out on the plates. No aura was found around the plates of food. Later, Swami arrived and joined the boys for lunch. The boys recited the Brahmaarpanam mantra before partaking the food. After the mantra was recited, Dr Baranowski again took pictures of the food. This time, a blue aura was found around the plates of food. He was excited, but, having a scientific mind, asked Swami for the reason for the blue aura around the food. Swami said that the Brahmaarpanam mantra is a very powerful mantra and that after recitation, the food is converted to prasadam, since it has been offered to God. It further purifies the food and all items around it. That is why the blue aura was found around the plates of food after the mantra was recited.

Post-Story Actvity

a. What does a Kirlian camera capture? (Energy)

b. What happens to food after we recite Brahmarpanam?

c. Why was there a blue aura around the plates of food?

Ask the students if they remembered to pray before they ate the apple. Have any students who did remember to pray, share the prayer they said and what it means to them. Also take turns reading and review prayers from other faiths (attached below)

Photos – See attachment below

Video

Ask Bonnie – Kirilian Photography from

Kirilian Photography - Shooting real time video

1. Practical Questions:

• You are out with friends/relatives at a restaurant. Would you say your food prayer? If yes, how?

• When you are eating a small something e.g. candy, nuts, etc. - do you say your food prayer?

• When you are super hungry – do you say your food prayer? At the speed of lightning? Does it carry the same effects or does it become a ritual?

2. Three aspects to the cleanliness: ingredients, pot, process.

• What else? Environment – Survey: what do we do when we eat?

- At the table with the family? Type of conversations?

- While watching TV?

- At school with friends? Type of conversations?

7. Group Activity – Discussion

Group Discussion (divide the class up into threes or fours). Hand out the scenarios to each student.

1. You have 15 minutes to discuss. Please apply Swami’s teachings in the planning of the scenario that has been given to you.

2. Pick one representative to present your plan of action to the class. She will have 5 min to do so.

3. We will discuss each scenario after it has been presented, before moving on to the next.

DOCTOR - SCENARIO #1

You are a prominent physician sitting in the board of directors at a Hospital. At the last executive meeting, you were asked to revamp the kitchen (that prepares all the food for the patients and the entire hospital) and the cafeteria (where food is served to visitors and ambulating patients). The rest of the food is usually delivered to patients at their bedside. You are an ardent Sai devotee and wish to incorporate Swami’s teachings of purity of food at the hospital.

Think like someone making all the plans to execute this holy task.

How would you layout the kitchen?

How would you layout the cafeteria?

Would you say food prayers before the food service begins?

Make a menu.

RESTAURANT - SCENARIO #2

You are a few businesswomen entrepreneurs who want to start a restaurant in downtown Bethesda. You went through Swami’s SSE classes while growing up. It made a huge impact on how you conduct your life. You want to incorporate all you have learnt from Swami about the importance of purity of food into your business.

Think like a person who is about to venture into this business.

Who will make the food?

How will the food be made?

What will the menu be? (can make a menu if you like… be creative)

What would the décor and ambience be in the restaurant?

What would the price be?

Where would you purchase the food?

How would you run your kitchen?

What type of waiters would you get?

What would you do with leftover food?

What would your mission statement be?

8. Life Application

Remember to recite food prayer after eating. Share how you did in the following class. Also make a note of the different foods you ate in the chart below.

Teachers Note: You can use the student-filled out charts to discuss rajasic, thamasic, and sathwic food during the next class.

[pic] [pic]

[pic]

Brahmaarpanam, Brahma havir, Brahmaagnau brahmanaa hutam,

Brahmaiva tena gantavyam, Brahma karma samaadhinaha.

Aham vaishvaanaro bhutvaa, Praaninaam dehamaashritaha,

Praanaapaana samaa yuktaha, Pachaamy annam chatur vidham.

Meaning:

The offering is God, the act of offering is God, Offered by God in the sacred fire which is God. He alone attains God who in all his actions is fully absorbed in God.

I am the all-pervading cosmic energy, Lodged in the bodies of living beings.

United with their ingoing and outgoing life-breaths, I consume all the various foods.

English version:

Oh Lord, Thou art the food

Thou are the enjoyer of the food

Thou are the giver of the food

Therefore I offer all I consume at Thy Lotus Feet

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

OTHER FOOD PRAYERS

Sufi: Mealtime Blessing

O Thou, Sustainer of our body, heart, and soul.

Bless all we receive In thankfulness. Amen

Baha’i: Grace at Table

He is God! Thou seest us, O my God,

gathered around this table, praising

Thy bounty, with our gaze set upon

Thy Kingdom. O Lord! Send down upon us

Thy heavenly food and confer upon us

Thy blessing. Thou art verily the Bestower,

The Merciful, the Compassionate.

Aztec: A Blessing over Food

Lord most giving and resourceful,

I implore you;

make it your will

that this people enjoy

the goods and riches you naturally give,

that naturally issue from you,

that are pleasing and savory,

that delight and comfort,

though lasting but briefly,

passing away as if in a dream.

Christian: Table Blessing:

Bless us O Lord, and these thy gifts,

Which we are about to receive, from thy bounty,

Through Christ, Our Lord.

Amen.

Judaism: Blessing over Bread

Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam hamotzi lechem min ha-aretz.

Meaning:

Blessed art Thou, Lord our God, King of the universe who brings forth bread from the earth.

Food Chart

Day: Date:

( Breakfast

( Lunch

( Snack

( Dinner

( Snack

Food Chart

Day: Date:

( Breakfast

( Lunch

( Snack

( Dinner

( Snack

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