Question

I recently started meditating, and I started feeling super hungry during and right after meditation. Is this normal? Should I go eat or continue meditating?

—chloe, Canada

Answer

Dear Chloe,

It is not ideal to eat just before meditating as it tends to bring the energy to the digestive system. Meditation is trying to bring this energy up to the spiritual eye. However, hunger during meditation is a distraction. I suggest you experiment a little to see what works for you. Eating a big meal just before meditating can interfere quite a bit, causing sleepiness in meditation. It is not such a problem if you have a little to eat, just enough to settle down your hunger. You can have a bigger meal later if you are still hungry after meditation. It is also possible that meditating at a different time of day would work better for you. It is important to have a regular, daily meditation practice, so be creative about how to make that happen in your life. Feel free to experiment, always paying attention to what helps you go deeper in meditation.

Many blessings,
Nayaswami Mukti

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