8 Precepts

[GrahamR]

Help please!
If you are trying to keep the 8 precepts at home, what do you sleep on?
I think I may just put the duvet cover on the floor and make a sandwich with it!
With metta
Graham

[DNS]

The main point of that precept is to have humility and not sleep on a high and luxurious bed. Any simple bed will do, in my opinion. I notice that the Sri Lankan monks sleep in typical, average twin beds, nothing that low or unusual.

I use a platform bed which sits very low, but is kind of like cheating if I want to do 8 precepts, since the mattress is still comfortable. If you really wanted to be authentic as possible, like the Thai monks do, then a sleeping bag or quilt cover on the floor followed by the blankets will work.

[GrahamR]

The main point of that precept is to have humility and not sleep on a high and luxurious bed. Any simple bed will do, in my opinion. I notice that the Sri Lankan monks sleep in typical, average twin beds, nothing that low or unusual.

I use a platform bed which sits very low, but is kind of like cheating if I want to do 8 precepts, since the mattress is still comfortable. If you really wanted to be authentic as possible, like the Thai monks do, then a sleeping bag or quilt cover on the floor followed by the blankets will work.

Thanks
Another question please, what about eating, my wife said in the Thai temple she stayed in they could have anything they didn't chew after lunch, but I've read you shouldn't drink milk or the like and in another source only water or tea.
Any views?
With metta
Graham

[DNS]

There are a lot of different interpretations in regard to food after the noon hour. But in my opinion, food means food; so no milk, no 'liquefied food' either. The only allowable items to be ingested in my opinion and in my practice are tea, water, and sometimes fruit juice, but fruit juice only if I am really hungry and can't make it.

Some others have interpreted 'whole juice,' milk and others into the acceptable category, but that's not for me.

[GrahamR]

There are a lot of different interpretations in regard to food after the noon hour. But in my opinion, food means food; so no milk, no 'liquefied food' either. The only allowable items to be ingested in my opinion and in my practice are tea, water, and sometimes fruit juice, but fruit juice only if I am really hungry and can't make it.

Some others have interpreted 'whole juice,' milk and others into the acceptable category, but that's not for me.

Many thanks, I agree and will try this out over the weekend
with metta
Graham

[Cittasanto]

Hi Graham
where I go on retreat use a fold away bed matress for the retreatants with one pillow, and wither a duvet or own sleeping bag for cover.

food wise I started a post on this a short while ago, food which may answer this part somewhat?
I have heard chocolate is allowed but not milk and I have seen an alternative brownie type recipe for lactose intolorant people at a thai forest monestery website (Aus) but I supose it all depends on how strict you want to be?

[Element]

In Thailand, I used to sleep on some cane/grass mats.

In the West, I sleep in the floor on a one inch thick high density foam mattress.

E

[jcsuperstar]

for magha puja i'll be staying at the wat this weekend, taking the 8. at this wat i've seen chocolet, cheese, milk,yogurt, smoothies, ice cream all eaten after noon. in thailand we only ever had this green drink.. i remember my mom telling me once you could buy like coke or pepsi in jugs and add it to water to make soda, i think it was similar. i never liked kool aide or those types of drinks so i didnt much like the green drink either.
we have cots or we sleep on or the floor. in thailand i slept on a hard floor though they said i could have some meditation mats to make a little bed if i wanted.

[GrahamR]

for magha puja i'll be staying at the wat this weekend, taking the 8. at this wat i've seen chocolet, cheese, milk,yogurt, smoothies, ice cream all eaten after noon. in thailand we only ever had this green drink.. i remember my mom telling me once you could buy like coke or pepsi in jugs and add it to water to make soda, i think it was similar. i never liked kool aide or those types of drinks so i didnt much like the green drink either.
we have cots or we sleep on or the floor. in thailand i slept on a hard floor though they said i could have some meditation mats to make a little bed if i wanted.

I decided to try doing the 8 precepts this weekend at home because of Magha Puja too. Hopefully it won't snow too much and we can all go to the temple on Sunday.
I've decided just to have tea or water after 12:00 and slept on the floor with my duvet below and under me.
Being a greedy person I thought it would be difficult and I would miss my food, especially as my wife and daughter aren't participating, but it's gone very well so far ....
Thank you everyone for the help and advice.
with metta
Graham

[MissGredelin]

I tried not eating after noon but it gave me so much stress. I gelt obliged to eat as much as possible before lunch and my sati went down hill very quickly, then on the third day my I got a headache that got a bit better with some salt.. but I don't know how to get used to it even though I want to.

I have IBS so I suspect that even when I eat food my uptake of some carbs isn't what it should be. I tried a keto diet for a year also but then in the end I got underweight and I use my brain very much in my work and its our biggest glucosburner in our body so I don't know what to do.. anyone with some tips..

Any monks with IBS or gut problems?

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

If you are trying to keep the 8 precepts at home, what do you sleep on?

I just took delivery of three buckwheat husk filled zabutons. They are ideal for meditation cushions, and double-up to use as a mattress. They adjust to your body shape, and don't pollute the planet like foam cushions or spring-interior mattresses. I regularly see old mattresses fly-tipped in the area where I live.

[sentinel]

I tried not eating after noon but it gave me so much stress. I gelt obliged to eat as much as possible before lunch and my sati went down hill very quickly, then on the third day my I got a headache that got a bit better with some salt.. but I don't know how to get used to it even though I want to.

I have IBS so I suspect that even when I eat food my uptake of some carbs isn't what it should be. I tried a keto diet for a year also but then in the end I got underweight and I use my brain very much in my work and its our biggest glucosburner in our body so I don't know what to do.. anyone with some tips..

Any monks with IBS or gut problems?

I don't know if you already check with the doctor whether it is due to what ? Could it be stressed or infection by some bacteria ? Anyway , you have to try cure it first before go for fasting after noon hour . Or alternatively , try to reduce portion of foods step by step in the after noon hour . Take says about 1 week time before you stop altogether in the after noon hour .
There are some herbs for bloating , constipation and cramping . But that is difficult to prescribe with the alternative medicine without first knowing what it is . Try to diagnose what are the causes .

[MissGredelin]

Thank you..

The diagnosis is IBS with opstipation, mostly fructant intolerans. It all started with a helico bacter infection and to much stress but my gut microbiome never got better after that. I eat probiotics but it takes long long time to rebuild what is allready lost.

And it has resulted in unessesary mental stress also.

This is best cured with 1) mindfullness of my own body, stresslevels and 2) mindfullness of what I'm eating.

I've gone back to keto diet again in combination with meditation.

So far it has been the most stable way for me to keep track of my food and body sati. But on a long term basis I know I can not be to strict with this because of weightproblems.

So now my plan is to keep this up for some months now and then try to phase out the meal in the evening and eat more in the morning to keep it all stable but at the same time be able to keep the precept that I want to keep. (Or as I view it: have the protection of an great food and body sati.)

[sentinel]

Thank you..

The diagnosis is IBS with opstipation, mostly fructant intolerans. It all started with a helico bacter infection and to much stress but my gut microbiome never got better after that. I eat probiotics but it takes long long time to rebuild what is allready lost.

And it has resulted in unessesary mental stress also.

This is best cured with 1) mindfullness of my own body, stresslevels and 2) mindfullness of what I'm eating.

I've gone back to keto diet again in combination with meditation.

So far it has been the most stable way for me to keep track of my food and body sati. But on a long term basis I know I can not be to strict with this because of weightproblems.

So now my plan is to keep this up for some months now and then try to phase out the meal in the evening and eat more in the morning to keep it all stable but at the same time be able to keep the precept that I want to keep. (Or as I view it: have the protection of an great food and body sati.)

You might want to be careful because it could lead to stomach / gastric cancer . My wife is a Chinese physician , last year she diagnosed a patient with obstipation but she was a final stage cancer patient . If she came half year earlier there is still a chance to treat it .
I suggest according to your conditions you should not take shrimps crabs shellfish (Clams Mussels Octopus Oysters) Squids .
Unless for some other reason or problem , carbohydrates isn't the main reason of obesity or becoming over weight . Hormones imbalances is the main factor causing plumpness .
If underweight that's mean you are not doing well with your diet .
If your health does not allow you to follow number eight precept , temporary setting aside is a better option . Seven precepts is still marvelous . Another option is to consume liquids like pumpkins soup or corns soup etc as substitution until you can cope up with fasting in the evening .


Best wishes

[salayatananirodha]

The main point of that precept is to have humility and not sleep on a high and luxurious bed. Any simple bed will do, in my opinion. I notice that the Sri Lankan monks sleep in typical, average twin beds, nothing that low or unusual.

I use a platform bed which sits very low, but is kind of like cheating if I want to do 8 precepts, since the mattress is still comfortable. If you really wanted to be authentic as possible, like the Thai monks do, then a sleeping bag or quilt cover on the floor followed by the blankets will work.

where do you get a bed like this, what brand