Arian Foster – Vegan Running Back Brings Spirituality to Football

By Gregg Prescott, M.S., In5D.com, July 9, 2015

In a game that follows the divide and conquer principle and is filled with violent hits of aggression, vegan NFL running back Arian Foster has created his own spiritual niche.

Upon scoring a touchdown, Foster makes the Namaste gesture towards the crowd, no matter what stadium he is playing in.

According to wiki, Namaste is a common spoken valediction or salutation originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is a customary greeting when individuals meet, and a valediction upon their parting. A non-contact form of salutation is traditionally preferred in India and Namaste is the most common form of such a salutation. When spoken to another person, it is commonly accompanied by a slight bow made with hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointed upwards, in front of the chest. This gesture, called Anjali Mudra or Pranamasana, can also be performed wordlessly and carries the same meaning.

In an article on ESPN, Foster stated, “I feel like every running back should have their own little stamp on the game,” adding, “Mine stems from the core or what I believe. It’s a Namaste. It means respect. It just means, ‘I see the God in you.’ It’s me paying my respect to the game of football.”

While attending the University of Tennessee, Foster majored in philosophy and enjoys writing poetry.

A poem by Arian Foster:

In astrology, his first name was chosen by his father, Carl, and is an abbreviated form of Aquarius, so it’s not surprising that he has a spiritual and metaphysical side to him which includes yoga and studying Hindu teachings.

“I studied Buddhism for a while,” said Foster, who is not Hindu. “I’m really into different types of cultures and religions. I really like their belief system, and I just believe we’re kind of all in this together as people, energies and life forces.”

Undrafted by all 32 teams in the NFL, Foster signed a free agent contract with the Houston Texans on May 1, 2009. He was released by the Texans on September 5th, 2009 but was signed to the practice squad the following day and then was signed to the active roster on November 17th.

Unlike many celebrities who are caught up in the materialistic aspects of life, Foster simply wants to make the world to be a better place for all of us.

$The significance of this gesture extends far beyond even the simplest definition of "I bow to you". Namaste is a humbling gesture. It has a deep spiritual significance that seeks to reduce our own ego in the presence of another person. I've learned that one of the most beautiful ways we can honour someone is to look them in the eye and really see them. Not the clothes they wear o r the labels they cling to. Not their profession or status. Not the car they drive or the house they live in, but to really see their essence and to know that their essence is the same as mine. There is no separation. The gesture of placing our palms together in front of the heart is called “anjali mudra” which means to honor or celebrate. A mudra is an energetic "seal" or circuit that guides the flow of energy and reflexes to the brain. Anjali mudra helps us to listen and to focus inwardly - both physically and mentally. It connects us with our higher self and when we practice it, we practice honoring and celebrating not only our higher self, but the higher self that resides within all living beings (the light in me honors the light in you). Namaste represents yoga... two seemingly opposing forces (masculine/feminine, inner/outer, light/dark, me/you) being joined together. The word yoga means to “yolk” (to join). It ultimately seeks to unite all opposites and dissolve any illusion of separateness that may exist. Practice looking people in the eye when you encounter them or speak with them: the cashier at the grocery store, your neighbour, a co-worker. This helps to soften the barriers we often place between us and serves as a reminder to honour and celebrate not only your higher self, but also the higher self that resides within all living beings. _/\_ Namaste!$

Arian Foster on gratitude:

Foster became a vegan in July 2012. He tweeted the following statement, “Officially a vegan now . . . Feels wonderful.” In November 2012, he revealed that he eats meat on occasion but mostly wants to stay on plants based foods. Despite his occasional eating of meat, Foster created an awareness of the vegan lifestyle and has undoubtedly inspired other athletes to do the same.

In 2011, the NFL was swept by “Tebowing” when NFL quarterback Tim Tebow would drop to a knee to pray after scoring a touchdown. It created quite a controversy in the NFL and skyrocketed Tebow into being a pop culture sensation through his religious beliefs.

Foster’s touchdown celebration is something quite different from Tebow’s although both have a religious viewpoint. The difference between the two is that Christianity has killed millions of innocent people in the name of their religion, which is ironic because they also preach to “Love Thy Neighbor” but do not adhere to their own values.

Arian Foster on religion:

Perhaps “Fostering” or “Namasteing” will be the next sensation? Either way, it will continue to bring attention to the vegan lifestyle as well as to the metaphysical and spiritual fields.

Namaste, Arian.

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About the Author:
Gregg Prescott, M.S. is the founder and editor of In5D and BodyMindSoulSpirit. He hosts a weekly spiritual show on In5D Radio and promotes spiritual, metaphysical and esoteric conferences in the United States through In5dEvents. His love and faith for humanity motivates him to work relentlessly in humanity’s best interests 12-15+ hours a day, 365 days a year. Please like and follow In5D on Facebook as well as BodyMindSoulSpirit on Facebook!