Inshallah
Darkness October 2011
I was analyzing my likes and dislikes (more on that another blog) and began with food, which is a big area of contention for me. Sadly, I realized nearly all of my favorite foods are unhealthy...at least the options from their menus I choose and enjoy. My favorite cuisines are Italian, Mexican, and Indian. Shucks! There are raw foods I do like and Peace Pies Raw Food Restaurant in Leucadia can be recommended as well as Haggo's Organic Tacos, also in Leucadia, which actually is NOT typical Mexican, using all locally grown organic ingredients and much less cheese, if any.
Looking deeper, I realize that much of my food focus has zero to do either with appetite or hunger. Most of my pull towards food is totally EMOTIONAL. The idea to eat pops right up when my ego chooses soothing because it has chosen to believe it's current external experience is: FRUSTRATING, BORING, TAXING, or preferably, TO BE AVOIDED.
Food offers a delectable pause before having to face an unappealing present-time reality again, and presumably having to deal with or do something about it.
Granted, things are much less complicated here in the Dark, mostly because I only have ONE ego to deal with, my own! Still, the "Let's eat" thought comes in and I am valiantly endeavoring to put a new rule into practice: ONLY EAT WHEN I AM HUNGRY!!
By the way, you may wonder what could be stressful in Darkness. Much...as all has to be accomplished without sight. Also, there are no "diversions" that worldly life offers. The closest thing would be listening to the wondrous sounds of my Himalayan bowls. They are AWESOME. Still, in the Dark, it's largely a 2-part menu: sadhana or body-care. This is exactly what makes the Dark stellar for spiritual and psychological growth and discovery. So I am living the No Hunger, No eating prescription. I have one small caveat...a tiny bite of cheese at meal-end for "dessert". Paramahansaji always recommends balance, you know :-).
I am also gearing up to having few meals weekly of the Italian-Mexican-Indian trio. I will definitely require Den's support on that and he actually seems more ready than I. Sometimes social obligations must predominate and certainly Holiday Celebrations have their special agenda. I can roll with that...balance remember ;-).
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