I like to learn about other cultures.
I have been to pow wows and Oktoberfests. I have seen performances by the Tamboritzans, who do traditional dances of Eastern Europe. I saw a performance of Shen Yun, the Chinese dance troupe that does the kind of traditional dance that was done before the arrival of Communism. I especially like to eat the traditional food of other ethnicities; see their traditional costumes and watch them dance their traditional dances. I have eaten many different kinds of food and danced along with some of them at their festivals.
Last week I got to interact with some Tibetan Buddhist monks who were visiting one of the local churches. One of them did a talk about compassion one night and the next night the four of them prepared a meal like what they would eat at home. The meal was a pleasant experience. The talk that was given the first night left a lasting impression on me. The talk lasted about an hour. I was able to glean a few important bits of advice.
First of all, I was impressed that the one man in the group who could speak English taught himself to do so. He told us that to be compassionate to others we needed to have compassion for ourselves. He said we needed to be happy in two ways--in body and mind. We needed to take care of our bodies by eating “delicious food.”
When we asked him if monks forgo using alcohol and other drugs, tobacco and sex, he said they do, but they know how to control their urges. So, the most important information I gathered were, “delicious food” and “control.”
I may not have an addiction to alcohol and other drugs, tobacco or sex, and I have compassion for those who do, but I believe I have an addiction to “delicious food.” Everything that happens to me during the day can be a trigger for me to eat. And although some of the food may be delicious, it isn’t necessarily nutritious.
When I get out of bed in the morning, it is time to eat. Between breakfast and lunch I get hungry, so I nibble on something. If I’m having a bad day, I believe I need some chocolate--dark chocolate, of course. After I exercise, I need to replenish the nutrients that were used up. When I come home from shopping, I need a bite of chocolate. When Sweetheart and I are out with friends, we always eat.
Do you see where I’m going with this?
So, I decided to take the monk’s advice and practice control. Of course, there are times when I must eat, but other times are optional. So, when I am tempted to eat between meals, I repeat the word, “control,” and turn away from the food I had reached out to grab. It has worked for a week, but I have a lot of living to do. I don’t know how long this determination will last. The monks can be my inspiration.
However, there are other things we need to control--like anger, or prejudice, or arrogance, or hatred, or unforgiveness. Maybe, those things are as important to control as drugs, alcohol, tobacco, sex and food.
Dorothy is the author of two books—“Miles and Miracles” and “Getting It All Together “. You can purchase a book or send a comment by emailing her at dorothybutzknight@gmail.com
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