Simple Feedback & The Cycle of Double Avoidance
I, as most of us, sometimes eat things that are not good for me. I guess I am fortunate in that my body does not hesitate to make it very clear to me, in the form of spaciness (sugar), fatigue (sugar), sluggishness (dairy), feeling weird - out of touch with the world, unreality (anything refined or artificial, wheat, alcohol), and in other ways.
Being with the experiences, allowing for feedback
I notice that if I take time to be with the symptoms of eating something my body has a reaction to, then that provides valuable feedback and something shifts. If I am with my experiences, simply, clearly, allowing them to unfold on their own, without adding drama to it, the feedback allows something to shift and I find myself less likely to want to eat that food again - or I eat it less frequently and in a lesser amount.
Cycle of double avoidance
I also see that the reason I eat these things is often that I want to avoid another experience.
Something comes up that my personality finds uncomfortable, and instead of taking the time of being with these experiences, I eat ice cream, cheese or something else. Then, I have the reactions from eating dairy and/or sugar, and avoid experiencing these as well by distracting myself in another way.
So there is an initial avoidance, leading to behavior that creates other unpleasant experiences, and there is an avoidance of these experiences as well. This allows the cycle to continue as before, in spite of whatever self-talk I may engage in.
Being with
The solution is to be with my experiences, both the initial ones that may trigger distraction and the symptoms of the food I eat. To be with them, as they are, without adding drama. And if drama is added to it, then just be with that as well.
It is simple. Clear. Peaceful (even if what I am being with may be turmoil).
Being with experiences in this way seems to invite something to shift, in its own time and in its own way. It seems to provide just the right food for the inherent intelligence and wisdom of the mind.
My business is to be with my experiences. That is all. The shift happens on its own.
Labels: being with, resistance