Isn’t that our constant quest; to integrate our animal, addictive, instinctual natures with our higher minded, seeking the cosmos, spiritual selves? I began this examination with my book on eating and sexuality, HOT & HEAVY. That book is now fully loaded as an ebook and you can order it off my website, www.judihollis.com. I will elaborate on this topic in January on the videoblog: “Dr. Hollis’ Weight Loss Solace.”
For now, perhaps it is best to copy what many OAers recite: “Thanksgiving is just another Thursday.” AA members often recount that they consider New Year’s Eve to be “amateur night” when all the lightweights go out drinking. We overeaters need to remember that Thanksgiving, rather than being our holy day of the year, is just another “amateur night” when many people think they overeat. Just like my partner, Henry will eat a large meal and say, “Boy am I stuffed,” they don’t really have a clue. You and I have to remember that most of the time “One bite is too many and a thousand isn’t enough,” and that we don’t need a special occasion as license to binge. We can easily say, “I’ll save that for tomorrow.” Many times it is helpful to recite the mantra, “nothing tastes as good as abstinence feels.”
In any event, carry those thoughts along with a kindness towards yourself and a willingness to be part of society, while staying conscious of your primary objectives. In that way, we might fully savor a satisfying holiday season. I plan to enter the holiday season as I do each year on November 22 by celebrating thirty-nine years in Overeater’s Anonymous! Who knew?
Dr. Hollis’ Weight Loss Solace…
Though I didn’t create videos each day to post as I did on the Italy trip, during our road trip this summer, I still kept you in mind and will follow up in January, 2014 with new video blogs going into detail about what I learned.
It was a grand adventure where Henry and I, in escaping the heat of our lovely desert abode, managed to drive just ahead of fires, floods, windstorms and locusts. We enjoyed gentle breezes in Santa Fe along with the fabulous conference Creativity & Madness where I have presented talks to psychiatrists, social workers, all mental health professionals, and an infinite variety of “artistes.” At this five day event, we explore the fine line and balance between channeling the muse and flipping out. Basically, it is like Shinzen Young, one of my Buddhist teachers said, “The mystic is swimming in the same river in which the psychotic is drowning.” I’ll be offering more details in the video blog, “Dr. Hollis’ Weight Loss Solace” which we will start again after the first of the year. Please remember that these postings where I explore current research and new ideas in the weight loss arena are also available at Dr. Oz’ SHARECARE.com sight. At both locations, I gladly answer all questions.
In Colorado, we managed to dance the tango, attend Shakespeare and blues festivals, and hike in mining towns and ski slopes. After rafting down Utah red rock canyons, cheering at rodeos, and sitting in on the Mormon tabernacle choir Sunday telecast, we learned a lot about living in spirituality and faith.
That took us to Ashland, Oregon for their fabulous Shakespeare festival where my back gave out in the same way it did in India as described in FROM BAGELS TO BUDDHA. Luckily, I suffered less than a week hobbling from one seat to the next before we happened to return to Shasta Abbey in northern Caifornia where the Bagels to Buddha adventure began.
We participated in a special celebration to honor the “healing Buddha,” filled with elaborate songs and full frontal prostrations and then enjoyed tea in the garden with many of the monks I had early encountered at my first visit over thirty years ago. Two days later my back stopped throbbing.
That was just in time to enjoy a week in Napa Valley raiding thrift stores and putting the top down to relish the countryside. They do Italy better than Italy! From there I tearfully met up with Reverent Kinrai, my initial headmaster described in the book, who is now the chief abbot of Berkeley Buddhist Monastery. As he prepared for a special visit from London monks, he took the time to invite me to tea in the garden. I had many questions about my own practice, use of mentors, ascribing ideas to teachers, ego, and vegetarianism. I will go into more detail later in the blogs, but suffice it to say that I gained reassurance, that “yes,” even with my haphazard less than perfect participation, I can call myself a Buddhist.