The Vikid Fast - Day 4 of 20
On Giving Up and Quiting the News
Yesterday, coming close to the evening, I had my first thoughts of giving up. I have been expecting this and I am sure there are going to be other challenging days. The desire to give up was less to do with hunger. It was more to do with boredom, of being deprived of the demonic lust, the need to gorge and to consume.
I am not at a retreat being pampered and massaged. I have have no guru looking after me and no group to commiserate with. Not that I want it. Nor do I have any need to whine but I do have to work normal days, I have real world problems and we are in a grueling year, all the more reason to quit. I was ogling potato chips still lying on the bedroom table, the chilly sauce in my fridge, I was planning on sneaking in a little sweet or perhaps a sugar free gum. How could that do any harm? No one would know right?
However, that really wouldn’t be good and I did negotiate a compromise between the warring parts of my brain. I had some coconut water and that did the trick. Slightly sweet and slightly salty. Pacification of the amygdala and ensuing panic.
So I’ve broken the pure water only rule a couple of times now. As I see it, it’s not really a set back. The truth of the matter is sometimes we do have make compromises and be a bit gentler with our selves. I am not setting a record and have little to prove anyone apart from the fact that I haven’t eaten in 4 days. I’m sure there are a few kids in Syria and another thousands similar places around the globe in this position.
Meditations are going well. I also managed a walking meditation this morning. If you haven’t tried it then this is a really good option to get you into things. There are many resources online but if I find something of particular value, I’ll put it up in a following post.
Reading wise, try “Stop Reading the News” by Rolf Dobelli.
He packs a lot of sense into a short book and has actually convinced me that as part of this water fast, a News fast may be appropriate. So I’m ditching Facebook, Instagram, Twatter, the Local Papers, the online media and anything similar that holds no real value.
I may cut down on the reading too but that’s yet to be decided. I’ve a few hundred books that I’m half way through, I’ve bought another 40 this last month. Addiction? Yes maybe, but also something I love and value. Perhaps I will make a decision in the next few days.
that’s all folks,
The Vikid Truth