[Manymoons]

Dear Derek

I have personally been there and done that. Its not fun, is it?! Rest assured that all is not lost. If this fast appears to have been a disaster, consider what it has exposed in you. The rice fast is a very self reflecting ordeal at times. So take a deep breath and center yourself enough to realize that being a human being is no guarentee of infalability. and that you are OK and will continue to grow and learn. Nothing is ever wasted really. It is divine to be human!

The rice fast is a very pointed and sharp edged balance. Think of standing on a razor blade and the sharp edge is the point where yin/yang are balanced and integrated. You can see that the slightest move either way leaves nothing for support and a fall is most probable. There is no broad base to catch you. One must eat extremely carefully on #7 because there exists no base of safety for protection. The advantage is that during this experience all is exposed and nothing is covered up. Its much easier to repair something if it is on the table rather than under a pile of junk hidden in the corner.

Every person on this planet is looking for their own yin/yang,--------------- no exceptions. when we are compelled in particular directions it is our need of yin or yang that is the motive force. The concept of comfort food rings a bell here! Food alone will not do it all, but it is the basis for the rest. There are adjustments in our spirits that must be made that the food will fortify but not implement. This is all about yin and yang together, not just spirit (yin) or body (yang). If it were other wise the materialist would have solved the puzzle long ago, or conversely the spiritualist would have solved it. Neither has becuase each has seperated yin from yang. Can not work, will not work-ever!!!!

The materialists are probaly in the yin looking for the yang and the spiritualists are in the yang looking for the yin. The bigger the front the bigger the back. The point is that neither is wrong because each is pursuing their own need. Conflicts need not accure if one is conscious of what is happening and realize that our own needs are not always the same as those of others. It is painful when we need something from some one and they do not have it to give. We usually take it personnally and fail to see the yin/yang of it all becuase of the cloud of our own need (imbalance).

I can not be there to hold your hand as I certainly would. So I give you what I can in hope that it may jog some little thing into place. You have a need of yin or yang that manifests itseft with food. You are not alone in this. Food is easy in this regard. Finding the yin/yang in other ways is more challenging, but it is all around us. Color, texture, taste, sound,even and especially people etc. Do not be ashamed of your need and go for it. You would be a poor stewart to do other wise.

I would recomend that you establish a rather broad diet with in the context of macrobiotics and remain steady with it for a while. As time passes you could slowly contract the spectrum of what you eat and see what these small changes do. These are the tools to find your way. I recommend absolutly no alcohol, refined sugar or other simple carbohyrates a all--period. A broad range of veggies and cereals works great. Have some raw salad, perhaps a piece of avacado or some other more yin veggie. They may be yin but compares to alcohol they are extremely yang. Have fun! Make your food beautiful to see as well as eat. This will be an excercize of spirit as well as body-yin and yang.

The only thing anyone can not have too much of is gratitude!

Manymoons

PS: Be carefull of sauerkruat as it is a ballance for pork and must be respected as such.