[Manymoons]

Andy

You've struck on a really important point. Understanding is the the yin. I have found the more understanding I have the less I am compelled to yinnize with food and drink. A whole person is a balance of body and spirit (yang and yin). When understanding is lacking, the body is less justified and one is compelled to undermine the body and hence compelled to eat in ways that, in effect, negate the body. At least this is how it appears to me from my experience so far in this life.

I have known many persons who indulged in extremes of food and drink--drugs and alcohol. Without exception, their family history consisted of mother and/or father that were heavy on the yang side---more in the body with less spirit. I suspect that "because I said so" was a common input for them, implicitly if not explicitly. Not having yin-understanding input created a natural pressure to search for yin from the outside in the form of eat and drink. The 60's cultural reaction to the 50's ridged mechanicality was therefore a very natural course of events-dare I say an en masse cry for understanding. This is a very good thing, but to the degree of the extremes involved, reflects how disintegrated the over all yin and yang has become. We have our work cut out for us individually and then together. Fortunately the bigger the front- the bigger the back.

My #7 fast consists of roasted sweet brown rice ground into powder and cooked as creme. A few drops of roasted sesame oil adds a delectable nutty flavor. I do this, on average, one day per week, usually Saturday or Sunday.
For myself I find even,consistent patterns easier to deal with than sudden extreme changes. Perhaps this allows for a more gradual incline so understanding has time to sprout and grow.

May your yin and yang always be together
Manymoons