Simon Stock spent 20 years as a hermit, which is the anniversary on which my life is bearing down at the moment. February of 2023, I will have spent 20 years as a hermit, and as the days click by, I am reviewing just how much I have and have not lived up to what I had imagined I would do during this time, making me increase in humility, with a desire to do better in the next 20 years.
The life of an independent hermit, accidental or intentional, is the source of speculation for many folks who have no experience with monastic life. There are some funny assumptions and expectations by the outside world, mostly based on fantasy or wishful thinking.
Monastic life can often look like "normal" life to the untrained eye. And there is good reason for that. This isn't magic. Even the saints did not typically go flying off into the clouds, unaided by any physical contraption. They ate, they drank, they bathed, they washed the dishes, they made clothes. The thing which INFORMS the life of the independent monastic is usually invisible. What are our motivations and with what lens do we gaze out upon the world?
Some days, it is high flown mystical stuff and other days we are wondering how we can lose some weight in order to better operate within the limitations of our world.
THE HIGH FLOWN MYSTICAL STUFF
I no longer have the time to do the research and write extended biographies of the saints, besides which there are many authors who have done a good job of this over the years and my input is not needed on that score. But I do encourage you to read up about Saint Simon Stock and the scapular that he was given during his mystical vision of the apparition of Our Blessed Mother. I was invested with the scapular about a decade ago and have worn it ever since. There are certain named advantages to wearing it but you have to take care to follow the spiritual disciplines associated with it or you do not get all the benefits. I have not been good about following through with all those things, but I am working on it. I am a work in progress, in general.
WEIGHT LOSS PROJECT
In addition to the health benefits of losing some weight, my desire to lose a good amount of weight has a basis in my spiritual life. Fasting is a well known ascetic practice of monastics in many religious traditions. Anyway, I am giving it a try AGAIN and we will see if I am able to successfully get this under control, but I admit that this issue has been the bane of my existence for as long as I can remember.
I have always been a stocky person except for the years between ages 16 and 24. I remember gazing into my nearly empty closet when I was 6 years old. Hanging in it was one dress. My mother had told me that I did not deserve to have any clothes until I lost weight. No instructions were given, no special food purchased for this project, and I do not remember her cooking anything but a microwave meal except for a short period when she was married to her 4th husband and he demanded that she cook.
I was a growing girl and every bit of clothing I owned was too short, too tight, too stained and too ratty. NOTHING fit me and I was always uncomfortable.
So that dress, my favorite dress that reminded me of Alice, of "Alice in Wonderland" fame, would not have fit me even if I did lose weight because the dress was a couple years old, I was growing and it was too short for me, but I could not bear to throw it away or give it to someone because it was my favorite. I used to imagine that if I wished hard enough, I would magically "lose weight" in my sleep and when I woke up, I would fit into the dress again.
I am here to tell you that you can't pray the fat away. it does not work.
NO CONTROL OF FOOD COMING INTO HOUSE
Living on a fixed income, I can't afford a lot of the recommended foods, unless someone donates to my wish list. Cooking and cleaning the kitchen are a challenge for me, since my chronic pain and disintegration of the bones make it impossible to keep up with the chores. I was approved for a caregiver two years ago but none of the agencies have staff. They ALL seem to be relying on relatives of the disabled and elderly to get shuttled through the agency and then get paid for taking care of the relatives they would be helping anyway. I have no family to do this.
SO - how does one diet when one has such little control over the food situation? I've decided to concentrate on the AMOUNT of food I am eating, cutting it down considerably, and relying on vitamins to take up the shortfall. I will do my best to get healthy foods into the house.
I will follow this method every day except for two:
Most days I will have 3 meals and no snacks, but two of the meals resemble more of a snack anyway, on this plan.
On Fridays I will fast a bit more as a spiritual discipline, skipping one of the meals.
On Sundays, I will take the day off to have a "feast day" but never overdoing it - just eating until I am full.
I will do the best I can to eat the "Mediterranean Diet" that 3 of my doctors have prescribed. This diet incorporates a lot of greens, certain kinds of fish, beans, lots of olive oil, high fiber, and not a lot of bread or pasta. Nuts and seeds, certain kinds of tea and coffee, as well as other supplements, are included. I have a detailed list of what I need, based on doctors' advice. Some of it is on my DONATION WISH LIST. Amazon has my address and will mail to me direct.
The difficulty with diets is that, unlike drugs or alcohol, one HAS to eat to survive, but I am going to do the best I can to stick with this and I ask you all for your prayers to keep me on the narrow path.
By the way - if any of my readers/companions on my journey want to share their journey of the intersection of their spiritual and health endeavors, be sure and check in with us, leaving a comment at the end of this post.
IRRITATION MAKES ME WANT TO NOSH
A visitor to the apartment complex knocked on my door this afternoon to tell me that she knows I don't like it when someone parks in the "no parking zone" but she is going to do it anyway because she is "only going to be here for a little while." I showed her where the visitor parking is and also demonstrated to her how the position of her car is completely blocking one elderly lady from leaving her garage, but this woman is selfish and self-centered and won't move. As I write this, she has been there for two hours. I could call to have her car towed but I don't want to get into it with this aggressive woman.
I noticed that, as I became irritated with the pushy woman, my inclination was to eat something. Interesting, yes? Instead, though, the first thing I did was PRAY, and now I am making myself a cup of refreshing TEA.
TELL ME YOUR DIET HACKS!
I am interested in what inspires my readers to keep the rules they have set for themselves with regard to their health goals, and particularly the weight loss journey. Anyone have any wisdom they would like to offer? How have you managed to strengthen that intersection between a spiritual fast and your health journey?
Have a beautiful evening, everyone.
Love,
Silver Rose
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