NOM

My mother used to make fantastic chicken soup. It was, and still is, one of my favorite dishes. I can only make a close approximation of it and I'm okay with that. I don't wish to outshine the maestra. One day, I was enjoying a lunch of my mother's soup. I had a second bowl. When it came time for dessert, my mother asked me if I wanted some chocolate cake--another one of her delicious creations that really could stand on its own. I declined and this surprised her. I told her, while her cake was amazing and I would have some for a snack or dessert at another meal, her soup had been just perfect and I wanted the taste of that to linger in my mouth.

The Japanese have a concept called hara hachi bu. It means eat until you are 85% full. In other words, eat until you are satisfied but not bursting at the seams. It's healthier. I think it's an important habit to cultivate, because it instills a philosophy of moderation and contentment.

As I frequently do before I go to church, I check the lineup of subjects, because some of them are just triggering. There was one day, however, when both the SS lesson and the RS lesson looked promising. I was especially looking forward to the RS lesson. As luck would have it, though, SM was especially beautiful, that day. However, when SS ended, I felt I had reached spiritual hara hachi bu. I regretted missing the RS lesson, but I knew that if I stayed, I wouldn't enjoy it as much because I had reached satiety.

I wanted the lingering taste in my mouth to be the chicken soup of the Sunday School lesson and the chocolate cake of the RS lesson would have only diluted both experiences. There will be chocolate cake other days.

A few days later, my VT came to visit and asked me how I enjoyed the RS lesson. Like an idiot, I told her that I had been sufficiently spiritually fed after SS and more would have been overwhelming. The look on her face was a mixture of confusion and trying to figure out exactly what kind of evil she was facing. Trying to determine just what kind of demon I am. Anyway, I did ask her to share what she appreciated from the lesson and I was grateful to her. It sounds like it was, in fact, a good lesson. Still, I don't regret my hara hachi bu.

That's an interesting idea. It so flies in the face of LDS cultural practice and certainly is on display at ward dinners. A philosophy of moderation and contentment would be a great help to the LDS church.

A great explanation of how I know feel/deal with the church stuff. Now that I'm a cafeteria Mormon, and quite proud of this fact, I can pick and choose when I go to meetings, what I listen to, what I decide to participate in, and to what level I will deal with the silliness. And yes, sometimes I can even be uplifted when I go, although these days those experiences are about as rare as a snuffaluffagus sighting.

Last week I just got up and left when the teacher started to explain that we don't worship Joseph Smith. Ah, no. You do. So, I was "full," so I walked out. Wish I wasn't full of rage, but I think the metaphor still works.

Yeah, I'm down to snuffalufagus sightings, too.

I think, some time, I'll stand and bear my testimony and say that I feel so moderately full and appropriately blessed. I can go about my work without feeling bloated or weighed down. I don't feel the need to take a nap. I'm spiritually fed to the point of healthy comfort and not needing to own the embarrassing ritual of unbuckling my pants.

A few more thoughts. This was discussed on a thread on NOM 1.0, but they called it taking a consumer approach to religion. In other words, getting your money's worth. I think that's a good approach, too.

Back to the analogy. The Hindus have philosophy called Aryuveda. There are three basic constitutional types: Vata, Pitta, Kapha. They are roughly analogous to ectomorph, mesomorph and endomorph, respectively. They then advise that someone tall and lanky eat heavier, creamier dishes. Since they have a higher metabolism, they can also eat more. Someone who is more prone to body fat, eat fewer meals and skew their diet to light, leafy and spicy fare.

I think there are probably people who are this way, spiritually, too. Some can take lots of the heavy stuff and some who need less and need it light. Side note, the "mid-weight" constitution is the Pitta. They are fiery types. Their recommended diet are things that cool the fire. So, these folks would get a moderate dose of the teachings of Christ.

This got creative. Just some random thoughts. Today, church was incredibly boring, today. I haven't seen such torpor in a long time.