My father in law said the other night “Esta es un mundo de locos” (This world is full of crazy people).  I thought, really, I reckon it is full of amazing, lovely people.  I only tend to meet amazing, lovely people.  Funny that.

I am in the city of San Cristobal in Venezuela staying with my wife’s parents in the Andes.  It is an amazing place of stunning natural beauty and the most perfect climate I have ever been in.  The Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) on their “Smart Traveller” website gives this region their highest danger rating “DO NOT TRAVEL”.  When I walk around the streets of this place, during the day and night I think “What a load of absolute shit!!”.  People here are friendly, courteous, beautiful, helpful and just trying to live a happy life and like the rest of us.  I am sure though that the people who listen to the scary news and tune into the violence frequency or worry about it would probably be able to attract it here, but then again I don’t think the location has much to do with that!

The Universe contains absolutely every possible experience, from the most joyful and beautiful to the most traumatic and unimaginable.  There is a huge range of experiences in between.

I don’t feel like anything bad has ever happened to me.  I have never been a victim of violence.  Lately I seem to be able to focus even more on the positive and my life gets even better.

Yesterday in central San Cristobal we were at a fun fair.  Amongst the chaos, filth and noise all I could see was beauty. Beauty in everyone that walked past me.  A few weeks ago, I was so frustrated about being here in Venezuela that I got really down.  I really wanted to just be in Australia now and not have to wait for my wife’s spousal visa.  I hated the place, I hated my in-law’s farm, I hated the city, I hated the people.  It was the worst place in the world.  But here I was, with 2 more months in front of me, so I had a choice keep hating it or change my attitude.  So I changed my attitutude, I still hate it every now and then by most of the time now I just see beauty in this place and its people.  DIFFICULT EXPERIENCES ARE SO AWESOME!! the growth that come out of them is priceless, if you are a willing participant.

I am also so grateful here for my 8 year old Nephew here Francisco Armando.  He is so much like me when I was a kid, expressive, constantly enthusiastic, loud, always singing, always shouting, always wanting to play and has a massive heart.  For the first few months I hated him.  I was even mean to him at times.  Then I realised that he is me when I was 8 and through bullying at school I shut that boy down.  I realised I had an opportunity for huge healing through my nephew.  If I could play with him, shout with him, sing with him, run with him, be enthusiastic with him, be kind to him, and LOVE him I would effectively be healing myself and reconnecting with my true self.  So thats what I did, and it worked.

I am so convinced that we don’t need workshops, books, mind expanding drugs and other spiritual technologies to grow. All we really need to do is to open our eyes to the teachings in front of us.  Our masters that are our parents, children, partners, nephews and every one else we spent time with.  Especially the people who drive us nuts, they are our true masters.  There is always potential for huge healing through the people who drive us nuts.

I am grateful for the people who drive me nuts, like my Nephew.  He no longer drives me nuts, he healed a huge part of me.

I for example I am in the process of stopping overeating because I know how much better I feel when I eat light.  So for a few days I tried to stop overeating and it didn’t work.  Then I decided that I would create a new habit of “Conscious eating” eating slow, taking breaks, chewing my food etc.  It is working, I am doing it.  By creating this new habit, the old habit just falls away.  “Conscious eating” and “Overeating” just can’t exist in the same space.

In building new habits that build your life energy and health there are two companions that are like gold.  Number 1 is a partner or friend to remind you of your new habit when you forget.  Number 2 is the Humility to accept the reminder.

My wife Rosarmy and I have been together for over 3 years now.  Rosarmy is a very disciplined person with very good eating habits and habits in general.  She is absolutely delightful to be married to.  For a while now she has been trying to help me eat consciously, reminding me to chew well and enjoy my food.  For a long time I resisted the advice.  I would say things like “Just coz I’m eating fast doesn’t mean I am not enjoying it” or “I have an excellent digestive system, it can take it!”.  At times I was even openly hostile and possibly even told her to “shut up and mind your own business”.

Then I started this blog to track my own path to bliss and indentified “Conscious Eating” as one of the habits I wanted to form.  I was humbled to realise that what I now REALLY wanted my wife was trying to help me with a looong time ago.

So now my wife says “Hey love, enjoy your food, chew well” and I say “Thanks for reminding me”.  There is no resistance any more so now I can build a habit of conscious eating.

I think sometimes we just have to listen to others more.  Especially those close to us.  Especially our wives, boys!! Women are powerful, sensible and intuitive and know whats good for us most of the time.  Especially if the relatioship is loving.

Humility is the key, If we can just see that most of the time (constructive) criticism is really a signpost leading us back to our path to bliss we can be grateful and say “Thankyou” rather than getting into resistance with the other person that just keeps us stuck.

After writing the blog I wanted to change the title from “Overeating – the Big Test” to “Conscious eating – the Big test”.

It is important that when we want to stop doing something and create a new more blissful habit, we must focus on creating the new habit rather than stopping the old one.  I want to stop overeating but really I am creating a new habit of  “Conscious Eating”.

“Conscious Eating” is being fully present while you are eating.  Concentrating on what you are doing, enjoying the food, savouring the food and being grateful for where it came from.  It is also eating slow so you know when you have had enough for your needs.

So I guess eliminating the “drain” to bliss of Overeating is the same as starting the practice of “Conscious eating” which for me represents a huge step towards bliss.  When I eat consciously and light I feel great.  When I don’t I tend to feel heavy and lazy for the rest of the day.  It is a question of giving up short term gratification for a higher pleasure or bliss.

What “quick fix” or “short term pleasure” can you give up today in order to move towards long term bliss?