18 the rice diet renewal
on your swimming. ” My fear was not being able to “ touch
bottom ” or to hang on the side. I wanted to be safe. I had no
real faith that I could really do this, until I let go and swam.
I am just now learning how to swim in my life stream.This amazing man was awakening to the desire for wholeness
and health. He, like many others, survived his early childhood
dramas, unconsciously playing out his pain by co - creating a less -
than - fulfi lling marriage, and made other mindless choices such as
adopting the average American dieta of fast foods and other high -
saturated - fat and high - sodium foods, inactivity, workaholism, and
alcoholism. He, like many people, justifi ed his less - than - desirable
lifestyle because he viewed his security and quasi - stable home
front to be preferable to the unknown alternative of making a major
lifestyle change.
The domino effect of unconscious choices that eventually cre-
ates poor health is not what anyone really wants. In the developed,
industrialized world, it simply tends to occur when we aren ’ t look-
ing or are not staying mindful of what we are physically doing
(eating, exercising, etc.), thinking, feeling, and believing, relative to
what we intuitively and passionately want to do with our lives.
Finding the Support You Need
The experiences of Doc and Charles continue to remind me
that it doesn’t take a lot of time to become honest and con-
sciously connect with ourselves and others, but it does take
showing up. If you cannot come to our program at this time,
I strongly encourage you to fi nd an emotionally and spiritually
supportive community where you are given the opportunity to
share and be honest. It doesn’t necessarily require a minister,
a rabbi, a therapist, or a meditation teacher to facilitate your
healing. Many have found a mature 12-step program sponsor
(continued)