I've been thinking of becoming a vegetarian. There. I said it.
It's surprising how adamant meat eaters can be against this. There are strong opinions on why you have to eat meat: protein, balance, you're Irish and Italian what exactly are you going to eat?!? And just as many reasons as why not to: something has to die for you to live, the horrific mass meat market, injected hormones and antibiotics, could you kill the animal yourself if you had to...I have my reasons for considering a vegetarian lifestyle like anyone else. I'm giving it a trial run. My fiance caught me looking at a vegetarian website. You should have seen his face. He's supportive as long as he's still allowed to grill steaks. I said OK, as long as they are grass fed happy cows from the local farm :)
Speaking of food, I've joined the woman masses and am reading Eat Pray Love. I'm halfway through the Pray part. I'm thinking the Eat section may end up my favorite. It was hard to transition from the abundance of sun and food and joy experienced by the author in Italy, to the quiet and austere Ashram in India. The descriptions of Italian food made my mouth water, and long even more for my honeymoon in Rome that begins in 40 days. How religiously appropriate. I don't even care if I gain weight. I am going to eat without guilt. Food freedom. What's that like?!? I'm hoping all the sightseeing tours and sex will help balance the caloric intake.
What I like about the Pray part of the book so far is her experimenting with meditation. Meditation comes easy to no one, but I think if you persist, the grace will come. So, I looked up Catholic meditation. Tons of saints meditated. I may never have locutions or visions or ecstasies, but I'll take a little peace of mind any day.
Catholic meditation has 4 parts:
1. Place yourself in God's presence.
You can do this literally in a church or the Blessed Sacrament, or anywhere because God is everywhere, especially in the silence of our hearts.
2. Ask for God's help.
God never tires of helping us, and we need His blessing in all that we do, so take a moment to ask Him to help you in your meditation.
3. Actual meditation.
In most Indian mediation practices, you're told to quiet and empty the mind completely, in Catholic mediation, we're told to focus on a phrase or image. A phrase from the gospels, an image from the mysteries of the Rosary or the Way of the Cross. Take time to imagine the scene and then yourself in it. I'm thinking I'd like to combine the 2 a little and imagine a scene and then perhaps quietly chant a verse about this scene from the gospels. Just a thought.
4. Give thanks.
End all prayer and worship by giving thanks to God for His presence and help.
So, I haven't eaten meat in 2 weeks and I'm going to give meditation a try either tonight or tomorrow during my adoration hour with the Blessed Sacrament. What an earth cookie I'm becoming, as my mom would say, but I'm just striving after more peace in my mind, body and heart. If I can just stop cussing at the idiots on the road, I'll take that as a sure sign I'm gaining peace ground.
