Fine (Mental) Dining

I awoke one morning (not too long ago) fascinated by an awareness of the workings of my subconscious mind. With the knowledge that our subconscious uses the time of our sleep to process the accumulated “input” of data from all that we sense during our waking hours, I find the ‘catalog’ of subject materials (that I scan through, in my dreams) amazing in its scope. On this morning in question, for instance, I was conscious that I was experiencing a “dream-segment” that incorporated two subjects (each having their own fascinating and/or entertaining elements) … Tony Bennet and … the mafia … in my pre-waking moments.

Reflecting for an instant, I recalled seeing Tony Bennet on an afternoon chat show (Oprah, in fact) and later that same afternoon, a report on BBC (I think) about the apprehension of “The Don of Dons” in Sicily. And there they were … in my dream. How about that brain! Is it not an amazing device? It records all that we elect to introduce into our awareness … with a complete trust and confidence, in our careful exercise of prudence, in using our willful choice in selecting the Matter to be stored in our minds. Our faithful subconscious has no reservations in welcoming all that we choose to allow access to it. Which set me to thinking. (Yes, I hear you … “Here he goes again! [sigh]”)

It seems that, in this age of diet consciousness, we are being inundated with all sorts of admonitions regarding our eating behaviors … in the complete absence of any note being made as to our ‘feeding’ of our other senses, and the effect of our careless abuses of them. I can not recall anyone presenting news reports on the current trends in Data Dieting … which is the “label” that I would affix to the care and nurturing of our minds through responsible listening, or reading, or visual stimulations.

Yet, are we not just as susceptible to overindulgence and/or bad choices leading to poor ‘Attitudinal Health’ and/or mental stagnation? Is it not true that we ingest so much ‘stuff,’ in the course of any given day, that we find ourselves so bloated with imagery, sound-stimulation, and other sensory overload that we cannot function with any degree of effectiveness? Or is it just me who has to create times of “sensory isolation” when I simply cannot allow any sound … any conversation, any new imagery of any sort to have access to my “Sensory Processors?” For I am, in those moments, completely overloaded with all that I have taken in and have not had adequate opportunity to “process,” or “digest,” if you will.

And is this not the very same dynamic that brings us to a point of physical bloated-ness? Do we not grant out taste mechanisms the freedom to run rampant in the pursuit of satisfaction, to the demise of those trusting bodily mechanisms that operate in the understanding (or misunderstanding) that we are applying some measure of appropriate proportion in our intake? And, just like our bodies, our minds accept and store all that we collect relying on our wisdom of choice. While it is lacking in glamour and romance, it seems to me that some measure of prudent selection can benefit our minds as well as our bodily fitness.

Hence, as you may have noticed, I make an attempt to offer an assortment of postings here. Following my posting of a thought that may be a bit ‘heavy’ in content, I try to post something that is a bit easier to the sensibilities … then an occasional treat for the pure enjoyment of the moment. Trying to be ever sensitive to our abilities to comfortably ‘digest’ it all while following my desire to serve you a ‘buffet' that will nourish and encourage your individual walk through life.

Quite often, I encounter individuals who are in an unharnessed pursuit of some measure of Peace and Satisfaction for their troubled souls and minds. It is the frequent case that these folk cannot bring themselves to “sit at the table” and have a pleasant “dining experience” with one course of thought. They, instead, place themselves in an endless and altogether unsatisfying pursuit of sensory remedies that and engage in a race from one “cuisine” of thought and ideology to another with only a cursory sampling of the essence of any one potential answer to their quest. They pursue a course of ‘fast-food’ moments, experienced at an assortment of ‘drive-through’ windows of suggested relief. Then, completely exhausted and frustrated from the expended effort, they throw up their hands in hopeless despair and proclaim that they are forever lost. All the while, they have ploughed through countless chances for contentment and peace … had they only allowed themselves the gift of “digesting” any one or more of many possibilities blown through in haste.

So, My Dear Reader, I offer this bit of insight in the hope that you have not “scanned” this page … but have granted your mind … your spirit… your soul, the chance to reflect on and take notice of your care of your Self… mind and body. Please give consideration to and have patience … yes, most especially patience … with the presentations offered to you, by Life today. Permit yourself to take in just a bit… just enough to adequately allow complete and satisfying “digestion” for the nourishment of your whole Self. For, as I was reminded this morning, it is all recorded and will be processed in some way. Every element of stimuli that we grasp has the potential to fuel healthy growth and function … or be stored as harmful and slowing excess. I bid you a healthy and fulfilling day today… and in all of your tomorrows as you exercise responsible exposure to life’s wondrous array of possibilities.

(And, please try to remember your "after-dinner" pause for reflection as you allow your Spirit to simply "digest" what you have taken in. Just "Be still and know ..." )