Day 10 - Lucy or Basil: Which One Are You?

I have two dogs. They both represent parts of me.

Lucy is a 7 year old black lab, Australian Shepard mix. She is protective, incredibly smart, sometimes aggressive and controlling. She was abandoned as a baby and shuffled to the pound where she lived until she was nearly one. When I first brought her home I had a box of crackers in the car. I gave her one. She proceeded to stick her head in the box and eat the whole thing in a matter of one minute. Lucy is an unconscious eater.

Basil is a 8 month old Mini Australian Shepard. She is loving, active and searching for fun all the time. The day we went to get her she was running around on an acreage with her puppy siblings, stopping every now and then to drink milk from her mother. The first time I fed her she ate slowly, darting out of the bowl and dashing to the prancing-by cat to play, then coming back in increments to finish her meal. Basil is a more conscious eater.

This morning I fed my dogs like I usually do. Lucy shoveled the food in her mouth in 30 seconds flat. Basil slowly journeyed through her bowl in 4 minutes (with Lucy hovering above for any leftovers). As I watched them I realized that the psychology around eating is so very interesting and complex. These two dogs have had entirely different upbringings and life experiences and so they have developed varying attitudes and behaviors surrounding food.

Lucy represents the part of all of us that has been wounded, rejected and disregarded. We eat fast, urgently and without awareness. We think that someone else might take our food away and we could miss out or starve. Or maybe we feel that if we eat fast enough we will be able to get back to the tasks and jobs that need our attention and control (or else!). The more food the better is our mantra. If a large pot of food that does not taste good is left over, we eat it anyway. Perhaps we have conditioned ourselves to 'clean the plate' no matter what because we believe that being wasteful is a mortal sin. We can become Lucy if we have acquired the belief in life that there is not enough to go around. We are afraid that there is not enough sweetness, substance, beauty or abundance to feed ourselves.

Basil represents the part of us that has been loved, cared for and nurtured. We eat when we are hungry and stop when we are full. We know that if something else takes our attention away that there will always be more food. We understand that food is only one part of the fun and joy of life. Sometimes we want to eat a lot and sometimes only a little. We honor our body and realize that its needs are constantly changing. We can become Basil if we have acquired the belief that life is brimming with experiences, material and matter that excites and feeds us. We believe that we have the ability to be fed by living as a whole.

Who do you relate with more? Lucy or Basil?

Can you recall certain memories from the past that have impacted your beliefs surrounding food and life? Are you aware that you can become the type of eater that you want if you replace the old beliefs with new ones?

Sometimes I can still have a Lucy day (like yesterday!) where I unconsciously eat but most days now are filled with a desire to slowly enjoy and revel in the pleasure of food and my body. We can exhibit both of these food personalities but the point is be an inhabitant more in the conscious rather than unconscious side. It is a gradual process of orienting your thoughts into the direction of what feels good. Here are some examples:

• I should only eat ___ much. -vs- I give myself unconditional permission to eat.
• There is not enough to go around. -vs- There is always enough love, food, abundance and time at my disposal.
• There is not enough time to slow down. -vs- Slowing down creates more enjoyment and pleasure, which is the reason why I am here.
• Other people will take from me. -vs- I surround myself with people who support and love me. 
• I cannot stop eating something that tastes so good. -vs- I allow myself to experience the pleasure of eating for physical reasons, not emotional ones.
• I am not capable of taking care of myself. -vs- When I listen to my body I always have the wisdom needed to make healthy decisions.

What kind of eater do you want to become?

Nat