The Buddha wasn't a fat guy. At least, what we call the historical Buddha wasn't. The character in the top picture over to the right there is Hotei, the incarnation of plenty. Perhaps he was a buddha and perhaps he was not. He probably never existed, at least in that form and appearance. In any case, he was not the historical Buddha, though many people mistake Hotei for him.
But we know that the man we call The Buddha did exist, though he may not have been quite the person we envision. After all, he lived over 2500 years ago, and though one or more of the sculptures that portray him may be an accurate portrayal, we have no way of knowing which one. In any case, though, it seems highly unlikely that he was a fat guy. He practiced a life of contemplation and had no appetites or cravings; that's the nature of nirvana. That he would eat to excess or, indeed, any more than he needed to keep himself alive and in good health seems an absurd concept. He was most likely slender but not emaciated (he had foresworn ascetism after attempting to reach enlightenment in that way). In other words, he was probably a healthy-looking man, hearty and hale from all the walking he had to do to carry the message of the Dharma.
I, on the other hand, am a fat man. A curious phrase, that is. I am a fat man. Or: I am a man who has an excess of fat. Or: I am overweight. Or: I am obese. None of these define who I am, yet are all true of me, at least by current standards. Of course, I am many other things as well. Among these I consider myself a Buddhist (though that, too, is a curious description, as I will no doubt write about later). And as I develop in my understanding of the Dharma (which is simply a word describing the Buddha's teachings), I have come to see my body as a reflection of my inner self, and my relationship to food as a harbinger of larger truths.
Thus, this blog.
In the course of writing this blog, I will share here may other characteristics of myself that may give clues as to who I am in totality, though I certainly don't claim to be in possession of the secret of Who I Am.
I have many intentions here, but one of them is most certainly to make myself accountable for what I eat and why, what I weigh and what that means. As do most of us, I have a complex relationship to food. It gives me comfort as well as sustaining me. It has been associated with positive feelings and experiences throughout my life. It is a way I have connected with everyone from my mother to my most casual acquaintances.
I only weigh myself on Monday mornings. On July 18, 2011, I weighed 217 pounds. I am about 5'10" tall. So, as you can see, I am obese though not grotesquely so. I am very active and my weight has not yet impeded my day-to-day activities. But among the things that define who I am is the fact that I am 55 years old, and I am well aware that the consequences of being this overweight will catch up with me eventually.
I am hoping to connect with others of you who are going through this process of investigating your relationship to food and what it means for your life. I intend to enjoy myself. I hope you do, too.
I, on the other hand, am a fat man. A curious phrase, that is. I am a fat man. Or: I am a man who has an excess of fat. Or: I am overweight. Or: I am obese. None of these define who I am, yet are all true of me, at least by current standards. Of course, I am many other things as well. Among these I consider myself a Buddhist (though that, too, is a curious description, as I will no doubt write about later). And as I develop in my understanding of the Dharma (which is simply a word describing the Buddha's teachings), I have come to see my body as a reflection of my inner self, and my relationship to food as a harbinger of larger truths.
Thus, this blog.
In the course of writing this blog, I will share here may other characteristics of myself that may give clues as to who I am in totality, though I certainly don't claim to be in possession of the secret of Who I Am.
I have many intentions here, but one of them is most certainly to make myself accountable for what I eat and why, what I weigh and what that means. As do most of us, I have a complex relationship to food. It gives me comfort as well as sustaining me. It has been associated with positive feelings and experiences throughout my life. It is a way I have connected with everyone from my mother to my most casual acquaintances.
I only weigh myself on Monday mornings. On July 18, 2011, I weighed 217 pounds. I am about 5'10" tall. So, as you can see, I am obese though not grotesquely so. I am very active and my weight has not yet impeded my day-to-day activities. But among the things that define who I am is the fact that I am 55 years old, and I am well aware that the consequences of being this overweight will catch up with me eventually.
I am hoping to connect with others of you who are going through this process of investigating your relationship to food and what it means for your life. I intend to enjoy myself. I hope you do, too.
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