"He had no further intercourse with Spirits, but lived upon the Total Abstinence Principle*, ever afterwards; and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us Every One! "
From "A Christmas Carol," by Charles Dickens, 1843
Most of us have seen this movie and play. The story about Scrooge may remind you of yourself today, or in the past, or as you fear your future. The spirits of Christmas past, future and present remind us to live in the now and enjoy what we have now. If we are lamenting the past or fretting the future, we cannot be present and grateful for what we have and who we are right now.
The Total Abstinence Principle is worth considering. Please ponder this statement:* The Total Abstinence Principle has nothing to do with teetotaling or the avoidance of other ordinary vices; instead it is abstinence from being bitter, mean-spirited, angry, dour, greedy, grasping, self-centered, and unforgiving. Especially dour.
http://goatcentral.blogspot.com/2008/12/total-abstinence-principle.html
In the eating disorders world, abstinence means abstinence from ED behaviors, or NOT straying from the meal plan. Can you, can anyone, have abstinence from dour feelings without first having abstinence from your eating disorder behaviors?
How can you make this holiday season what YOU want it to be? Will it include ED and other abusive voices in your head or in real life? Can you have both: your eating disorder and a season of health, a healthy relationship with yourself or loving relationships with others? Please share your thoughts, feelings and ideas with us and others who want to hear from you.
It is your choice. We at The Hull Institute hope you choose health and love and we wish you a joyous holiday season and a fabulous 2012!
