Saturday 24 May 2008

the voice of the Daemon?

About ten years ago I was near San Francisco having dinner with a lady friend at our favourite Indian restaurant. I was eating my favourite dish, Chicken vindaloo.
AS I was bringing the chicken to my mouth I was suddenly hit
by an overwhelming feeling of sufferring; I actually experienced the
suffering of all the chickens that died so that I could eat my favourite meal. It was so intense that I burst into tears and dropped my fork, unable to eat anymore. This feeling was to last for several minutes.
For the next two years I was a vegetarian until I became very ill. After one week of nightly stomach pains I admitted to myself that I should seek medical help. Just as I had this thought, a voice inside my head very very clearly said to me " eat chicken".
Of course I was astonished by this! On two counts;first because it was my experience of the suffering of animals that had made me become a vegetarian, and second because the voice was so clear, so real.
the next day I ate a little chcicken. That night I had my first nights sleep in a week. For the next three days I ate checken and each night slept well. I decided to experiement and did not eat cheicken the following day. That night the pains returned! SO, for the next week I ate chicken each day. My health and energy returned. Now I am no longer a vegetarian - its very confusing!!!
Shiva.

11 comments:

rac said...

Interesting story, Shiva. Makes me wonder if your initial "feeling of suffering" was actually your Daemon showing you the suffering you would experience when you quit eating chicken. I say that because my own Daemon seems to have a rather odd sense of humor too. ;-)

SM Kovalinsky said...

I am glad to know I am not the only one who is tortured in this manner. Mine does not involve eating chicken, but at times feeling horror that there are people in prison, in poverty, etc. And RAC: yeah, I have noticed that the "daemon" will suddenly change its mind about it all, and cast off the sorrow for a smug and selfish lightheartedness. Jung noticed this in the anima, and I fear it is true of the daemon as well: It lies sometimes, for the fun of it.

rac said...

Susan Marie: Yes, it's nice to know I'm in such good company. Makes me wonder if the Daemon doesn't harden us in the same manner the blacksmith tempers the sword. That which does not kill us...

SM Kovalinsky said...

My Nietzschean thought, exactly! I like your avatar, RAC: that Tarot card speaks well of you. . .

rac said...

Thank you, Susan Marie. I am touched.

Jesamyn said...

Shiva... Most interesting. I too have felt as you and others here above. But your story has a different *twist* alright..when I used to do yoga and eat very healthily it was much more conducive to spiritual episodes... no meat or chicken etc, and while I really do not like meat now I do eat fish and chicken, but just like Susan Marie*YAS*!!! Susan...and thanks for the sense of humour re Daemon..a most plausible explanation... hhhmmm
Jesamyn.

SM Kovalinsky said...

NO!!! The Daemon is not lying with regard to KLLM and Tony! (wait 'til you read my own blog post on them). . .

Karl Le Marcs said...

The Daemon giving dietary advice?
Why not!
What would you call a spiritualist owner of livestock?
A Dalai Farmer!!
*mirth*

ra from ca said...

Whether you eat meat, vegetable or nothing at all, you are causing death or at least suffering. There is no way to avoid it. Plants are alive and have feelings too, and if you don't eat, you are the one to suffer. Perhaps, one's daemon, or right brain likes to remind us that is the way it is and to accept it There is no logic to it. It is a mystery, and perhaps an illusion in that we are all one??

Karl Le Marcs said...

Ra from Ca: Well said Ruth, one consciousness indeed.
*smile*

Shiva said...

Susan Marie hi,
A coupls of days ago I had a similar experience eating at an outdoor restauant. A homeless person walked by asking for money and everyone ignored him. A feeling started to grow and grow inside me until it was impossible to ignore it and I left the restaurant to find him and give him some money for food.
It was such a strong compulsion , not just a thought or a feeling of sympathy but something much larger and stronger.