Hello everyone, I don’t have much to add to this one other then, as Bhante Sujato has stated, people do make allowances.
as Brenna knows, which is why I think she tagged me, I too have some issues related to low blood pressure and/or sugar,( I haven’t quite nailed it down as it’s complicated and multi-faceted and related to my weight loss surgery) in that if I am not getting what I need nutritionally I am prone to passing out, and have done so on 3-4 occasions since coming to the monastery, once in the shower and once over my desk, not pleasant experiences.
After one such session that was witnessed by some of the residents it scared everyone enough that I can have a vegan protein shake or some crackers etc.
The problem comes, at least for me, in that I have food issues in general, so it can sometimes become an issue between want and need, I have emotional eating and food coping mechanisms that can easily take advantage of a valid issue.
one thing I have found though, is that even with my smaller then normal stomach, for the most part two meals a day is plenty for me, if I limit my physical activity and be very mindful of getting the right amount of nutrition, like protein etc.
I have heard of places that make you rush your eating, I’ve never heard of this finishing before the Abbot thing though, to me both sound like bad practices, eating so fast, especially for developing mindfulness and helping your digestion.
Don’t take the experience and rules from one place though and expect it to be the same elsewhere, monasteries can be very different in how they are run, even in the same tradition. You can find a place that fits you best.