The ONLY way?

I believe spiritual teachings advocating "my way is the only way" ought to hit the highway...my teacher says this vipassana method is the only way to total liberation from suffering. This put me off at first but I think I can stay here and learn a lot without committing to that dogma. It's difficult to let go of sufism and Rumi and singing. I also have trouble with the Theravadan idea "problem in the body but no problem in the mind? no problem." Two monks have told me it doesn't matter what I eat (meat or sugar in spite of the fact that both make me sick...) just take it like a medicine and use the sickness as a meditation object. I think what I eat and getting exercise is important to my quality of life. Though I guess this practice does not aim at living a high quality of life so much as transcending the self entirely to see the truth that we are all energy forms arising and passing away trillions of times each second. nothing lasting. nothing to be attached to. nothing here to suffer. realize this directly and be free?

so far my meditation has lead through tremendous periods of anger and ugliness and landed me in a place of considerably increased happiness and peace. I know I'm in for a few more rounds yet but it really seems to be helping. Seems to me the key to this work is not necessarily sitting still so much at total present moment awareness. Watching the breath is one way to refine this awareness.

I feel the most important thing I am learning here is not to react to my sense desires. I'm hoping to conquer my gluttony/emotional self-medication with food and let go of greed and anger.

I want to see the truth of this body-mind but I also want to find a way to live happily in the world. Not sure yet if the two co-exist. We'll see as I progress which path my heart ultimately chooses.