Awaken To Joy

Eating: Guilt

My last thought around eating is the guilt and defensiveness we have around eating the foods that are a source of negative energy for us.  I heard it on all the teleclasses and I hear it in my own head as well.   As I mentioned in the eNewsletter a couple of weeks ago, despite all of the horrible side effects we have eating foods we know aren’t good for our system, we often continue to eat them, if not regularly at least occasionally.  Knowing what we are all learning this year, eating this way can lead to guilt.

 

Interestingly, I wonder if the guilt is more detrimental to accessing our compassion than the food itself?  I believe this work is more about taking responsibility about our choices and being conscious about them, and definitely not making all the changes you can in a month.  Therefore, when you choose to eat something, be conscious of the choice, enjoy it, and be aware of the consequences.  The more you attribute your actions to how you feel, the easier it is to let things go, but slowly and over time.  In the meantime, be compassionate with yourself and for goodness sake, no more guilt!

 

Eating: Quantities of Food

Another idea that came out of our teleclasses was around the quantity of foods that affect us negatively.  Several people mentioned that even though a large quantity of their "negative food" would affect them, they could eat a smaller amount and be fine.  But...

 

I realized as we were discussing it that the "effect" had to be fairly large to be noticed since the effects people discussed were physical such as upset stomach, nausea, headaches, rashes, cramping, etc.  The physical is the LAST place something manifests.  Once you feel something in the physical, it has already affected you energetically, mentally, and emotionally.  The exact order is energy first, then emotional, then mental, and finally physical. 

 

If something affects you in large amounts, it is definitely affecting you in smaller amounts as well.  Even a little bit will drop your energy level, thereby affecting your negative well inside of you.  The more you feed the negative well in yourself, the harder it is to access your compassionate self.

Eating: What Brings Us Back?

We had some great discussions on the teleclasses about eating.  The piece I have been thinking about comes from a question that I asked on one of the calls.  We had been discussing the effect of foods that are bad for our system.  I was amazed at the range of effects.  There was fogginess, nausea, cramping, gas, rashes, joint pain, and more.  Yet, when asked if people still at least occasionally eat some of the foods that have those effects, everyone said, “yes”.

 

That led me to ask the obvious question.  What keeps us coming back?  Why do we do it?  Initially responses were the taste, the craving, being tired so grabbing the first thing…

 

Then I remembered something Sofia Schatz mentioned in her book, “We eat what we are.”  So that made me think that if we are eating what we are and we are eating the foods that are negative on our system, does that mean we are feeling negative?  I know my reason for reaching for food that doesn’t feel good is a feeling of being out of control and unconscious.  I want that food and the desire is like a runaway train inside of me.  I also know that whenever I am like that, I have my scale tipped toward the negative.  Now I know I am just feeding that negativity.  The negativity in me just attracts more negativity. 

 

I also know that I can “eat what I want to be” so I am working on using food to help me stay in a compassionate state.  Along with the foods that aren’t good for my system, I have a list of foods that are good for my system.  I make sure they are handy and I am consciously filling myself full of the “good stuff”.

 

 

Inspirational Quote: Eating What You Enjoy

"Eat only what you truly enjoy, and truly enjoy what you eat."
~ Martha Beck

Here's to a lovely holiday weekend!

Radio Show Challenge: Eating

Challenge:  Look at the yin and yang of your diet.  (Okay, so you kind of have to listen to the last 15 minutes of the show to really know what that means...it is worth the time...the information could literally jump you light years in your joy space!)  Can you reduce or eliminate one food this week that is not nutrient dense and might keep you out of balance?

Topic:  How to bring more positive energy into what and how you eat. 

Our Gift to You -- Please enjoy the first module as our thank you for reading and listening!
Initial Module:  Focus and Awareness

Hear about:

• Do you judge what you eat?
• Do you "should" yourself around food?
• Why do you crave your comfort foods?
• How can you use food to help you evolve...
• How can you bring in positive energy to what you eat?
• Yang and Yin foods:  How can this information can help you maintain balance.  This information is from our guest and it was spectacular!

Our guest:  Julie McNearney, Holistic Health Coach

Julie's interest in health and nutrition really grew when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 29.  After retiring as a teacher, she studied at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York and now is certified by that school and the Columbia University Teachers College as a Holistic Health Counselor.  She is also a member of the AADP, American Association of Drugless Practitioners.  Some of her teachers included Barry Sears, Mehmet Oz, Deepak Chopra and Andrew Weil.

Sign up for Julie's monthly wellness newsletter at her website:  www.ashealthyaspossible.com.  To schedule a consultation call 612-716-2624.

Feeding My Deeper Self

“If you can bring yourself back to the present moment for just an instant
and pause to see how your food aligns with you deep in your core,
you'll find you have an unfailing tool for knowing what is truly healthy and satisfying for you.” 
~ YJ enewsletter

(Laura) This quote was the one I used in last week's insirational enewsletter.  It really affected me and I made a powerful shift as a result.  I realized I often have times when (in Marya’s words), I grab-whatever-I-can-because-I-am-starving and then I am left unsatisfied.  I often overeat on those situations because I am still trying to satisfy what I am needing.  This past week, I have been pausing to see what food will align with my deep core, what will truly satisfy me.  I don’t think I have ever been as fully satisfied as I have been this week.  Powerful!  There have been times when that craving was for ice cream and I enjoyed every last bite.  (And I only needed a few bites to be fully satisfied.) 

Here is a great quote from a participant that I have also found to be powerful:

"I took the time to understand the challenges that I am
facing in my life right now and I feed those challenges with proper nourishment."

Radio Show Challenge: How does what you eat make you feel?

This show was about eating!  In particular, you will hear three ways to change your paradigm around food to joy!

Challenge (we have two this week!): 

1. Pay more attention to how you feel after you eat.  Can you identify food that leave you feeling good?  Not so good?
2. Spend one week (or a day, or a meal) not judging what you (or anyone else) eats.

Happy Dance:  See Zack's happy dance!!

Feel Good List:  What can YOU do to feel good?  Here is a worksheet to help you create your own list.  (Need some ideas?  Here they are.)

Positive Food Affirmations:
"This is going to nourish me!"
"I love the taste of this!"
"This food is going to taste good!"
"I am excited to taste this!"

Books mentioned:
Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

Coconut Curry Sauce
1 T olive oil
1/4 t curry
1/2 c coconut milk
1/2 c water
1/4 t salt (or to taste)

Heat oil in large skillet.  Add curry and stir for a minute.  Add the rest of the ingredients until hot.

What to Study...

(Laura) So, this month on eating, I intend to focus on something I say in the Module.  I am going to "Eat like I want to be."  No judgment (that is next month! :-) )  Just pure enjoyment of the food that will nourish me.  What are you going to do?