Food. Love it, hate it. Either way we simply cannot survive without it. When we look back over history, much like humans, food has evolved at an alarming rate. Never before have we been quite so privileged in terms of food choices or the abundance that abounds in our western society.
But for some, this availability poses a problem; the problem of temptation, the problem of adopting strategies where we use food in ways other than what God initially intended.
Instead of food being a source of nourishment and joy, for some food had become a source of so much more: a source of opting out, a source of validating beliefs of being different.
Alone, unworthy, separate, ugly; of playing out control, power and protection patterns; of self punishment; of punishing another; of providing comfort; of numbing out and stuffing down feelings even consoling a life one longed for yet never attained, even protection.
Food has indeed become a very diverse tool that can lead to great suffering!
As strange as it may sound, I personally see this evolution as a gift. What I see, is that these strategies we have adopted are our invitation, our way in to understand our self on a deeper core level as we are given the cues to explore what is indeed driving this all.
And as we explore and meet this, we heal and so no longer require the strategies of over or compulsive eating.
From my personal experience of battling weight, eating and body image issues the bulk of my life, as well as from those I have been privilege to work with.
I believe that our relationship with food is simply a reflection of our relationship with self, and so again I say to you, our pathway to freedom.
We’ve all heard the saying ‘You are what you eat’. Yes, I agree to a certain degree. I see how this is reflected in our physiology (our body) and even our thoughts (our mind). And yet, on a soul level I do not agree.
I happen to believe that on this deeper level, our answers, as well as our innate truth lie. It is the place of our true identity, and not the physical identity of the fat or overweight person that we have adopted and mistakenly been living out.
When we decide to become the observer of our behaviours, when we choose to inquire within and see beyond the surface, beyond the protection mechanisms of strategies of avoidance, justification, excuse, resistance, blame or stuffing down…
When we are willing to delve deeper and see clearly what it is that we are doing, and perhaps for the first time feel what it is we may have been avoiding…
When we are willing to explore and question the thoughts and beliefs that a younger one decided upon as a result of her life’s experiences…
When we finally say yes to all this, and so say yes to and no longer deny our true self.
I see this as our pathway to not only freedom from the seduction and comfort of food, but also empowers us with awareness and choice the next time the old patterns are triggered by life, and without struggle or guilt.
I see this exploration as a pathway to true self discovery, acceptance and ultimately, self love as we begin to make new choices that honour and nurture our body, mind and being.
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Jane Caulfield
