SOUL FOOD:
By Ashima Gautam
“Tell me what you eat, I’ll tell you who you are” is a famous quote by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. The food we eat is actually a combination of both a physical and a spiritual entity.
But why do we eat?
A few common answers to this question are- “I eat because I get hungry,” “I eat when something looks or smells good,” ”I eat because I love food” or “I eat when it’s time for the next meal.”
When we talk about food, we always think about fuel to hungry machine. But the reality is different than this framed mindset. In fact, food plays a very important role not only in physical health but also mental health and spiritual health.
Food is a dynamic force which interacts with humans on the physical body level, the mind-emotional level, and also the energetic and spiritual level.
Let’s explore how food affects you on physical and spiritual level – and how conscious eating can aid your healing process throughout this spiritual journey.
Your body truly is a spiritual temple to your soul. So one must be cautious of what he-she wants to put in your temple. What you choose to eat determines the quality of the nutrients and energy that you bring into your body. Food acts as a boost to the body as well as soul. It provides us with more than the sum of its nutrients – protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and minerals.
In fact, food is condensed and transformed energy. When you eat, you process and absorb the forces of nature stored in your food. We are affected quite differently by fresh, whole, live, organic foods compared to processed foods containing the chemicals of artificial colors and flavors, preservatives, pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics.
Think of the vital energy you get from organic foods which have been freshly harvested. In comparison, consider the energy you get in eating meat and processed foods which also give you pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, preservatives, and artificial flavors and colors. You will receive totally different kind of energy.
Also have you ever noticed that when you eat fresh organic food you often feel light, calm and peaceful? On the other hand, when you eat fast food or processed foods, you often feel drained, anxiety and upset. Why because it disturbs your body’s energy and your aura which reflects in your moods and actions. Furthermore, when you eat meat, you take in the animal’s energy, including the energy of how it was raised and the fear and trauma from being slaughtered. That energy affects you on mental as well as spiritual level. That’s why we start feeling aggressive and lose control on our minds.
Optimal health depends not only on what we eat, but also how we eat and what kind of energy is poured in while food was being prepared. When the food is prepared in high spirits with relaxed mind, body releases positive vibes and those vibes are absorbed by the food which affects the energy of the person who eats that food.
This is called soul food. Food has healing powers. When we eat with rich feelings, mindfulness, appreciation, love and focus, we suck up the most benefits from the energy it brings in. But when we eat in hurry, anger, anxiety, in front of television or laptop, driving and walking down the street, we neglect the energy of food that we require the most for our well-being and highest good.
When physician Donald Morse of Temple University did research with female students, he asked them to meditate for 5 minutes before eating, then asked them to do mental arithmetic for 5 minutes before eating too. When the girls meditated, they produced 22% more of an enzyme in saliva, which helps to break down carbohydrates and vitamin B in food. This suggests that when you eat in a relaxed, mindful, present state of mind, you will absorb good vibes and more nutrients which results in improved health.
INVITE YOUR SOUL TO EAT
This world is very fast so does our lives. We have to keep pace with this world. Therefore, we are so indulged in our lives that we forgot the right ways to eat to have optimum benefits from food. I’d suggest some ways as:
EAT SOUL FOOD: When we say soul food, we refer to the food that contains rich and positive vibrations. And all this happens only if the food is made with love and compassion with relaxed mind and spirit. Make sure you are consuming soul food.
EAT MINDFULLY: Be mindful while eating. Be conscious of the taste and energy you are absorbing. Stay present mentally at the moment of meal. Set aside all the tensions and tasks to be done and think about your meal and enjoy every single bite of it.
TREAT YOUR BODY AS TEMPLE: Your body is temple to your soul. So try to maintain positivity in this temple by keeping an watchful eye on your food. It’s all upto you how you want to keep your temple- neat and clean or dirty.
SAY NO TO FAST FOOD: Fast food- The name reveals everything itself. The food which is prepared in fast motion and in a hurry will never contain good vibes. The cook is under pressure to serve fast. What kind of energy you expect him to pour in your food? So avoid fast food and eat light.
INCLUDE SEVEN COLOURS IN YOUR FOOD: We are all energy beings and we have thousands of chakras in our spiritual body. But there are seven main chakras(Energy centres) and each chakra is associated with a specific colour such as Crown Chakra- White/Voilet, Third Eye Chakra- Indigo, Throat Chakra- Blue, Heart Chakra- Green, Solar Plexus Chakra- Yellow, Sacral Chakra- Orange, Root Chakra- Red. By eating seven colours, you help yourself in balancing your energy centres which keeps the body healthy.
SAY GRACE AT MEALTIMES: Grace doesn’t mean you should start praying. It simply means that you should calm your mind by appreciating what you are going to eat. Even a moment of silence will work wonders. This leads to eating slowly and feeling more relaxed.
EAT TO LIVE, NOT EAT TO LIVEE: Buddha said, “Hunger is the worst illness,” He said that because the other illness can be cured in a matter of time, but hunger is incurable from the day we are born until the day we die. So eat little so you may grow more.
To conclude, I’d say food is not only a fuel to our human body engine but it’s an powerful energy where our soul and body is dependent on. So, we should think twice before putting something in mouth. After all, it’s our body not a garbage bin where we have the freedom to throw anything. It’s all your choice whether you want to make it a temple by eating soul food or turn it into a garbage bin. So stay calm, stay healthy and stay in high spirits!!!!
Tips
For maximum health results, avoid foods that contain trans fats or high amounts of sugar, cholesterol or salt. Although a healthy diet provides benefits on its own, it is best when combined with regular physical activity, so find a way to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. Avoid skipping breakfast, and always try to eat at least three meals a day, or five small meals throughout the day. Strive for balance, and avoid eating too much of one food group. The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides helpful dietary guidelines for specific ages and gender.
Ashima Gautam is a Usui Reiki Master-Teacher. She is also practicing Karmic Reiki, Kundalini Reiki, Angel Reiki, Money& Abundance Reiki, Aura Brushing, Dowsing, Cord Cutting, Chakra Healing and Crystal Healing. Ashima has been practicing Reiki since 2007. Ashima lives in Vancouver, British Columbia with her family and she loves reading, writing, art & crafts, singing, cooking and studying. Ashima can be reached at [email protected].
