Last week we talked about Headspace and the power of meditation. I can’t say I’ve been doing it perfectly, but I have just finished the first 10 days of introduction — and I believe I’m on a journey!
The next frontier for me in this fresh start for a fresh year is food. Thanks to some support from an amazing nutrition coach Barb Skinner (if you’re local to Portland check out her wonderful new podcast! -no longer available ), I’ve been considering a lot lately how we fuel our body — and how that fuel, in turn, feeds our soul and spirit! For a long time, I thought of feeding my soul as different from feeding my body. But what I’m realizing this week is that it is all deeply connected! So why would we fuel our mind, spirit, and soul with anything other than the best, most nutritious source?
Sometimes I think that chocolates, or a good glass of wine, or a fresh loaf of bread, might be the best fuel for my soul. Sometimes it really feels like that’s what my soul wants! But the truth is, that type of food is usually just comforting a deeper pain or need of my heart. I don’t want to rely on that, right? When I pull apart all these different elements, I realize that really good nutrition and eating well can include those comfort foods — but they can’t be the thing I go to for comfort. So I’m trying to eat clean these days, and it absolutely is fueling my soul.
And how does this relate to all of my life and my relationships? As I clean up my palate and my pantry, I find I think more clearly; my desires reorient in all areas of my life. Instead of turning to a food for connection and comfort, instead of relying on food to make me feel better, I find I am becoming more aware of what I really want: connection to others, and a healthy spiritual path.
It’s strange how the whole of my life gets clearer the cleaner I eat!
