So......what is Food Consciousness any way?

Food Consciousness is blending  nutrition (food) and spirituality (consciousness) into a unified state of mind that comes from your Higher Self. In other words, it is contemplating and noticing what your relationship with food looks like and what part of yourself is driving it.....unconsciousness or consciousness.
Consciousness is defined as being spiritually awake....aware of one’s relationship with their spiritual self (as God) and their human self. Consciousness is awareness of Divine Ideas, Inspiration, and the Essence of God. Consciousness and awareness can be used as similar and interchangeable terms. Consciousness is when you are able to realize what you are doing and then ask yourself….does this match your Divine Nature? In a state of consciousness  you observe yourself, noticing your actions, reactions, thoughts, words, and choices as if you were outside of yourself, viewing yourself as God would….because God is everywhere Omnipresent. Consciousness is the next step - while realizing wholeness to create real change. There is an unfathomable freedom that comes with this awareness which clears the way for healthier food relationships. Connecting to consciousness is to awaken to your True Self and how you live from that place of Divinity. Is it in a forward direction, moving backwards, or merely spinning in never ending circles?

 If you are moving in a forward direction you are probably eating a more whole food/plant based eating plan. If you are moving backwards you are probably eating a typical Western “diet”. If you a spinning in never ending circles you are probably eating a typical Western “diet” and then when you notice your bodies health doesn’t feel so healthy you will go on and off the various “commercialized diets” that are available and not so good for your health either. I use the word “diet” in quotes because I believe that “diet” is an ideology that is NOT of God’s energy and carries a low vibrational charge. The word “diet” was created by those wonderful marketers to hypnotize your human side; also known as the consumer. A marketer’s purpose is to brainwash you away from your Divine Knowing of eating mostly foods that Mother Nature provides, which will sustain you months and years on end. An eating plan has a high vibrational energy attached to it because an eating plan is just that, a plan, not something you do for a short period of time but rather for life!

People who are conscious, awake, and realizing their wholeness in order to fulfill their spiritual well-being will recognize their bodies as a temple and as one of the greatest gifts from God. When people operate from their Divine Nature, their relationship with food is not an unconscious shoveling of food in their mouth, a form of medicine, or choices made to go along with the tribal mind because that’s what everyone else is doing. No! A conscious soul finds their relationship with food easy….joyfully consuming Mother Nature’s bounty which gives their bodies Pure Divine Nourishment in honor of the “gift” they know they have.

In this day and age we know so much more about our relationship with food than our ancestors, and yet we eat and think about food in a way that is almost unrecognizable to past generations. Fuel and energy is the simplest definition of food. Understanding how your body reacts to food, and knowing what adjustments need to be made, can have a profound effect on your mind, body, and soul. However, the intimate connection between your eating plan and your spiritual well-being is less understood. The common thought is that food is energy for the body, but more importantly it is a gift for the soul. Some foods can weaken the functioning of the mind, body, and soul where your energy feels sapped, while others elevate the body system and support you to feel vibrant.

Taking the time to notice if anxiety, a foggy head, digestive ailments, or even mild depression may be linked to food can empower you to treat your mind, body, and soul with higher choices. Sugar, saturated fats, wheat, and animal products are known scientifically to produce inflammation in your body and change your brain chemistry which creates stress and dis-ease. On the other hand, water, fiber, nuts, unprocessed seeds, raw fruits and vegetables, and vegetable proteins provide natures nutrients without additional substances you do not need.

Most people are aware that it is important to choose a variety of foods to create a state of good health and well-being. The problem with this statement is….its too vague. An unconscious person can interpret this statement to mean choosing a variety of foods from the middle isle’s of the grocery store or eating from a variety of fast food restaurants. See how easily such a common statement can be misconstrued depending on the state of your consciousness and spiritual well being. Let me ask you this.…is that what Jesus would do??? Yes, I was being funny, but also serious at the same time!

We’ll discuss unconscious and conscious eating in the next blogs to come!

Spiritual well-being...... and your relationship with food

It is important to recognize that your relationship with food has a linear correlation with your relationship to “Source”. Before I go into what food consciousness looks like…. I want to address how spiritual well-being is the “bigger portion” of your food relationship struggles.

What is Source? I contend that it is God, Spirit, Creator, Higher self, True self, the Divine, or as Yoda would say “the Force”.

From the moment you are born, your soul carries with it an imprint of experiences from past incarnations and, most importantly, the essence of your Creator. You are in this body to work through issues to move toward “wholeness” so that your soul continues to evolve. Wholeness comes from making Source the focus in your life. The soul is the inward manifestation of your consciousness and your body is the living, breathing expression of that consciousness. Your soul (God’s essence) yearns for you to know your “true self” and find the peace that comes from within rather than outside yourself.

Your spiritual well-being is a reflection of your level of consciousness and connectedness to Source, which is demonstrated by your words, thoughts, choices, and actions. Conscious people form Divine routines that reaffirm self love, gratitude, forgiveness, and meditation, as well as taking care of one’s well being which also tends to include a Divine Practice that promotes healthy living and wholeness. People who are expressing their Higher self choose more plant based whole foods, water to hydrate, look within to heal their bodies, minimize nutrient depleted foods like sugar, use natural body care products on their skin, and give their bodies love through meditation, massage, and positive self talk.

However, striking the right balance between our human self and spiritual self is one of the most challenging aspects of existence. In your lifetime, you are responsible for nurturing and tending to both selves with equal love and devotion. Unfortunately as a whole, Americans seem to be in an unconscious state spending more energy tending to the human side of themselves, thus producing a society where more than half of us are overweight and obese. You are only “whole” to the degree that you can embrace both sides of your being.  Just as you must tend to the seed of your soul to ensure it grows and evolves, so, too, must you care for the body or “the meat suit”, as my sister likes to refer to it, to make certain the body is capable and healthy enough to play its role in your development. Denying the critical importance of one or the other can lead to ill health, emotional distress, and incompleteness which will shift you away from your journey to “wholeness”.

Through your relationships, even relationships with food, the universe conspires to teach you exactly what you need to be learning at any given time. Food may not seem like an obvious teacher because it may not look like your idea of a guru. But food, left whole and treated with love, embodies an energy that feeds the soul. When the soul is nourished by “wholesome” food, Divine choices breed vibrant health and provide sustenance that makes spiritual well-being come naturally. The people and situations you encounter daily teach you, if you are open and conscious to receiving their wisdom. Some people you know, and others that you just pass in the store or the sidewalk, are always teaching you what NOT to do…..considering more than half of Americans are overweight or obese. Why is this? What has happened to us?

Divesting yourself from what no longer serves you, such as fear and self limiting behaviors, are just some of the food relationship challenges you will face in this lifetime. As you awaken and embody your spiritual well being, you will become more attuned to your bodies desire for Divine nourishment. The Force of the Universe speaks to all of us through different channels and each of us have our own frequency and timing in which we become aware. Put God first and you will see your body temple as a gift to covet with conscious food choices that are created from a healthy food relationship.

Power Vampires...... create illness

I am writing this blog on the date of a full moon. Furthermore, October is the month that celebrates Halloween and whollah ….. you will find the title to this month’s blog to be timely and fitting.

When your body, mind, and spirit are in harmony, you experience vibrant health. Yet, sometimes you will get caught up in the stress of life and maybe allow people to take your power, which will get you out of balance. Just as with the seasons, your body goes through cycles of cleansing and times of disruption. Illness is a sign that it is time to cleanse the buildup of negative energy from “power vampires” or from the manner in which you are treating yourself.

Your body gives you signals when it is uncomfortable or stressed. But when you don’t listen, then the imbalance amplifies and a stronger message is manifested in the form of illness or dis-ease. The first step to restoring a harmonious being….. is to take back your power and turn on your consciousness.

The biggest source of negative energy comes from your relationships with people; it also includes being unconscious to your choices, and following the crowd. All your relationships with people and with food can be both the source of your struggles and your solutions. Reacting to a person (parent, spouse, or boss) by getting upset or building up resentment will only entrench you to allow them to take your power. Only by disengaging and becoming still, going inward to your center, can you begin to see how the “power vampire” just sucked the life out of you – the power you have inherited from God. When you use meditation instead of reaction, you will most likely find unprocessed emotions you can finally fully feel and release. The more you are able to develop this practice, the less you will be bothered by  other people’s (labels, lack of support, or negative energy) and instead, have a new way of responding without reacting.

People are in our lives for a reason, to show us something about ourselves that we would not notice otherwise. When “power vampires” try to sink their teeth into you with their mind games and power trips, you can remind yourself that you have something to learn and there is a part of you that is calling out for healing. This practice takes the focus off the vampire in your life and puts the focus back on you, giving you the opportunity to change the situation from the inside out.

If you don’t know how to handle the power vampires in your life…. you will likely react to them by taking on their labels, building up resentment, and continuing to make unconscious choices. These reactions will usually involve food, thus making your food relationship unhealthy and ultimately creating dis-ease or illness in your body.

Diving deep...... into willingness

Is your relationship with food causing turmoil within you? If so, you will find yourself struggling and even fighting with your thoughts and emotions when it comes to your choices with food. We have been conditioned to find the answers to our food problems (overweight, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol) with “black and white” answers of (counting calories, controlling portions, fasting), and other good but insidious measures. Until you become conscious that the struggle is within you, you can’t turn your attention to your Divine Source. You must be willing to look where you need to and feel emotions that may feel uncomfortable at first. Only then can you choose to be open to all options, imaginable and unimaginable. In the process of openness and self examination, you may discover you are resisting something based on a condition, habit, addiction, wound, or a limited understanding of your “True Self”. What do I mean by “True Self”? Not the self that is known by your name, or the roles that you play, or your personality characteristics. No! The “True Self” I am talking about is your God Self Expressing. This Divine expression emanates from you because your relationship with and attention to God is first in your life, as exemplified by your choice of words, thoughts, and actions.

Stop limiting yourself to thinking the answer is “out there” as long as you keep looking. Many people use the hunt for answers to abdicate personal responsibility in order to feel some sense of power. But that sense of power is just “smoke and mirrors”. If you are willing to examine your relationship with food….is it related to feelings of loss, confusion, anxiety, trauma, or even some other reason? Then, and only then, will you allow a space for the Universe to move in your life and bring forth “sustainable changes”.

Opening yourself to willing examination may feel like you are surrendering or abandoning all that you believe. But at the same time, that is the point; it is an act of power – “real power”. The courage it takes to make a conscious choice…. employs the use of your personal will.  Being willing to “dive deep” is to be in a state of willing something into creation. It is a space of being and doing from a place of openness, where you can work with the Universe rather than resist it by looking outside yourself. When you take the step toward willingness or diving into it….. you open yourself to truth, possibilities, and the movement of Divine Wisdom in and through your life!!!!

As this process continues to unfold and your journey toward operating from your “True Self” reveals itself through consciousness, forgiveness, and letting go……peace will “be your state of mind”. In a peaceful state, your Divine Self is in the driver’s seat guiding you to make choices where you know your body IS your temple. Thus, your relationship with food becomes joyful, wholesome nourishment that isn’t perfect, but in harmony with both your human self and your Divine Self. Weight problems and dis-ease will, little by little, become a thing of the past. This process does NOT produce instant results like Jenny Craig or HCG weight loss programs, but if you are aligned with your Divine Self at all, the ego driven – “gotta have it NOW” - won’t even be in your vocabulary.

Spiritual bodies.... physical experience

We are on this earth, in physical bodies, because our souls have things to experience that we could not experience in any other way. Purely spiritual beings are in a place that is beyond the limitations of space and time where they can be in state of being rather than doing. There is no pain in the spiritual realm, because we know we are one with the limitless source of the universe. But here, on earth, our sense of limitation and separation allows us to feel our emotions and experience love, forgiveness, and compassion. We learn to understand ourselves through our relationships; relationships with food, people, and the world around us.

Ask yourself what your relationship with food looks like and be honest with yourself. Did you have a mother that told you - your plate had to be clean even though you were full; and you still unconsciously carry that conditioning in your mind/body organ? Are you emotional or stressed and use food as medication to feel better? Are you a person who loves to cook and uses the preparation of meals as a source of giving and receiving love? Do you eat mindlessly in front of the television because it gives you something to do? Do you order an enormous box of popcorn and a overly large soda at the movies because its a habit and that's what everyone else is doing? Do you have an addiction to food - where you find you are constantly thinking about food and will eat at any opportunity? Were you abused at a young age and find yourself using food to control your body image so that you intentionally become unattractive? There are many more reasons, emotional and otherwise, that will sabotage a healthy food relationship; even if you have good knowledge of nutrition. Soul wounds and unconscious behaviors wreak havoc with your Divine Knowing and must be acknowledged and healed before your struggles can slowly be a thing of the past.

Start by acknowledging your food relationship wound. Look into the mirror and say to yourself, "regardless of the wound that has contributed to my unhealthy relationship with food - I fully and completely love and accept myself".  Follow that thought inward to your Divine Power and recognize your own glimmer of light. As you become comfortable with this shift, you will have the opportunity to bring forth your God self to heal the emotional wound and allow you to start treating your body as your temple and make conscious food choices.

Once you remember and recognize that you are a spiritual being, you can revel in the challenges and opportunities of being human while knowing you are connected to Divine Source and Substance.