 |
Off The Mat and Into the Kitchen!
Yoga allows us to follow the trail of our food, just as we follow the trail of our breath.
Often it is an awareness that comes to us after a cleansing fast, and sometimes it is just an awareness that seeps into our consciousness just as gradually as we open ourselves to yoga practice. At some point and at some level we will begin to connect the dots from what we eat to how well we are...to how well others are...to how well our planet is...to how well the universe supports us...to how well we are...to what we eat.
The food journey can show us ways to practice
- Ahimsa (non-harming - realizing that we can consume without causing harm to environment, or to other beings --that it is a choice)
- Aparigraha (non greed - eating only as much as we need)
- Satyam (truth - knowing what we are really hungry for)
Though some people become aware that they are "ready" making immediate and permanent changes, most of us will
make changes in our food choices gradually, allowing for integration time before moving to a deeper level just as we do on the mat. Injury can occur on the mat if we force a posture that we haven't honestly come to with the integrity of Satya (truth) and the incubational period of time required to truthfully integrate new levels of strength and flexibility. Changes in food choices can also be approached this way. Here are the nine stages of my own personal journey toward the integration of food awareness into my yoga lifestyle.
Remember: Where you are is the perfect place to be!
Allow yourself to be where you truly are. The rest just happens without effort if it is appropriate.
- First you begin to wonder about the source of food (watching)
- The animal proteins become organic, grass fed, sustainably farmed and fished so that the environment is not harmed, thus supporting us and our future generations
- Some animal proteins-such as veal or lamb- fall away, as body awareness signals that they are no longer needed (like the unneeded muscle tension we can release once we notice it in a physical pose)
- All animal flesh feels unneeded by the body
- All animal products such as eggs and dairy also become extraneous and laborious to digest
- It becomes important that vegetables and fruits become responsibly grown through organic and sustainable farming practices.
- As all the above stages develop, it becomes increasingly important that everything that passes our lips contain nourishing content. Quality becomes critical to us.
- We consume only what nourishes us (impossible to know without the deep awareness yoga brings)
- We consume only the amount we need because we desire no more or no less.
Number one is exactly as honorable as number nine. It's all about knowing and accepting where you are and being true to that. It's just a path. Enjoy the journey!
|
 |
 |
|
