Foodies, Comfort Eating and Reiki

Article by Haripriya Suraj, Reiki Master

Food is a vital requirement for the physical body. It nourishes and sustains us. Many of us learnt this basic truth as early as kindergarten. But what we learnt was unfortunately restricted to our school books. It is not something we take seriously. The general unconscious attitude is- “Healthy eating can be studied but it cannot be practised.”

How can we possibly practise healthy eating when the world around us is full of attractive food? Chocolates, cakes, pastries, ice creams, sweets and cookies are common to most of us from different parts of the world. Apart from that, we each have our native cuisines with their own share of healthy and unhealthy food.

The health quotient of garden fresh vegetables fades in comparison to the richness of aromatic butter cookies. Fresh fruit seems so boring when placed beside dollops of vanilla ice cream, with warm chocolate sauce and nuts if you please. Mmm! I bet your mouth is watering already ☺

A little child is upset and throws a tantrum. The parent gives the child a piece of chocolate. The child eats the chocolate and calms down immediately. He forgets about his misery and feels better. The parent is relieved that the child is not screaming anymore. That’s the earliest stage at which many of us were introduced to the practice of comfort eating. We suppress our emotions by distracting ourselves with lip smacking food. Harmless as it seems, comfort eating is a self-destructive habit that can remain with us for life. The minute we are stressed, we reach for a cup of coffee or a bar of chocolate. Have you ever wondered why this must be so?

If a piece of processed chocolate has the power to bring us momentary peace, have you ever thought about what natural food can do for our well being? If a cup of coffee can take away all our worries, have you ever imagined how much more Reiki can do for us?

It is certainly hard to imagine as we have no idea of harnessing our inner power. We have fallen prey to an unhealthy mass consciousness fuelled by the processed food industry, which portrays unhealthy food as a source of enjoyment. Food habits can be deeply ingrained and we need to unlearn a lot of stuff before we can learn about food all over again.

The positive aspect of food is that sharing a meal can be a love filled experience. Ever heard the saying, “The family that eats together stays together.”? Food is also an important aspect of celebrations, festivities and social gatherings. All children and many adults enjoy blowing out candles and eating delicious cakes on birthdays. All this is perfectly fine. However, the same food that brings people together can also cause havoc and get us addicted. By using food as a source of comfort or entertainment on an ongoing basis, we give it the power to rule our lives.

After all these years of abusing the body, mind and spirit, can we ever hope to have a healthy relationship with food?

We most certainly can and it’s better late than never!

A bit of awareness coupled with regular Reiki practice can help set things right for our benefit.

• The first thing to be aware of is that the body is a sacred temple. It is not a dump yard. The body needs nourishment from food, not the tongue. Unfortunately, most of us have not got this fact straight. We eat more to satisfy the tongue than to nourish the body. Even if we grasp this simple truth, practising it can be hard.
• “Life is meant to be enjoyed and what is life without food?” This is the argument posed by some who are critical of people who eat healthy. Absolutely! Life is meant to be enjoyed and we can certainly enjoy eating good food. But who says that a freshly prepared meal that is light on the stomach and cooked with love can’t be enjoyed? It is a matter of perception, awareness and understanding. The problem arises when the senses take over to such an extent that we cannot use logic to decide what to eat and how much to eat.
• Processed food has an impact on the physical and energy bodies in ways that are not immediately apparent. It can clog the energy body and affect one’s ability to channel higher energies and receive divine wisdom. It can also cause physical imbalances and illnesses. Natural food that is light and prepared with love is always a better option. Organic options would be even better.
• Comfort eating impairs spiritual progress. By seeking refuge in food, we refuse to come face to face with aspects of ourselves that need healing.

Having said all this, it is also essential to point out that extremes of any kind are not favourable. Since we live in a world in which unhealthy food is ample, we cannot always avoid it, especially in social gatherings. But we can certainly limit our intake of it. A small piece of cake eaten mindfully can bring as much sensory enjoyment as a large one. When we eat in restaurants, we always have the option of choosing foods that are healthy yet tasty. Besides, an occasional meal comprising unhealthy food is not such a big deal either and the body is strong enough to handle it.

How Reiki Helps

Forcing ourselves to make drastic changes to our diet won’t help. Any effort to suppress our desire for unhealthy food will only backfire. The best way to heal our relationship with food is to allow it to unfold naturally.

Awareness coupled with bodily wisdom is the mantra for success.

As Reiki practitioners, the gift of awareness is something we are all blessed with. If we are regular with practice, Reiki brings everything to our awareness, including our dependence on food for a false sense of enjoyment or comfort. Regular practice also puts us in touch with the wisdom of the body. When we develop love and reverence for the body, the need to abuse it with unhealthy food will drop off by itself. How can we abuse something we love?

We will also not need to depend on food to comfort us, as we will be in touch with our inner power and derive our strength from it. Food will then receive its rightful place in our lives, as a source of nourishment in daily life and togetherness on special occasions. We will effortlessly reach a state where we enjoy eating more than ever before. We will continue to be foodies but not at the cost of being slaves to food. We will begin to eat in the light of love, understanding and wisdom. This is an internal shift that Reiki facilitates in all its loving wonder and glory and can only be experienced. All words fall short to describe it!

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Haripriya Suraj is a Reiki Master, Angel Healer and Starseed Lightworker. Reiki is her constant companion from which she derives peace and contentment. She is deeply connected with the Stars and Angels and they form an integral part of her Reiki practice. Her core mission is to help bridge the worlds of Spirit and Science and to help people connect with their unique soul missions. Haripriya offers Reiki healing sessions and training programs in Bangalore, India. Reach Haripriya at lightworkersonearth.com, whenspiritmeetsscience.com on email at [email protected] and on Facebook at Angel Light.