Weighing ourselves down with food

We have all heard of emotional eating, and many of us in western society do it, including me. When things get too difficult to FEEL we numb and find comfort in food. And why is it that? Well I believe that it is partly to do with our primal need (root chakra situation), to ground when faced with an uncomfortable emotional state. This unsettling emotion (with the roots in anger or fear) rises up through us and throws our heads into a spin as we expend a lot of energy replaying the fear based stories, which only enforce the uncomfortable emotion. It is like a chicken and egg story! Understandably it gets too much and so we use food (usually junk food which ironically is least earthy food we could choose to eat), to unconsciously bring the energy back down again. Plus the rush of endorphins from eating temporarily numb the uncomfortable feelings.

Make sense?

So before you agree and then start beating yourself with a stick, let me tell you that self judgement or criticism is not necessary or relevant here, ok? It will just slow the process down. And now don't start beating yourself with a stick for beating yourself with a stick. Yes I know it's crazy but we WOULD do that to ourselves unless reminded not to!

So anyway back to the hug in an ice cream tub situation.....If only there were another way.....ahem perhaps meditation?

What is meditation?

Meditation essentially means awareness....we are not expecting to have a blank mind, might I add! Therefore, meditation could simply mean being fully aware of the uncomfortable emotions sensationally felt in the body? Here it is broken down into stages:

1. Observing the feeling of irrational fear (insert your favourite uncomfortable emotion)

2. Taking a cycle of breath and not immediately responding to it

3. Replacing judgement with acceptance

4. Not becoming attached to the experience

5. Go into the sensational emotion and encourage it to flow on through the body by breathing into it.

Got it?

THIS whole process is a meditation. Because you are becoming the consciousness, the observer, the one that has always been there. And you are CHOOSING to stay present, non-judgement and to hold space for whatever comes up. This is pretty empowering!

Try this grounding meditation:

Step 1: Feel your breath. Place your hands on your lower belly and imagine the breath in flowing down into your lower belly and pelvis. As you exhale draw the pelvic floor up slowly. Repeat for 5 rounds of breath.

Step 2: Feel the sensations of expansion as you inhale energy up through your feet, and as you exhale your feet spreading wider on the floor rooting into the ground. Repeat 5 rounds of breath.

Now close your eyes and repeat steps 1 and 2

This meditation stimulates your root chakra (the consciousness of primal instincts) and feet chakras, which connect us powerfully to earth. This meditation can be very useful in times where you are changing homes, relationships or jobs.

So.....how do you feel now?

Now imagine if you did this the next time you were triggered by someone or something emotional. Would you feel in a more stable place to observe, not judge (or go into a crazy story about how your world is doomed forever) and allow the painful emotions to flow through your body? Then you can CHOOSE whether you want to go in for the junk food. At least then you have made a CONSCIOUS decision and you give yoursefl a better chance to stop when you need to because there isn't this massive sense of relief attached consuming the food.

Another choice option is to do something CREATIVE! Shifting the energy from being a consumer all the time, to creating something. I am sure many people would agree that this fills you up in a different way to food.

Forgiveness and Meditation

MY biggest lesson with this whole process is learning how to forgive myself! Forgiving myself means that I can easily let go of what has just happened, and move on swiftly. So forgive yourself for using food to ground sometimes! Each time you do it use it as another chance to practice your meditation and forgiveness. Another chance for growth and to get to know yourself better. Honestly, as someone who thinks that there IS a hug at the bottom of an ice cream tub, I can tell you that constantly FORGIVING yourself and MEDITATING through your challenges, are radical techniques for finally letting go of patterns of behaviour no longer serving you!

Disclaimer: I am not suggesting that those who feel the need to seek professional help refrain from doing so at all. All my suggestions are from personal experience and in no way meant to replace the help of a medical professional.

Speak soon I am off to find that hug in my ice cream tub :)