I know a couple who follow strict, frugal diets, but all their conversations are peppered with food – what they or their friends ate, recipes, and so on. Food is something that is so integral to our lives that we simply cannot keep it away from our conscious and subconscious minds.
If you soothe yourself with food, your body and mind are trying to tell you something, points out Hollenstein. ‘We seek comfort and distraction in crunchiness, chewiness, or creaminess. Yet all too quickly remorse sets in, and we’re left reeling – no closer to soothing the hurt.’
Most spiritual leaders say that we need to be careful of what we eat, how and by whom it is prepared. Because food affects our consciousness and energy matrix. Food is not to be eaten dismissively, obsessively or perfunctorily. Thich Nhat Hahn advised us all to eat mindfully – eating should nourish both body and mind. ‘Every minute of your meal should be happy. Not many people have the opportunity to sit down and enjoy a meal, eating mindfully.’
