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Giving Gratitude for Food: Today and Beyond!

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Empowerment
Giving Gratitude for Food: Today and Beyond!

 

Thanksgiving presents an opportunity to express our gratitude for food, even if to say ‘Yum!’ or give kudos to the cook. But do we do that every day? Or each time we eat? I invite you to begin a practice of giving gratitude for food no matter where you are now. That’s where I’m at, too. 😉

It’s hard to give gratitude for something that we don’t appreciate. In modern society, food comes too easily to us to really honor its origin. We can grab it off a supermarket shelf or from the deli counter, we can dine in our cars – even purchasing our meal from a drive through, we can grab a bite from a vending machine, we can place an order online and have it delivered to our door. The list seems to go on and on. I appreciate convenience. But as a society, it’s time to re-educate ourselves about what it takes to bring food to the table. With all the fast food, processed food, and modified food of the last 5o years, or so, convenience has caused us to lose our perspective and appreciation for what is real in regard to food. 

Another reason we may overlook giving gratitude for food is that we lose sight of the obvious: that is, we don’t fully acknowledge how important food is in our lives. That beyond the fundamental aspect of supporting our existence, our relationship with food is, arguably, our most intimate relationship of all. We all have relationships – with our partners, our children, our co-workers, our neighbors, our phones, and so on, but have you ever really considered that you are in a relationship with food? Unlike our relationships with people, food is something that we interact with each and every day of our entire life. There are few, if any, people with whom we do that. Children grow and leave the house, we move to another state or country, and we change jobs, thus changing the landscape of whom we interact with on a daily basis. But food is something that is constantly with us, throughout the journey of our lives. Further, food is something that we literally take into ourselves and that literally becomes a part of us. Now, that’s intimate! We all have a relationship with food. It’s a question of how much we are to understand that relationship and to honor it. I think it’s fair to say that many people have a broken relationship with food, leading to the consequence of addiction and obsession, epidemics of chronic disease like overweight, obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer, autoimmune disorders, and so on. Even our good intentions around making homemade food can dissolve into a series of complaint and resentment, huffs and gruff, leaving us with little energy to express sincere gratitude, let alone enjoy our food. It’s time to explore more in regard to the sacredness of food and giving gratitude for it. 

In order to give gratitude for food, we must first recognize the reason(s) for which we are grateful for food. The reason(s) behind our gratitude may change from one eating episode to another.

Reasons to be Grateful for Food

  • It tastes good.
  • It nourishes our body.
  • It’s beautiful.
  • It’s fun to grow.
  • It helps us to heal.
  • It gives us energy to do our work.
  • It delights us.
  • It warms me up on a cold winter’s day.
  • It’s fun to prepare.
  • It provides a way for us to connect with our family and friends.

Ways to Express Gratitude for Food

There are many ways to give thanks for our food. Any sincere expression of gratitude will serve the same purpose, which is to slow us down enough to connect with the sacred. This alone brings tremendous benefits to our body, mind, and spirit. Given that most of us eat several times or are each day, food can serve as one of the most powerful reminders to connect with the divine.

Most cultures and religions have a way to express thanks for what is about to be eaten. Holding a deep connection to the earth, Native Americans honor the exchange of life in regard to food. They ask the Spirit that dwells in the living food – whether animal or plant – for permission to take its life. They then give thanks to the Spirit for its willingness to sacrifice its own life for their benefit and sometimes make an offering of corn or tobacco, for example, in compensation for this sacrifice. Such an act acknowledges that something has been given and received on both sides.

One of the most common ways to express gratitude is by saying grace, which is a specific form of ritual. One may choose to speak freely from the heart – even when dining alone – or n behalf of a group. One may also recite or read a specific prayer from a spiritual tradition or from literature, such as Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet. If you are not comfortable saying a prayer out loud, you can practice gratitude through silence. If the expressions sincere, the offering will be effective. Silence doesn’t just happen; it has to be allowed. It requires us to make a conscious decision not only to refrain from speech, but also to withdraw from activities that fill our minds with noise, such as watching television, listening to the radio, or reading a book. Even in prayer, which people most often do silently, we can be so busy voicing our praise and requests to the divine that we often don’t allow for the space to receive the gifts and messages that the universe intends for us. As with saying grace, a moment of silence can be shared by a group of people or practiced alone. The important thing is that this moment be used to consciously appreciate the food about to be eaten.

Where are you in the process of giving gratitude for food? In what ways are you beginning to offer gratitude for food? Let us know! Let’s keep the conversation growing. We’re in this relationship for life, after all!

“If the only prayer you say in your whole life is ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.” Meister Eckhart

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A Registered Dietitian with degrees in Public Health Nutrition and Culture & Creation Spirituality, Lisa is uniquely qualified to help us understand, heal, and nourish our relationship with food.

To explore more about giving gratitude for food, listen to this episode of SacredExplorationhttps://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/103760/nourishing-healthy-attitudes-about-food

To purchase The Sacred Art of Eating: Healing Our Relationship with Food: https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Art-Eating-Healing-Relationship/dp/0988726602/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511457125&sr=8-1&keywords=sacred+art+of+eating

http://www.sacredexploration.com

http://www.imperfectlyvegan.com

https://www.facebook.com/sacredexploration

https://www.imperfectlyvegan.com

 

How to Make the Right Decision: Going From Worrier to Warrior in 10 Easy Steps by Hemda Mizrahi & Benson Simmonds

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Business
How to Make the Right Decision: Going From Worrier to Warrior in 10 Easy Steps by Hemda Mizrahi & Benson Simmonds

Benson Simmonds

Award-winning actor, coach, and writer Benson Simmonds joined me on “Turn the Page” to discuss his recently published book, “SOULAR POWER  – Unlocking the Eight Gates to Joy and Abundance,” which reflects his 20 years of study in the dramatic arts, Kabbalah, Eastern Philosophy, and Mysticism. Listen to this episode to access greater meaning, joy, and success in your life.

Benson expanded upon our conversation after the show, by sharing how you can apply the key tactics he offered to the process of making “good” decisions. If you’re generally decisive and find yourself in new waters with an unprecedented anxiety or conflict that’s causing you to feel “stuck,” this approach will help you to move forward with greater peace of mind. If you frequently  have a hard time making decisions, Benson’s “ten steps” will teach you how to choose more quickly, and with greater confidence.

Here’s what he taught me—in his own words:

We’ve all been there – gripped by fear when needing to make an important decision. We’re afraid of making the “wrong” choice, or one that will result in a negative outcome for ourselves or someone else. Whether you’re making business decision, considering whether to leave or stay in a relationship, making choices regarding your health, school, or even what color shoes to buy, the underlying constant is that feeling for fear. When in fear, you are in worrier (ego) mode, as opposed to warrior (soul) mode, that place from which you can tap into the power of your soul. You soul is your untapped brain potential, that part of you that is connected to a divine source of unlimited joy, love and expansion.

What about the old, “make a list of pros and cons, so you can detach emotionally” approach? That strategy removes your emotions instead of inspiring you to use your emotional intelligence, which you actually need to make the best decision.

So what is the key to making a good decision? Shifting out of fear and into love, which is of course an emotional state. Shifting from ego to soul, from worrier to warrior. Here are the 10 simple and profound steps you can take to make your best decision.

STEP ONE
When you are in ego/fear mode the overwhelming message you receive is “lack and limitation.” This message conveys that there is never enough, and that you are not enough. To shift, take a deep breath and say, “I AM ENOUGH. THIS MOMENT IS ENOUGH.” As you do this, you’ll immediately begin to slow down the ego/worrier self and connect with your soul. The overriding message of the soul is “YOU ARE ENOUGH” and “there is always enough,” so you WON’T be limited or losing out regardless of which decision you make.

STEP TWO
Realize that you can choose to tap into something larger than yourself, your soul. By making this choice and stating out loud, “I CHOOSE TO MAKE THIS A SOULAR POWERED DECISION,” you’ll expand past the information that’s available through your ego/fear. Instead, you’ll tap into a power that has a wealth of data beyond the “facts” as you see them. You’ll surpass “black and white thinking,” which limits your choices, to “FULL SPECTRUM THINKING,” which opens you up to new possibilities. Your decision will be informed by the deeper wisdom you’re able to access through this expanded view.

STEP THREE
Ask yourself: “What are five to ten things I LOVE about myself?”  Be sure to state your answers out loud and use “I LOVE…” in every sentence. For example, “I LOVE my sense of humor. I LOVE my intelligence. I LOVE that I’m a survivor. I LOVE that I try to be kind,” etc. By focusing on what you LOVE, you’ll shift out of fear and into love (become a LOVE GENERATOR instead of a LOVE SEEKER), which will help you to make the best decision.

STEP FOUR
Convey GRATITUDE STATEMENTS that express thanks for your shift to “warrior:” “Thank you (God, universe, the divine, higher powers, etc.) for the ease with which I’ve released my need to make the right decision.” By repeating this a few times, you’ll liberate the pressure your ego/worrier side has placed upon you and begin to feel a newfound ease about the decision. Here’s another version of a gratitude statement: “Thank you God (divine, etc.) for the ease which with I’ve made the right decision.”

STEP FIVE
Envision yourself within the PYRAMID OF PROTECTION: Imagine that you’re sitting or standing inside a four-walled, three-dimensional pyramid. There is a wall slanting up to a point above your head on all four sides of you. The floor is the fifth wall. Divine light from above infuses the walls of the pyramid with unconditional love and joy. Feel yourself and the inside of the pyramid becoming enveloped in divine light. From inside the pyramid say, “I am now connected to and protected by the divine.”

STEP SIX
While in the pyramid of protection, say, “EVERY DECISION I MAKE IS NOW FOR THE SAKE OF THE DIVINE.” By repeating this statement within the pyramid, you’ll take even more of the pressure off. You can also say, “EVERYTHING I DO IS NOW FOR THE SAKE OF THE DIVINE.” By doing this, you’ll remind yourself, that it’s not about you; it’s about what you can contribute.

STEP SEVEN
When you make a soular powered decision, you’ll CHOOSE THE OPTION THAT FEELS THE MOST EXPANSIVE. Simply stated, fear contracts and love expands. When you are afraid, your body pulls inward and in that moment, it’s all about you. When you are feeling love, you naturally expand your arms and want to share, celebrate and contribute. Now, take a moment to reflect on your decision. Which choice feels more expansive to you? The more expansive decision is the best one.

STEP EIGHT
ASKING EXPANSIVE QUESTIONS will help you tap into your soular power and make the best decision. Rather than asking negative questions, like “what will happen if I make the wrong decision?,” or “why am I a loser?,” ask EMPOWERING questions, like: “HOW CAN I EXPERIENCE MORE JOY WHILE MAKING THIS DECISION?,” and “WHY AM I A WINNER REGARDLESS OF THE DECISION I MAKE?” Your brain is a super computer and it will provide you with an answer to any question you ask. Most of us are unaware of the questions we are asking ourselves subconsciously. By asking yourself specific expansive questions, you’ll receive answers that will inspire you to make the best choice.

STEP NINE
BLESS FIVE PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE. Think of the person and say “blessings to your for health, happiness, abundance, etc.” Even if the decision is about leaving a boss or relationship, send that boss or current spouse/lover blessings. This will very quickly shift you out of fear and into love, opening up your divine channel of joy, love and expansion even more.

STEP TEN
When making your decision, eliminate the need to “be good.” Trying to “be good” can lure you into a decision that is based on self-sacrifice or martyrdom, which your ego convinces you is “noble.” This leaves you stuck in worrier mode. Instead, SEE GOOD, the good in yourself and that of others. A true soular powered decision is a WIN-WIN for all parties involved.

In applying these 10 steps, you’ll make the “best” decision and ENJOY the process of choosing. You’ll feel more joyous and loving, which will contribute to even better decisions as you move through your day.

Benson shares blessings for you to “embrace your soular power and open your heart to feel and attract more joy, love and abundance in every moment.”

His book, “SOULAR POWER – Unlocking the Eight Gates of Joy and Abundance” is available on Amazon. You can reach him at soularpowerbook@gmail.com if you’d like to find out more about his spiritual and business coaching services.

Whether or not you see yourself as a “spiritual” person, you’ll gain a practical approach to improving results in every aspect of your life by listening to our conversation.

We invite you to “pay it forward” and expand your fortune by sharing the link to the episode and blog post with your on and off-line communities.

Walk the Labyrinth Workshop on August 7 from 7:30-9:00pm Central Standard Time, at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration

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7th Wave
Walk the Labyrinth Workshop on August 7 from 7:30-9:00pm Central Standard Time, at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration

Walk The Labyrinth_ A Sacred Experience (1)

The labyrinth is a walking meditation, a path of prayer and an archetypal blueprint where psyche meets Spirit. Unlike a maze where you lose your way, the labyrinth is a spiritual tool that helps you find your way. The sacred geometry built into the labyrinth does the work for you. Release, connect and change with more ease.  For just $35 you can join us Friday, August 7, 7:30-9pm at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration in Dallas, TX.

Join Paula for ‘Walk The Labyrinth: A Sacred Experience

Through this experience you will:

Learn about the Labyrinth, Walk it, Integrate What You Gained

Release fears, stress and worry

Quiet your busy mind

Hear the Divine and your Limitless Higher Self

Find your own answers

Open your heart to receiving

Improve your health and well-being

Create more peace, joy and happiness

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