It could be possible that the food we put into our bodies isn’t as important as our thoughts about what food we put into our bodies.

All day long our mind shouts opinions at us about what we have done right and what we have done wrong during our day and all the ways we are supposed to change, especially around our eating habits.

But there is only one moment we can change and that is this moment.

So, instead of stressing ourselves out about needing to change the food we are ingesting, what we can choose to do that can be more beneficial to ourselves is to give some attention and energy to our chakras and what sustenance they are guiding us towards and then let the natural, instinctual food choices manifest on their own.

Let’s go through the seven major chakras here as they relate to our food choices:

1st Chakra (root): This is our survival chakra. Consider for a moment what basic food choices we need to survive. This is nothing fancy. This is the food choices we would consider if we were stranded on a desert island and only needed basic calories to get by. Many of us have had food deprivation in our life or in our past lives. By remembering that we are safe and always have the basic calories needed to survive, we can relax the root chakra a little more and feel safe even when we are a little hungry and might not get food right away. Use the mantra: “I am safe no matter what I eat” to heal any lingering food deprivation issues in the root chakra.

2nd Chakra (sacral): Food is about much more then sustenance though. It is about pleasure. Sometimes if we aren’t eating mindfully and therefore aren’t getting the full taste sensations out of our food, we tend to overeat. Setting an intention to eat slower and making a little effort to get all the pleasure offered to us out of our food can revolutionize how we are relating to the food going into our mouths. Ask yourself, “How can I get more pleasure from food in my life?” I think the answer will be exciting.

3rd Chakra (Solar Plexus): This is where we nurture ourselves. We have so many associations with food, from being loved and cared for by other people, but what we really need is to do this nurturing for ourselves. When we are feeling sad and lonely some of us overeat and some of us under-eat. Instead of falling back on these old patterns when we are feeling low we can make a choice to care for ourselves by asking, “What food will really nurture me right now?” It may be a favorite comfort food or it may be something very nutritious to feed our immune systems and cellular structure. Trust that the answer to this question that you receive is the perfect answer even if it is chocolate cake and a big glass of milk.

4th Chakra (Heart): Oh the heart and it’s open universal love! Food is also about sharing and caring. If your heart is singing and happy maybe you want to share. Who might like some home-made cookies or a big bowl of soup? Or maybe it is time to fill a bag for the local foodbank? If you’re feeling nervous, anxious or unsure about your relationship to food, maybe some generosity will be healing.

5th Chakra (throat): Everyone needs to eat differently. There is no one eating system and we are each ever changing and what was a right diet last year might not feel right now. This isn’t being choosy, this isn’t just going with the next fad, this is paying attention to what our bodies are telling us today. Each week or even each day we can ask ourselves what is the right type of eating for me now and then we follow that without caring about anyone else’s opinion. This is what it means to live authentically in our own truth.

6th Chakra (crown): The lovely world of crown chakra, daydreaming and visioning!  Our food system and relationship to food really needs this type of innovation. Where in your life do you see the food system not working? How can you dream of it being better? This is about baby steps. Maybe it is time to go to the farmer’s market or start a community garden. Maybe you have a new innovative recipe you need to experiment with (and maybe share here on elephant journal?). Loosen up around the way you think about food and let your imagination soar. With the 6th chakra, literally the sky isn’t the limit.

7th Chakra (transpersonal): What healing would you like help with around food? Maybe you shame yourself after you eat something sweet? Maybe you find it hard to eat more greens because you love eating bread? These aren’t problems. Everything is fine. But self-love does include self-discipline and asking for help. Want help with food? Then ask. Send a message to the universe saying you are committed to more awareness and health around food and are open to whatever guidance comes and then relax and see what happens.

Life is about having a balance between accepting and loving what is and always moving forward at the same time. Working with the chakras in terms of food issues is all about not shaming ourselves, but instead exploring ourselves and using the power of the chakras to fuel the transformation process.

Happy eating everyone!

 

Relephant read:

A Quickie Guide to the Chakras.

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Author: Ruth Lera

Editor: Travis May

Photo: Pixabay