The “Unconscious Emotions” idea is exactly the concept that popped to mind in coming up with a draft for this post with reference to diet and losing weight. I was thinking of how it can be tough to remain conscious in the face of food and to continue to make choices we are ultimately happy with in that context. So while I wanted to say from my experience and from talking with people who have lost 100 pounds the most important two things in weight loss are will power and what you put in your mouth. Then I thought of this problem with consciousness. It is very real. I once did a group meditation on eating a dried cherry. We weren’t told what it was first. We were asked to focus on every sensational aspect and proceed with extreme slowness in order to catch it all. What I found so funny was the like adrenal rush I experienced starting up before we ate it. First we had to just look at it and smell it and what I noticed building was this awesome anticipation. Of course it isn’t new the idea of eating unconsciously, eating away emotions, worries, distracting and distracted both.
It was a surprise to me to see this physiological response once I stopped and focused. It is typically a challenge for me to stop and notice what I am eating before it is gone, I am often too busy thinking of something else. So I would add that to the list. While exercise is awesome for so many reasons, it doesn’t make this streamline, simple as possible, that is hard enough right there list because fat people are running marathons and thinking they can eat whatever they can think of and still not losing weight. So I don’t want it on the list because it is so disturbing to me when people spend hours, change their whole lives to lose weight by exercise AND give no thought to the possibility of eating more fruits and vegetables and how that might affect things. So my list became 1) Remain conscious 2) Will power 3) what goes down the shoot. How can I leave out calorie counting? Oh, I know so little and I have to stop here on this.
Here is a post from another one of my blogs (MyMindfulnessBlog):
The author of Mind Over Back Pain explains unconscious emotions as being able with the mind body connection to reduce oxygen in an area and cause hundreds of problems like back pain. It does seem absurd that psychology and other medical academics can not hold hands even just a little more.
Recently for the first time in my life I was in such awful back pain I had to sleep for a week and could hardly get up and walk at all from the excruciating pain. After seeing so many medical professionals none of whom have a clear answer for me like “oh you ran up too many stairs”, I can’t think it didn’t have anything to do with the stresses coming to a peak in my life right now. So I am getting in contact with my meditation teacher to restart some classes.
Last night I was reading Pema Chodron where she mentioned the “…emptiness or suchness of all experience…” Thinking of that out of context is tough…think about “this too shall pass”. See how the two ideas are similar? Why “shall” it pass? Maybe because it has so much emptiness in it. And something in the past doesn’t even “exist” at all, it only used to exist. That is kind of interesting isn’t it? Still we take our life so seriously and the events in it so seriously it can stress us out so much our muscles tense up and throw out the back, of course. Why isn’t that an obvious possibility? Pema Chodron invites us to lighten up. I love her bodies of work, this morning I was listening to her on the bus.
I want to encourage all the writers out there to start a blog on any topic that inspires you, it is such a nice journey. I learn and step forward with a little more courage and organization this way. A big thanks to all the readers, I am so new at this I do encourage you to look at all the better blogs than mine. After my first winter on this food plan of raw food I can see it is easier to keep the weight off. And I would accredit it to the detox from so many chemicals and carbs as you dive into the flesh of fruits and vegetables.
I too have been exploring conscious eating. If I take the time to really sit down and savor each bite, tasting the subtle flavors thereof and enjoying them fully, I eat less and feel much more satisfied. Unfortunately I donโt always do that but when I do I enjoy my meal much more. I also have found that I crave foods much less and am more aware of why I am eating what I chose, for the purpose in my body, not just for taste. After four months into this I can say that now I am much more in tune with what my body really wants and am not just led around by the nose looking for the next taste stimulant. This takes time and will not happen over-night but it is worth the wait. Have a blessed day and I do enjoy reading your posts.
Rosemary
http://www.adashofrosemary.blogspot.com
Hi Rosemary,
Thanks for the comment. I like the connection you made with eating consciously and connecting with your body’s specific needs and wants.
It is amazing how I can just delve into a food without thinking simply because it is a food I always eat at that time in that place, so it is out of habit not current listening and tuning in. Seems like my body always appreciates it when I try to listen in and then with an open mind. For example if I listen and hear, “oh I am not hungry” and my mind really wants to eat something out of comfort then maybe I will ignore the message. Then I hope I don’t bash myself for that instead be compassionate and open. The bashing part really doesn’t seem to be helping anything.
GREAT ๐ GREAT ๐ GREAT ๐ post!
Hi Kristen,
Thank you so much for the positive feedback! Let’s keep pouring out the raw fruits and vegetables onto our tables together. What beautiful creations we are putting there.
Great blog. I just started eating raw recently, and I come here for inspiration, ideas and just to be shared with.
Hi Cyn,
Well welcome to the crowd! The water is fine, even it is often considered a little better than fine! Drink up the water of life right in the cells of plants around us.
I think Unconscious Emotions are really effective one .
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