Holistic Living: Why diets don’t work – Part 2
18 March 2024
How my S.P.E.M Approach can help reconstruct your relationship with Food, Body and Self
Embarking on a journey of holistic living can be a transformative experience that touches every aspect of your life.
In this second installment of our three-part series, we delve deeper into how my S.P.E.M approach can guide you in reconstructing your relationship with food, body, and self.
By adopting a holistic approach, you can bring harmony to these interconnected elements and cultivate a more balanced and fulfilling lifestyle.
Join me as we explore the power of holistic living and the tools it offers for personal growth and well-being
The art of mindful eating for true happiness
In the same way that you actively cultivate a conscious and mindful approach towards your valuable human connections, your relationship with food also necessitates that same level of attentiveness.
This is precisely why the S.P.E.M Approach advocates for the practice of truly being present and engaged with every bite you take.
- Take the time to appreciate the enticing aromas, flavors, and overall presentation of the food before you.
- Express your gratitude and reflect on all the individuals who played a role in bringing this meal to your table – the hardworking farmers, ranchers, truck drivers, train operators, pilots, cooks, waiters, store clerks, store managers, and even the cashier who checked you out. Simply being grateful has been scientifically proven to promote feelings of joy and alleviate stress.
- This mindful approach not only allows you to fully savor and enjoy your food, but it also helps you feel more satisfied with each bite and cultivates a healthy relationship with food.
- By being mindful, you can make conscientious eating choices that cater to your body’s present needs and also become more attuned to your body’s signals when you are satiated. The S.P.E.M. Approach supports this mindful mindset through various brief and effortless breathing exercises.
Much like how happy and healthy connections with those in your life, built on understanding and respect, can make life more pleasant, calmer, and gratifying. Believe it or not, cultivating a healthy relationship with food can also have a similar positive impact on your life. Life becomes easier, calmer, and more joyful when you have a mindful and healthy connection with food.
The false promises of diets
Restrictive diets often lure us in with the promise of achieving the “perfect” body, and with it, all the other desired outcomes of life – a better job, promotions, more friends, and so on.
However, this pursuit is a fallacy because the diet will inevitably clash with our body’s needs. Whether it is counting calories, following strict macros, or engaging in cleanses and food tracking, it will ultimately lead to a disconnection from our body’s signals.
This disconnect often leads to feelings of deprivation and a constant desire to escape the diet’s restrictions, resulting in a harmful restrict-binge cycle that takes a toll on our physical, mental, emotional, and self-esteem.
Sound familiar?
Rather than fixating on unhealthy habits, let us instead focus on cultivating a healthy spiritual connection with food – paving the way for a new direction in our lives.
Here I present four perspectives to inspire your journey!
- My sacred gifts are self-love and compassion: Deep within our soul exists the essence of self-love and compassion.
- The foods we choose have a significant impact on our energy and health: Therefore, make nourishing choices with self-love, independent of external influences.
- A spiritual adventure guided by food: Food is not just sustenance for our bodies, but also for our physical and energetic beings.
- Making soulful food choices with gratitude is a crucial part of a transformative journey, as opposed to simply numbing ourselves.
Nourishing our soul through food
Not only does food provide us with energy, but it also carries its own vibration.
The frequency of the foods we choose has a profound effect on our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Ask yourself, “What is my relationship with food?” from a soulful perspective, without the distractions of cravings, fears, unconsciousness, and self-doubt.
Loss of control and the Heart Chakra
One fascinating aspect of food is that we have full control over what we consume. Many individuals overeat when they feel a loss of control in other aspects of their lives, such as career or relationships.
That is when involving the Heart Chakra becomes essential.
It is the center of our willpower and emotional wisdom, yearning to be connected to our soul.
Create your own path to health, healing, and self-love
Use the S.P.E.M Approach to guide you in identifying any unresolved symptoms and how they may be hindering your healing on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level.
Through mapping your health history, understanding your digestive, liver, and hormonal symptoms, uncovering the emotions attached to these symptoms, and determining the nutrients necessary to support your healing, you will create a personalized plan for starting off a new relationship with food and respecting what your body truly needs.
Writing for healing and transformation: The power of journaling
During times of feeling stuck and in need of a change for healing, breaking past weight loss resistance and negative body image, or finding inner peace, writing can be a powerful tool.
It has been stated that humans are spiritual beings experiencing a mortal existence, where every person is on their own unique path and everything that happens, or does not, serves the purpose of shaping the soul.
Hence, even Eating Disorders serve as a part of one’s spiritual journey.
According to the shamanic ideology, life is an interconnected web where everything is linked, including the possibility of ‘illness’ being a result of Power or Soul Loss, or Intrusions by external entities.
By utilizing the wisdom of cycles as a guide and embracing the mythopoetic tale of the hero’s journey, we can uncover the underlying factors of a situation and decipher clues on how to deal with it in a healed manner.
In the context of modern times and individuals struggling with eating disorders, this presents the opportunity to uncover the root cause of their illness, both personal and collective, and take steps towards addressing it. Soul, or Power, Loss can potentially occur during moments of trauma, be it physical, emotional, or psychological, whether it be from childhood abuse or a recent accident.
Moreover, Intrusions can take place anytime an individual is vulnerable or lacks discernment. As a beneficial means to address past Soul Loss and its consequences, one can connect with their Power Animal, whose qualities and medicine represent the lost attributes of the individual.
Additionally, embarking on a shamanic journey to the event or events that caused the Soul Loss, and retelling the story can bring healing and resolution.
Holistic living can transform your life
I hope you found my blog post on holistic living and the S.P.E.M approach insightful and inspiring. Transforming your relationship with food, body, and self is a journey that requires dedication and self-reflection.
By incorporating the S.P.E.M approach into your daily life, you can begin to reconstruct and nurture a healthier and more positive connection with yourself.
Remember that self-care is a continuous process, and every small step you take towards holistic living is a step towards a more fulfilling and balanced life.
To learn more about holistic living and how you can implement the S.P.E.M approach, follow my Instagram page.
Always here, always yours,
KC The Greek Shaman
