Living in Boulder, Colorado, “the yoga capitol of the west”, I’ve had some excellent classes and teachers. But my first kundalini class did something to me that the other yoga classes just didn’t do. It was challenging, but I left with a sense of upliftment, energy, clarity and focus that I hadn’t experienced in any yoga class that I had ever done before.

Developed to have very specific effects on the body and mind, kundalini yoga performs three broad functions:

1) Develops the innate, human sense of happiness

2) Triggers the body’s natural ability to obtain and maintain health

3) Creates the internal environment needed to realize our own eternal holiness

Known as the “Happy-Healthy-Holy” lifestyle in many kundalini circles, these positive effects are the birthright of all… not for just mystics, sages and saints of the East.

Happy

Kundalini yoga uses “sound current” as a tool to generate certain states of being, particularly a sense of peace, happiness and inspiration. Music is played all throughout the class. And not just any music: The melodies, chants, songs and chords are designed as a tool to aid a deeper connection to the self, the practice and the spirit within.

Sometimes the students participate in singing and chanting while doing the postures. This helps break old limitations and patterns of feeling stuck, stiff or helpless while doing the poses.

Another thing that personally makes me happy about kundalini yoga is that there is a minimal level of competition in the classroom. This is the intention with most forms of yoga, but it is unfortunately not always the case. There are people of all shapes and sizes in the classes and most students wear lose-fitting white clothes. The “competition factor” is minimized even more as students are encouraged to have their eyes closed during class.

Healthy

Kundalini Yoga is different from other forms in that there are 4000 series of postures, called kriyas. In other words, there are 4000 completely different classes a teacher can facilitate! As a student, this makes it pretty interesting: I personally have never had the same class twice and have no idea what’s in store for me as I walk into the room. My husband and I figured that I could go eleven years before having to repeat a class!

The most important thing to note about the kriyas is what they were designed for. Each of the 4000 kriyas was developed to have a very specific effect on the body, with notable attention on the glandular system. Modern medicine places a lot of emphasis on organs and organ systems, but we have to realize that it’s the glands that actually control the organs. Without a properly functioning glandular system, all systems “go south”.

Since starting this yoga, I personally can say that this is hands-down the best form of exercise I’ve tried for strengthening and balancing the glandular system. It also works beautifully on the organ and chakra systems.

Holy

All yoga was originally designed for one ultimate purpose: deep meditation. Kundalini Yoga places a clear emphasis on stabilizing and energizing the physical, mental and emotional capacities so that the practitioner can get into a deep, meditative state. Included in the kriya, a meditation technique is offered so that each student can experience the subtle effects of the practice. An average class might allot anywhere from 10-30 minutes just to sit or lie down to feel deep into the body.

Everyone can experience their own holiness.

“Holy” for one person might be a connection to God, Goddess or a universal guidance. It may also be an atonement to a higher self or a sense that we’re limitless, infinite beings who expand far beyond our current appearances. Holiness might simply be a deeper connection into the physical body—the discovery that we can indeed sense very subtle sensations like glandular secretions or our emotional responses to certain stimuli.

A Face Behind the Name

Even though kundalini yoga has been practiced in the West for over 40 years, it’s not the most popular form. Is it because of its name?

“Kundalini” has been associated with sex, snakes, mysticism and new-age, and has been described as a dangerous force that shouldn’t be reckoned with. Sometimes I experience a powerful energy when doing this yoga, but mostly a beautiful, peaceful, friendly, happy quality that energizes and sustains me throughout the day.

Although it has a connection with Sikhism, not all Sikhs practice kundalini, and surely not all kundalini yogis are Sikhs. Since some of the bigger-name kundalini teachers are Sikh, Sikhism may show its face for the students like me who delve deeper into the practice, but is certainly not a part of the practice. That said, I’ve never seen any kind of religious fanaticism around kundalini yoga; in fact, it’s touted as a form for all faiths to enjoy.

Photo courtesy of Third Coast Yoga, Spring Lake, West Michigan

Have you tried that old diet tip of stopping eating when you’re only half-full? Did it work? And how did you know that you were fully satisfied if you stopped before your hunger cues gave you the go-ahead? Most of us need clear and obvious signals from the body-mind that tell us when to stop eating. Otherwise, we feel deprived somehow, like we’re on a ‘diet’. In fact, we may be depriving ourselves of the nutrients we need if we don’t listen closely to our innate prompting.

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The feeling of being half-full could be a nod that we should stop eating soon, but for most of us, we need enough time and a few good signals to tell us if anything in the meal was unsatisfactory or lacking. Otherwise, we may find ourselves hungry again within an hour or so, craving sweets or fatty foods, or fatigued with a rapid drop in energy.

The remedy comes with what I call being full and satisfied at each meal. Being full and satisfied on all levels is a good indication of a well-rounded, energy-inducing, nutrient-rich meal, and should be one of the first things we look for when deciding to stop eating.

‘Full and Satisfied’ vs. ‘Stuffed to the Puff’

One clarifying statement here… By ‘full and satisfied’ I do not mean eating to your heart’s content to where, all of a sudden, your jeans are extra tight in the middle, and you are suffering from indigestion even before you’ve put down your fork!

By ‘full’, I mean that the stomach feels sated in a comfortable way, and you sense it’s a good time to stop before the point of no return. Sometimes this moment is hallmarked with a deep breath or a sigh.

By ‘satisfied’, I mean that, on an emotional and cellular level, the meal feels complete and nourishing, and your energy has been restored. You might also feel a sense of confidence that the meal can carry you 4-5 hours, preferably all the way into the next meal.

When a meal is inadequate for you, your body will enlighten you to the situation. Here’s how:

• You have a sense that the meal was incomplete

• You feel physically full, but are still “hungry”

• You keep eating bite after bite of the same food, hoping it will fill you up, even though you know it isn’t satisfying you

• You are craving something sweet, salty or fatty right after, or shortly after, the meal

• You feel the need to snack within 1-3 hours after eating

• Your energy isn’t restored after eating

• You can’t think clearly

• You feel emotionally imbalanced

So instead of coming to a grinding halt when you’re half-full (out of fear that you’ll keep eating ‘til you’re stuffed) mindfully approach the comfortably full and satisfied peak, asking yourself these three questions at every step of the way – before, during and after eating:

1. Is this meal satisfying me right now?
2. Am I getting enough of all five flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and savory?
3. If I stop now, or if I don’t add or take away anything to my plate, will this meal carry me until dinner?

And I have a few questions for you too!

1. How do you know when YOU are full and satisfied?
2. Do you ever keep eating the same food hoping it will fill you up, only to find that it isn’t truly satisfying you?
3. How often does your energy crash or do you have food cravings between meals?

I’d love to hear your comments below.

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It’s sad that our Western culture is so out of touch with what it takes to really take care of these precious human bodies. Most of us have been conditioned into thinking that taking care of ourselves is secondary to work, caring for the kids, running errands and doing the daily grind. Before we know it, we’re stressed-out and our bodies pay a big price. Just as we need to take the oxygen mask first before placing it on our child, we need to retrain ourselves to put our bodies foremost, before all else, to better serve our lives and the people we love.

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Exactly 53 days ago, my friend and I decided to do yoga everyday for 90 days. The first few weeks were a little rough as we adjusted to our new schedule, but now it’s just part of the daily routine, something that would seem odd not being a part of our day.

We’ve gotten comments like, “Wow, that’s ambitious!” or “I could never do that!” and “Isn’t it dangerous to do so much yoga?” That may be the case for some, but for us, it has completely transformed our lives! We’ve never felt better, and we both feel so grateful that we haven given that extra time for ourselves. I’m not here to push yoga; that’s not the point. The point is that we made a commitment to delve each and every day into something healthy that we love to do.

Creating Your Own Daily Self-Care Practice

Although I do believe that we should be breaking a mild sweat everyday, a morning self-care ritual doesn’t have to be a workout. Before I do anything else, I start my day with skin brushing, an oil massage and some energizing breath work. This sets the intention that “my body matters”. It matters so much that I am willing to put it before all else in my day.

I now give a full three hours each day for self-care. This seems like a lot to “fit in” to the daily Western structure, but from an Eastern perspective, my three hours barely skim the surface. In the Ayurvedic, Buddhist, Taoist, Siek and other meditative traditions, it’s imperative to give adequate time and effort into keeping the body healthy, happy and holy. Without a healthy body, less is the ability to fulfill our deeper purpose and to be of assistance to others who need our help.

Use the ideas below to kick-start your own daily self-care ritual. I prefer a morning ritual before I do anything else; it’s less likely to get pushed aside if I start fresh each morning. Plus, it sets the tone for the whole day ahead.

Skin Brushing: A quick brushing over the skin with a hard-bristle skin brush excites the lymphatic system, brings blood flow to the peripheral tissues and increases the immune response. It’s a great way to wake up in the morning! Skin brushes can be purchased at natural food stores, bath shops or online.

Abyanga Massage: Abyanga is a daily Ayurvedic ritual of rubbing the skin with oil to heat the body and help blood circulate. The technique is to rub all body parts as vigorously as you can. Use a natural, organic vegetable oil such as olive, almond or coconut. Stay away from lotions – read the ingredients! If you wouldn’t eat it, don’t put it on your skin!

Chi Gong: This ancient Chinese practice is an excellent way to revitalize the system and wake up in the morning. The practices stimulate digestion, balance the glandular system and cleanse the body in a gentle way. Just 10 minutes can kindle your energy. Daisy Lee and Garri Garripoli have several excellent DVDs available.

Prayer and Meditation: Meditation can be used to connect to your highest self, God or the universal flow of life. It can also simply be used to settle the mind and nerves. Once you become familiar with a basic meditation, you can start to incorporate it into a home-practice. Do a Google search to see which classes are offered in your area, find an online tutorial or purchase an instructional CD or DVD.

Bathing Ritual: Showers are invigorating, but bathing is divine! If done with thoughtfulness and intention, a morning bath can make you feel like a queen all day long. Nurture and nourish your royalty everyday with added bath salts, essential oils, candles or incense. For a skin pH cleanse, mix a cup of apple cider vinegar into the tub.

I’m convinced. After only a week into the Yoga90 adventure with my best friend Meg, I’ve confirmed that yoga really does cover all five bases of my 5-Fold Fitness Plan. In doing yoga seven days a week, I’ve designed a yoga regimen that includes a few styles of yoga to make sure I’m covering all the bases with my practice.

To recap my September 2009 article, Mindful Fitness, a well-rounded exercise routine should include:

1. Strengthening
2. Flexibility
3. Detoxification/De-stressing
4. Cardio
5. Balance

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I think everyone would agree that all the above is covered through a regular yoga practice, with one exception: cardio. Most people have been convinced that a good cardio workout has to be at least 30 minutes of endurance aerobics, where the heart rate is elevated for a long, steady duration.

Newer research, though, is showing that cardio-vascular workouts don’t have to be endurance-based. In fact, for many people, short bursts of cardio training does the trick better, as well as burns fat for longer periods after the workout is over (1). This is called “burst training”, a new science of exercise based on quick bursts of power and periods of rest.

Anyone who has a regular yoga practice knows that there’s certainly an elevation in heart rate when doing yoga. In many classes, the first 15-20 minutes is dedicated to getting the heart pumping, circulating blood and warming up the tissues. Throughout the course of a class, the heart rate goes up and down in spurts (or “bursts”) as students hold hard, deep poses and work the large peripheral muscles.

Of course, you’ll have to get into the right class in order to get a good cardio workout through yoga. Here are a few yoga styles I recommend if you want the benefits of a good cardio workout:

Vinyasa Yoga (Flow Yoga) - Vinyasa means “breath-synchronized movement”, or simply “flow” (2). So in these classes, expect to move! In many cases, this movement will include Sun Salutations, moving through a series of flowing movements that specifically gets blood pumping. Yoga styles that incorporate vinyasa are Ashtanga, Power Yoga and Anusara.

Kundalini Yoga – While I won’t attempt to explain what kundalini is here, this practice incorporates challenging and interesting movements to raise energy up the central axis of the spine (3). In my limited experience with this form, many of these poses require physical effort and 5-10 minute “bursts” of the fast-twitch muscle fibers, which induce an increase in heart rate. This is a powerful form of yoga and will always include deep meditation to help integrate the energy generated in the body.

Bikram Yoga - Bikram is a form of Hatha Yoga where the room is heated to make you sweat out toxins, elevate heart rate and move oxygenated blood to the muscles, organs and glands (4). Although the 26 postures do not include a “flow style”, the heat and the challenging nature of this class will surely make your heart start pumping.

For week two of my 90 days of yoga, my schedule will include at least a few styles of yoga so to be covering all five of my 5-Fold Fitness bases. Kundalini, Anusara and Ashtanga cover all five; Yin Yoga and Restorative for detoxing, destressing and flexibility.

Article References:

1. The X-Iser. Sprint Smarter: Science. 2009.
2. Ask.com. What is Vinyasa Flow Yoga? 2009.
3. International Kundalini Yoga Teacher’s Association. 2009
4. Bikram’s Yoga College of India. About Bikram Yoga. 2009.

I had the (drooling) pleasure of vicariously living Julia Child’s life in France the other night while watching the movie, Julie and Julia. I admit I was jealous (and a bit angry) that I’m not constitutionally able to go hog wild with all that French food. Heavy cream, loads of butter, flaky pasties, white flour, white sugar, white bread (and ground meat stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a pastry). Why, God, can Julie Powell eat her way through Julia’s book, but with one bite I’m bloated, gassy and grimacing?

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Although I didn’t eat the food, I did indulge in my 20 minutes (and no more) of moping, whining and lamenting. After my sob story, I once again came back to my “3-C’s”, the mental attitudes I need to stay focused on my health and well being. Without these, I tend to “forget” that I have food sensitivities and two major chronic health concerns (as well as the mere fact that eating these foods never makes me feel good, except for the short time that it’s going down).

The 3-C’s are:

1. Commitment
2. Conviction
3. Composure

Commitment means I’m dedicated… not to any diet, but to ME. I come back to this commitment to myself again and again, each and every day.

Conviction means I know my true purpose in the matter. I know WHY I want to be healthy, and WHY I want to live a long, healthy vibrant life.

Composure means I “get grounded” (even when I’m around fabulous foods and smells and tantalizing temptations). Only when I’m composed do I remember my commitment and conviction.

I know YOU might be “dietarily challenged” too. Here are a few hints for holiday dining away from home (for those of us with food allergies, sensitivities and chronic health conditions):

Eat before you go. Sounds weird to eat BEFORE the feast, but this will help curb your appetite around the tempting foods you know will not make you feel good.

Make sure you bring what YOU need to eat and make enough to share with others (so EVERYONE can taste how fabulous your gluten-free pie crust really is!)

Check in with your gut throughout the night. Let the light, clean, empty feeling be your inspiration to stay on track with the foods you can eat.

A major shift comes when we mentally decide to focus on the foods we can eat, instead of the ones we can’t. Think about it, even if we suffer from multiple food allergies, there are hundreds of foods we can indulge in, and very few that we can’t. So let’s stay positive and make sure to indulge and have fun!

I live in the Denver-Boulder area, awarded the “thinnest” city in this country. But when I see all the runners, bikers and elliptical trainers huffing, puffing and blowing the house down, I often wonder, “Are they really healthy? Sure, they may be able to run a marathon… but are they healthy? Are their joints stable? Are their muscles soft and pliable? Are they able to fight off a cold or flu?

These are all good questions. Most people pick one kind of exercise and get into it  (or just “get it over with”) without asking if it’s creating a healthy, balanced body for the long haul. Is this you? If you find yourself gritting your teeth, dreading your workout or feeling exhausted during or after, your exercise program may be unbalanced and causing more damage than good.

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5-Fold Fitness

From a mindful perspective, there are five core principles that I and other health practitioners consider a well-rounded workout:

1. Strength. This includes peripheral strength of the limbs, and core strength. Fitness guru Paul Chek says that without core strength (musculature of the deep abdomen) body posture and alignment diminishes and lower back issues come into play. Chek recommends 2-3 strength-training sessions per week and to rotate exercises to keep the body guessing. Consider yoga, pilates and “functional fitness” – all are excellent resources for core and peripheral strength.

2. Flexibility. All beefed up but you can’t even touch your toes? Muscles might be well-defined, but without pliability, the body loses its fluid range of motion. Tissues harden as muscles become less and less hydrated. Stretching before and after a workout is good, but deep hydration and full range of motion (in all directions) comes from a daily regimen: yoga takes the lead in this category.

3. Detoxification/De-Stressing. Most body-mind-based exercise programs actually help detoxify the internal organs during and after a workout. This keeps stress from building up and promotes the ability to ward off illness before getting it. According to the the late Zen Shiatsu master Shizuto Masunaga, “one cannot be considered healthy unless one’s whole body, including the internal organs and nervous system, is functioning in a supple manner”. Yoga, chi gung, tai chi or any martial art are good choices for exercise detox and releasing stress.

4. Cardio. This is important, but Americans seem to have taken the “cardio workout” to an extreme, to the point where “cardio” and “workout” could almost mean the same thing. According to Ayurvedic physician Dr. John Douillard in his book Body, Mind Sport, too much huffing and puffing could actually be causing undue stress. Without deep breathing into the lower lobes of the lungs while exercising, the body may go into a stress response, ironically storing fat – the exact opposite of what we want to do.

5. Balance. Yogic balancing postures are played up just as much as any of the others, and are often the most difficult postures for westerners, mainly due to our over-emphasis of peripheral strength versus core strength.  Balancing postures develop coordination and also “exercise” the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Balance and coordination are highly emphasized in yoga, dance and pilates.

Exercise doesn’t (and shouldn’t) have to be a chore. Although resistance is natural on some days, the right routine for you should be one you look forward to and that makes you feel rejuvenated, rather than depleted. It’s something that you like to do.

The best, most inspiring workouts are those in which tools learned can be applied in daily life: an improvement of posture while walking or standing in line at the check out; a kindling of patience when dealing with others; determination and diligence with work or life’s challenges; balanced development of both excellence and humility; and acceptance of who you are right now, knowing that you are perfect just as you are.

Article References:

1. Chek, Paul. How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy. CHEK Institute. San Diego. 2004.

2. Masunaga, Shizuto. Zen Imagery Exercises. Japan Publications, Inc. 1987.

3. Douillard, John. Body, Mind, Sport. Three Rivers Press. 2001.

3. Freeman, Richard. The Yoga Workshop: Library: Asana Detail. 2009.

One of the reasons nutrition and diet books are so popular is because they offer a “framework” for readers to apply the information. These frameworks set rules and boundaries for the latest models, and give markers for when a person is off course.

Unfortunately, most of these frameworks are quite rigid and limiting, and are not geared toward each person’s “biochemical individuality” (the view that we all have very different food and nutrition requirements). Rigid frameworks also take us too far away from our innate hunger cues; a skill that babies and wild animals embody naturally, and one that seems lost to us as human animals.

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On the other end of the spectrum, the mindful eating approach is more free-form: it puts the decision-making back into our own hands when it comes to our own food needs and preferences. Mindful eating allows the body to tell us when its hungry, what its hungry for, and when its full.

As we can imagine, eating this way takes a tremendous amount of trust. Because of this, a lack of framework can make the mindful-eating journey seem daunting, even hopeless.

Getting the Body Back In Balance

For me and for most people, a healthy practice of mindful eating needs some kind of framework. Otherwise it’s too abstract, and hard to know how to get in touch with the hunger signals our bodies are showing us.

The biggest pitfall for mindful eaters is that we listen to our body’s most obvious hunger cues (like craving for chocolate, potato chips and cookies) and take them as face value, hoping that they are our body’s truest needs. In many cases, possibly most, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Unless our bodies are in a balanced state from the start, it’s hard to be truly mindful of the real necessities.

To get our bodies back into a balanced state for mindful eating, we need to address three areas. Solving these three problems form the framework for my mindful eating courses:

1. Blood sugar imbalances
When blood sugar goes up and down, it’s hard to sensitize ourselves to the subtle communication that our body is giving us about what it truly needs and how much it requires. Otherwise, all we sense are extreme changes in mood and emotionality, or “emergency” sensations like irritability, jitteriness and nausea.

2. Eating the wrong foods for our needs
When we eat the wrong foods for us (even so-called “healthy” food) the body reacts in powerful ways. We may have chronic gas or constipation, bloating or aching. We may gain weight. Any of the organs and organ systems might eventually start to dysregulate, creating a cascade of symptoms that are unnatural and disease inducing.

3. Falling into the craving cycle… again
Believe it or not, but there’s a subtle (or not so subtle) pattern that underlies each and every emotional-based food craving and the decision to give in to these foods. Mastering the early signs and symptoms of the craving cycle stops it in its tracks before we find ourselves in the backlash of emotional eating. Not only is this essential for good health, but also for the psyche – for most emotional eaters, shame, guilt and hopelessness come next in the cycle.

Once we have these three areas licked, it becomes easier and easier to tune in to the body and better respond to its natural signals of hunger and fullness. This new awareness also helps us get to know our unique nutritional needs. We can then set forth on a lifelong mindful eating journey with less and less of a rigid framework.

If this article calls you to take a step forward with the way you eat, end sugar cravings and create a happier, healthier relationship with food, I encourage you to listen in on my free Food-Fu Tele-Course Preview Call. This call will give you tools to help you take steps in balancing the above issues and get you on a solid mindful eating path for the rest of your life.

Reserve Your Seat in the Free Preview Call Here

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Eating becomes a mindless, unconscious act when we are multi-tasking, watching the road, or zoning out completely in front of the TV. Eating this way, we have little or no focus on how we are eating and how much we are eating… before we know it, a stomach ache is encroaching and the whole bag is gone.

Quick, convenient foods tend to be the choices here: snacks, crackers, chips, popcorn, candy. Sitting down helps us focus our attention on the food and company, and will naturally lead to more complex food choices.

How are we able to truly relax into the pleasure of eating if the dinner table is drop spot for unread mail, unpaid bills, newspapers and magazines? Having this kind of clutter around while eating subliminally reminds us of our unfinished business and can unconsciously put us into a stressful mode.

Make each meal at home a savored experience by keeping the dining table apart from daily living. Take the extra effort to set the table how you like it, even when you are not eating. This will make sitting down to eat an anticipated activity that is rejuvenating for body, mind and soul.

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Tablecloths and napkins are a good start. Embellish with flowers or candles, or any arrangement that brings you pleasure. You may want to set a goal to purchase a bouquet of flowers each week, or one new place setting every month to keep it looking fresh and new. Calling upon seasonal colors and items from nature can help you feel “in the flow”.

While resisting emotions might be a good strategy in the short term to protect ourselves from feeling hurt, stupid or vulnerable, it creates a tremendous amount of stress on the body/mind in the long run, and never solves the true, underlying problem.

Emotional Resistance comes in many shapes and sizes. If you answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions, you may be resisting your emotions:

1. Do you feel stupid or less-than because you are “so sensitive” when compared with others around you?

2. Is your motto, “talk to the hand” when you sense an emotion welling? In other words, do you tend to ignore or push away feelings as soon as they come up?

3. Have you told your significant other or any family members that it’s best not to “dwell on things we can’t change”?

4. Do you chide yourself for being too self-absorbed?

5. Are you a “closet-emoter”? Someone who hides emotion with others but lets loose as soon as you’re on your own?

Working with emotions is not about starving them, or their associated cravings, out. It’s not about having control over them either. Contrary to our fear of them and our need to either act them out neurotically or suppress them completely, emotions have a genuine purpose, especially when it comes to food cravings and over-eating.

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When working with food issues, emotions have to be considered. Mentally “deciding” to change repetitive behavior because we have told ourselves “I will never do that again” after a binge usually doesn’t change the behavior. Two hours, two days, maybe two weeks later, the emotionality of the craving comes back… no matter how hard we “think it away”.

And this is good… We don’t want emotions to go away. Without them we’d never grow.

The Function of Feelings

Feelings are here to inform us about what is happening inside of us. Just as the sense of touch gives us information about our external surroundings, emotions are a guide to how we are responding to that stimulus. External stimuli may be a touch on your arm, news that you just got laid off, or the sight of chocolate cake on the buffet table. Emotion is your reaction to that stimulus. Depending upon the context of the stimuli or your social conditioning towards it, you’ll experience various feelings in response to its presence.

Emotions are one of our best, most basic opportunities for growth. Once we learn to experience the full range of our emotions, we can use them to guide us toward the most appropriate, fitting actions. If we are constantly overriding our internal messages, decisions become confused, and our actions impaired. The result is a life un-lived by our truest selves.

When we resist our emotions, we go toward feeding instead of feeling. With every emotion that gets denied comes an empty hole (maybe a pothole, maybe a crevasse, maybe a crater) that needs to be filled. Since we aren’t filling the hole with our own experience of the emotion, we tend to fill it with “something other”, namely food (or sugar, caffeine, nicotine, sex, etc). When we resist emotions, we never get to see them for what they really are: our loyal, unfaltering teachers.

The Power of “Wisdom Emotions”

With a little sleuth work, our emotions can help us understand our deeper desires and lead us toward the people and things that can help us fulfill them. But we have to take out our magnifying glasses, because emotions, as elusive as they are, are not always what they seem on surface-level. The closer we get to the starting point, the more solutions we are able to find.

The starting point of emotion — or Wisdom Emotions as I call them — are the deep, core feelings that underlie all surface emotions. They often run well below our radar because they’re quite hard to define. Wisdom Emotions are less like emotions, but more like an initial “sense” of an emotion. I often metaphorically refer to them as the deep sea: a dark, deep foreign place filled with the unknown.

From this deep space, feelings get processed and become more like waves crashing on the shore. They have a stronger presence and are easier to define. These “secondary emotions” can now be labeled as anger, anxiety, frustration, guilt, craving, etc. Since secondary emotions are much stronger and palpable, the primary Wisdom Emotions are often left out at sea.

We often react abruptly to emotion, responding the same way day-in and day-out in a pre-programmed way, like a robot. Meanwhile the underlying lesson goes unnoticed, and craving takes hold to fill the empty space inside.

Understanding Wisdom Emotions and What Arises From Them

Here’s and example of a Wisdom Emotion that tends to go awry with emotional eaters: Emptiness. Emptiness is a deep inner sense, not quite an emotion, but a “feeling sense” within. Everyone has it. It’s the feeling of deep, empty space. But just as soon as this flit of a feeling starts to swim to the surface, the mind labels it, and the subtle feeling of emptiness soon turns it into something more defined, more fixed.

Emptiness has an inherent quality of fear in it. When we don’t understand something or someone, can’t get a grasp on something, and nothing is going our way, the fear of emptiness — the void, the unknown — is lurking.

This “empty” feeling often arises into these secondary emotions:

• Helplessness
• Hopelessness
• Depression
• Fear
• Insecurity
• Confusion
• Grief
• Loneliness
• Boredom
• Anxiety

The lesson from feeling empty – or any of the above secondary emotions — often points us in the direction we least intuitively want to go: toward letting go. It is often a clue that we need to step back and settle the mind before doing anything. As the Buddhists would say, “Don’t just do something, stand there”. Or from another perspective: “Let go and let God”. If we are always so over-consumed by the neurotic secondary emotions of feeling empty — like feeling helpless, hopeless and insecure — our decisions will be made out of fear and will lack the lustrous quality of a well-intentioned plan.

There are many more examples of Wisdom Emotions and the lessons we can learn from them; all of them cues that can help us make more informed choices about what we want (and don’t want) and who we want to become (and not become). We can choose to utilize them for what they are, or resist them out of difficulty, discomfort and downright pain. But with that approach, the holes get filled with mere fluff and flotsam, leaving a hollow void that can only be sealed with the wisdom of our intuition, our emotions.

Bibliography

1. Koenig, Karen, LCSW, M.Ed. The Food and Feelings Workbook. Carlsbad, CA: Gurze Books. 2007.
2. Ray, Reginald A., PhD. Meditating with the Body: Emotions and the Body. Crestone, CO: 2007
3. Ray, Reginald A., PhD. Secret of the Vajra World. Boston: Shambala Publications, Inc. 2001.
4. May, Michelle, MD. Am I Hungry? What to do When Diets Don’t Work. Phoenix, AZ: Nourish Books, 2005.
5. Welwood, John. Toward a Psychology of Awakening. Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc. 2000.
6. Gendlin, Eugene. Focusing. New York: Bantam Books. 1981.

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In her book, The Zen of Eating, Dr. Ronna Kabatznick describes the various dynamic stages of food craving. The cycle starts with subtle and elusive sensations that trigger a more and more concrete desire for emotionally-satisfying food. As we make our round through the cycle, we are suddenly struck with unconscious binging, and then finish it off with cruel and abusive thoughts about ourselves and our lack of self-control.

Let’s look at the Cycle of Craving up close:

Stage 1 – The Set Up: In this initial stage, craving (and the triggers that set it off) is usually hard to read. Most of the time, we are unaware of any specific prompts when all of a sudden we find ourselves over-eating. Because of this, it’s quite important to develop attentiveness while in this initial phase. If we are tuned in to our bodies and emotions, we have the ability to stop the pattern pre-cycle before causing any damage.

Specific “set up” cues for over-eating are different for each person, but may include: 1. A subtle feeling of emotional emptiness, neediness or desire (at this point, the desire may not have anything to do with food); 2. Looking for “something”, or something else to do; 3. Opening the refrigerator; 4. Feeling “hungry” without actual hunger in the stomach; 5. A “pulling” sensation in the gut.

Stage 2 – The Great Debate: By this stage, any subtle feeling of desire has turned into a full blown craving. This phase may only last seconds or minutes. This is the point in which a debate will happen between what Kabatznick calls the “Inner Defender” and the “Inner Prosecutor”. The defender will make known all the reasons why it’s okay to go for the desired food: “You really need it this time”, “You always eat this way when you’re with so-and-so”, “You’ve been doing so good”… The defender’s argument will awaken the prosecutor, who’s job it is to sway the jury in the other direction: “You can’t eat that food”, “It will make you fat”, “It’s not good for you”… This stage sets up conflicting, confusing emotions, making it that much easier to jump right into the next stage.

Stage 3 – The Grab: This is the “Oh wow” moment when we’ve given in to what we’ve been waiting for. It is the moment of satisfaction, gratification and pleasure. The two most important things to note about this stage are that it is the epitome of the addiction process, and that it is the physically dangerous part of the cycle. When we go for the food we are craving, the brain releases a chemical called dopamine (Gurgevich, 2007). Dopamine generates a temporary sensation of reward, spilling “feel good” hormones into the blood. We get addicted to the good feelings (the reward) and will crave the foods that produce this learned response again and again. A vital component to understanding the addiction process is in knowing that it is the chemicals that we are craving, not just the food.

This phase can also be physically damaging. We are not only becoming more and more addicted to our own brain chemicals and the foods associated with them, but are now consuming more food more frequently. Unfortunately, addictive foods are usually refined, high fat, high sugar foods like chips, cookies, cakes, and French fries. Over consumption of these foods have been related to obesity, diabetes heart disease and other chronic diseases (PubMed, 2008).

Stage 4 – Judgment Day: After all is said and done, the “Inner Critic” steps in to blame, judge and feed us with abusive and destructive thoughts. Oftentimes, guilt is the main threat. What is noteworthy about this phase is that it is abusive, yes, but that it actually feeds the addictive process. From the high that was experienced with the release of dopamine in Stage 3 comes a natural crash in energy; this process is sometimes referred to as the “yo-yo effect”. Emotional self-battery brings us down even lower, which in turn creates the physical and emotional need for another high.

From here, we can see the obvious and natural progression in the cycle: starting all over from the beginning, winding our way through each step, and ending up back to the finish line… again and again and again. This is what is known as the “vicious cycle”, an addictive succession that never ends.

Simply having awareness of these stages, and knowing where we are right now in the craving cycle is the first step to ending the emotional eating pattern. Awareness practices include a lifetime of educated self-study and peaceful, non-judgmental observation.

The third part of this series on Conscious Eating (coming soon) will include helpful tools and antidotes for each of the stages in the cycle of craving, and general guidelines for creating a lifelong practice of mindful eating.

Article References:

1. Kabatznick, Ronna, PhD. The Zen of Eating. New York. Berkley Publishing Group. 1998.
2. Gurgevish, Steven, PhD. The Self-Hypnosis Diet. Boulder. Sounds True. 2007.
3. Heidemann, C, et al. “Dietary patterns and risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all causes in a prospective cohort of women”. PubMed. www.PubMed.com. Circulation. 2008 Jul15;118(3):214-5.

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Conscious eating, or being mindful of the food in front of us, is beneficial to the body, the mind and even the emotions. All three interrelate. Our actions affect the mind, and the mind affects our actions.

When we eat on the run, in the car, with anxiety or while processing heavy emotions, the body goes into “survival mode”. From a very basic animalistic nature, the body assumes a protective, defensive posture. Stress and anxiety kick the fight or flight survival response in gear and the body goes into heightened alertness. The heart rate speeds up, the adrenals activate, and the mind runs rampant. The body’s primary focus now is on survival, not digestion. Eating this way can cause all sorts of problems, from heartburn and gas, to bloating and irritable bowel syndrome.

In a hyper-vigilant state, the body needs a quick source of energy to deal with the stress it is experiencing, so it starts to burn carbohydrate, which is the fastest-burning fuel in the body. Since it thinks it’s in a state of emergency, the body will store fat for later, rather than burn it now for fuel. Most people I know would much rather burn fat than carbohydrate — burning fat means burning pounds.

Every trick we can pull from our sleeve to bring the body back into a state of peace and happiness while eating is valuable. When the mind and emotions are calmed, the body goes back into “thrival” rather than “survival”. There is no threatening situation it has to deal with, and all it needs is a nice, slow, consistent burning of fat, rather than an immediate rush of carbohydrate. In turn, sugar cravings subside, and up-and-down moods swings go with it.

Tips for Stress-Free Eating

• Sit with your food for 30 seconds before diving right in. Sense how your body is reacting to your hunger and the desire to eat. Gently notice your dependency on the food in front of you, then give in to your desire and eat with gratitude.
• Pay attention to your thoughts. Do you think about work or try to solve problems while eating? Are you pondering a rough relationship or struggling with financial woes? These are a part of life, but while eating, put them aside.
• The dinner table should be a calm and peaceful place to eat. If you have kids, make sure that there is enough food for everyone so that kids don’t have to go into competition over food.
• Don’t talk politics at the table. Instead, talk about what’s been going well for you and your guests.
• If you start to wander off in a daydream while eating, take a breath and come back to the food.
• If you are eating a “trigger food” like sweets, French fries, chips, or hamburgers, go extra slow and stop to take several calming breaths between bites.
• Really enjoy the taste of the food you are eating. Notice the subtle flavors.
• Chew each bite at least twenty times before taking the next bite. The first step in digestion starts in the mouth. Food needs enough saliva to help break it down so the stomach doesn’t have to work too hard.
• Don’t eat on the run. Once in a while is fine, but for the most part, take a longer lunch break and take a longer time to eat; 20 minutes to eat a simple meal is good.

Now it’s just a matter of enjoying the company. Whatever food you have chosen as your dinner guest, accept it, converse with it and by all means, enjoy it! Sit with it as you would sit with a good friend; treat it with respect, kindness and gratitude. Like all good, healthy relationships, friendship with food is a two-way street. Even if you can’t see the value of the relationship right off the bat, give it time to develop and pretty soon you’ll start to experience the benefits — a lighter body, a healthier mind and a happier spirit.

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For those of us with the curse of the sweet tooth, we all know that eating healthy can come to a dead halt with just a simple craving.

But with the healthier alternatives available for us these days, we don’t really have to feel that we’ve sunk into a deep dark hole. While we can admit that we are in the “sugar zone” — or chocolate zone or whatever our zone of choice may be — we can take a breath, find some humor about it, and most importantly take a minute or two to think about our options.

If you are the “right here, right now” type, resolve that it may take a little more effort than simply just opening the fridge or freezer for ice cream, a soda or boxed cookies. If you don’t have anything a little healthier, can you take 10 minutes to make a quick trip to the natural foods market for a better option?

A couple of my brand name quick-fix favorites are Amazake rice drinks (a sweet, thick beverage made from sweet rice) and Blessings Fudge Raweo Cookies (raw cookies made with ground almonds, cashews, honey and carob). They’re sweet, but are a healthier option to sugar and flour. I also enjoy a good chocolate-dipped protein bar with at least 15 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber to offset the carbohydrate. It should also have some green blends to boost anti-oxidants.

If you like spending time in the kitchen, try experimenting with desserts using pureed fruit, agave nectar, brown rice syrup or barley malt syrup instead of white sugar. These options have less impact on insulin response and make for a smoother rise in energy compared with white sugar. Honey is very sweet and impacts the system in a similar way to sugar, but I use it occasionally, as it comes power-packed with antioxidants and immune building nutrients.

So you don’t have to hit the floor anymore when it comes to cravings. With all the delicious but nutritious options available to us these days, the curse of the sweet tooth could actually be a blessing!