EMBODIMENT PRACTICE 4 - Reconnecting with food ✨ (Patreon)

Hi lovelies! 

“Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food” - Hippocrates

Our last embodiment practice for the month is going to be about 'reconnecting with food'. 

Yes, it is time to form a deeper connection with what we're putting into our bodies. Now that we've been mindful to connect more deeply with and within ourselves (mirror work, conscious self touch, intuitive dance/movement), it's time to apply this to the outside world and our external relationships...beginning with the food we eat day in, day out. It is time to put our devotion to our temples into practice and nourish our bodies...not only from the inside out, but from the outside in too. 

Our relationship with food and how we connect to it is something that I feel has been forgotten...but a relationship that I feel is a significant piece of the self love and embodiment puzzle. 

THE INTENTION:

It is time to shift the way we relate to food...or it may be a matter of learning to understand the way you relate to food and choosing to shift this if it is not currently empowering your relationship with your body. 

It is time to start looking at food as medicine, not merely something to satiate your tastebuds and fill your belly. Yes, of course those are a very fundamental and functional aspects of food...but food can also be medicine. We MUST understand the significance of the role food plays in our lifestyles and how our food choices reflect on our relationship with our Self. 

IDEAS ON HOW YOU CAN MORE DEEPLY CONNECT WITH YOUR FOOD:

• Learn more about food! 
• Reflect upon your current food choices and your relationship with food (you could journal about these reflections)
• Empower yourself with healthy/healthier food choices (for e.g. try and eat more whole foods, organic, nutrient-dense foods)
• Go to farmers/growers markets to buy fresh produce - connecting with the farmers is a great way to know where your produce is coming from and how it is grown. Also a great way to eat more seasonal produce (which is great for sustainability 🙌🏽)
• Try and grow some of your own food! This is one of the best ways to be a part of the process...from garden to kitchen! If you don't have much land, you could always start off with some herbs indoors or on a balcony 
• Eat organic where possible
• Prepare and cook your food with love and intention 
• Don't be afraid to touch your food with your hands (always with clean hands of course!). For e.g. massage your salads. Touching your food is a great way to connect with your food
• Consume your food through all of your senses as you're preparing it - sight (make it colourful!), smell the aromas, touch the food
• Bless your food before you eat - cultivating more gratitude for your food, how it nourishes you, the fact that you are able to have food on the table (sadly, this is not the case for many people on this planet)
• Eat mindfully and with gratitude
• Get excited about food by trying out new recipes

Join me as I make myself some lunch, from the garden to the kitchen...bringing you along for some of my food rituals that have helped me to connect more deeply with my food. Rituals that encourage me to have gratitude for the food I nourish myself with. https://www.crowdcast.io/e/ugg8b9xi

JOURNALLING QUESTIONS: 

(these are just some examples of self-inquiry questions you could ask yourself if you're stuck for what and how to journal...allow these to act as prompts to better help you to self inquire and bring awareness to your current relationship with food) 

• How do I relate to food? 
• Have I previously neglected my relationship with food? If so, is it out of lack of information/knowledge? Laziness? Resistance to change my habits? 
• Do I make poor food choices? If so, why? 
• How does my relationship with food reflect upon my relationship with myself and my body? 
• What is my history with food? 
• Do my food choices directly impact how I feel about my body? 
• How can I improve my relationship with food? 
• What do I need to do to make healthier food choices? 
• What is stopping me from making healthier choices? 
• How do my food choices reflect upon my sense of self worth? 
• What messages am I sending my body with my food choices? 

WHY JOURNAL? 

It is easy to get stuck in our heads and have a million thoughts racing around. These exercises are most effective when we can get those thoughts out of our heads and use them as a reference point to reflect upon. They assist us in better integrating what we have uncovered and learned during the exercise.

RESOURCES: 

MY GO-TO RECIPE BOOKS: 

•  Elsa's Wholesome Life - Ellie Bullen 
• The Global Vegan - Ellie Bulleen 
• 5 Ingredient Vegan - Katy Beskow

DOCUMENTARIES: 

• Unity
• Earthlings (graphic warning) 
• Dominion (graphic warning)
• Lucent (graphic warning)
• Forks Over Knives 
• Food Matters 
• Cowspiracy 
• What The Health 
• Game Changers 

INFLUENCERS TO CHECK OUT: 

• James Aspey - https://www.instagram.com/jamesaspey 
• Elsa's Wholesome Life - https://www.instagram.com/elsas_wholesomelife 
• EarthlingEd - https://www.instagram.com/earthlinged 
• Anthony Lowther - https://www.instagram.com/anthlowther 
• Chervin Jafarieh - https://www.instagram.com/chervin333 

WEBSITES TO CHECK OUT FOR INSPIRATION: 

• The Minimalist Baker - https://minimalistbaker.com 
• Oh She Glows - https://ohsheglows.com 

**For anyone curious about a plant-based/vegan lifestyle who just needs some pointers and guidance, there is an amazing organisation called 'Challenge 22' who offer FREE mentoring and recipes with a wonderful community...check them out via https://challenge22.com 

***My friend Anth (mentioned above) is also offering a '21 Day Journey' (small fee) to help guide and mentor participants looking for a positive change. He is AMAZING, super passionate and inspiring (he played a big role in my shift to a plant-based lifestyle). For more info, visit https://anthlowther.podia.com/the-21-day-journey 

I feel that our food choices say a lot about how much we value ourselves and our bodies. So let's CHOOSE nothing but the BEST for our beautiful bodies, our temples. They deserve nothing less. Know your body's worth and fuel it with magic. Let's aim for vitality and longevity...not just some tasty quick fix that pollutes our body. Let's be proactive with our health. Our food choices can either be empowering or disempowering...so let's CHOOSE empowering! Because we are sovereign beings who value our self worth and value our bodies 💕✨

If, at all, you feel comfortable enough to embrace your vulnerability and share some of your progress and experiences below, I would love to hear 💕

With love and respect, 

Jessa

Xx

💋