We all accept the fact that the lighter the backpack, the easier and quicker the climb to the top of the mountain. We all understand that the lighter the load on an airplane, the higher and faster it can fly. We pay extra for high octane fuel so our car will operate more efficiently. Then why don't we apply the same wisdom to our bodies and our dreams?
The Need for Speed
We know that the cleaner the gasoline we feed our car, the faster, further and longer our car will run-and with less wear and tear. Gee, what would our Earth adventure be like if we tried this same approach with our personal lives?
Clean, Lean Energy Machine
When we feed our bodies and goals with clean, lean fuel, we have the strength and stamina to create our dreams with ease, speed and longevity-and look good doing it to boot!
Shamanize Your Life
A shaman eats to live, rather than living to eat. A shamaness uses food to fuel her dream, rather than to be her dream. A shaman knows that the true purpose of food is to give us the energy to express our unique spirit fully and gracefully.
Food is Not Only Physical
I'm not talking only about the eating of physical food. Everything we take into our energy field is food-for our body and for our soul. Every thought, conversation and activity either gives us energy, or takes energy away from us.
Self-loving people only eat-take in-those interactions and pursuits that nourish them and increase their level of aliveness. When a relationship, job or belief leaves you drained, tired or confused, that fuel is not nurturing. But when you have a friend who inspires, encourages and validates you, you prosper by hanging out with that person. When you go to a livelihood each day that allows you to fully express your true spirit, you're enriched by that calling. When you have a conviction that bears beauty and bounty in your life, you're served well by that point of view.
Eat What is Most Digestible
Take in those foods, people and endeavors that you most easily digest, assimilate and integrate. The less energy it takes to absorb a certain fare, personality or enterprise, the more energy you are ultimately going to get out of it. This is the good judgment of choosing "low maintenance" lovers and friends versus the "high maintenance" of demanding, discontented partners.
Eat Only What's Necessary
Take in only the amount of worldly nourishment, resources and social exchange that is ideal for peak performance. When Jesus advises us to "fast from the world," he's not suggesting we refrain from eating altogether, or cease interacting with the world totally. The savvy sage uses the word "fast" to mean "fast from excess." Eat only the amount of physical fuel you need for optimal efficiency of your body. Interact with the turbulence of social affairs only to the degree necessary to accomplish your goals. Lean and clean.
This is the strategy shamans refer to as "touching the world lightly." Be involved with cultural conventions only to the degree necessary to function socially. Overeating physical food can cause sluggishness, nausea and constipation. Over-absorption with the limitations and contradictions of cultural mores can cause you to get confused, drained, overwhelmed, emotionally backed up-and, consequently, very ineffective and unhappy. Be in the world, but not "of it."
Go to Bed Empty
Go to sleep with an empty stomach, clear mind, and peaceful heart, so that your body and being have the greatest opportunity to rest and recharge. When the body has to spend the night digesting a stomach full of food, then it doesn't have the time or energy to heal and balance. When we go to bed with a troubled mind or heart, we have a shallow, unrestful sleep with many fitful dreams or nightmares. And our spirit has no time to connect with its highest self and intuit creative solutions to our worldly challenges.
Eat Only from True Hunger
Our physical body has biological needs that food can satisfy. Our emotional and spiritual bodies have emotional and spiritual needs that food can never gratify. When choosing what to eat, it's helpful to be able to distinguish the difference between true hunger (physical need) and "false" hunger (emotional and spiritual need).
When you learn to discern emotional and spiritual hunger (emptiness) from physical hunger, you can then adopt the attitude and actions to attract the right people and activities that will truly fill the hole of soul emptiness.
Chew Life Well before Swallowing
An astute Eastern adage suggests: "Chew your liquid and drink your food." The guidance is to chew your beverages so that your liquids mix well with saliva and, therefore, are predigested by digestive enzymes in your saliva before you swallow. In the same manner, chew your solid food until it breaks down into a consistency that it can be drunk as a liquid. This chewing mixes your food with the same helpful saliva pre-digestive juices-and saves your stomach the chore of breaking down chunks of food.
Chewing your liquid and food well leads to good digestion by making your body's job easier. The less energy the body needs to expend to digest, absorb and utilize your food and liquids, the more energy you have available to create, play and enjoy life!
In the same manner, the recommendation is to chew or contemplate well any experience or information before you swallow or believe it-that is, take it in as part of you. With this approach you're intuitively prescreening ideas, interactions and events before you allow them to become part of your belief system-and, therefore, part of your personal reality!
Yummy in Your Tummy
Only eat foods and hang with people and pursuits that excite you!
The insightful Japanese observe, "Digestion begins with the eyes." When a meal is attractively presented in a way that makes us excited to eat it, the energy activated by the excitement will actually help the body to digest the meal more efficiently. In the same respect, when you choose the kinds of foods that excite you, you'll digest and absorb these foods more easily. Yummy looking and tasting meals yield a net increase of energy for you.
The same principle applies to your choice of people, career and life ventures. The more exhilarating your friends and endeavors, the more flowing and full-filling your relationships and pursuits will be. Joy in, joy out! It's Your Party!
You may not be experiencing life as a party. Perhaps because you're not living your own life in your own way, according to your unique nature and spirit.
Whether you're aware of this truth or not, life is your show. It's your body and your dream-to do with as you choose. You have a right to manage who, what, where and how your energy field is entered and affected. Steer clear of any person or philosophy that does not honor that right. You'll be the healthier and happier for it.
If you don't steward your energy well, what will you have available to share with others?
Drink in the nourishment of each moment! It's your party!
(c)2004, Keith Varnum. All rights in all media reserved.
Drawing from the wisdom of native and ancient spiritual traditions, Keith Varnum shares his 30 years of practical success as an author, personal coach, acupuncturist, filmmaker, radio host, restaurateur, vision quest guide and international seminar leader with "The Dream Workshops." Keith helps people get the love, money and health they want with his free Prosperity Ezine, free Empowerment Tape and free Coaching at www.TheDream.com.
About The Author
Drawing from the wisdom of native and ancient spiritual traditions, Keith Varnum shares his 30 years of practical success as an author, personal coach, acupuncturist, filmmaker, radio host, restaurateur, vision quest guide and international seminar leader with "The Dream Workshops." Keith helps people get the love, money and health they want with his free Prosperity Ezine, free Empowerment Tape and free Coaching at http://www.TheDream.com
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
It always amazes me when I meet someone who has... Read More
The strength and durability of a building is found in... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of November 17,... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of November 25,... Read More
A high school senior, looking forward to going to college,... Read More
The greatest achievements were obtained by those who took one... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of October 14,... Read More
I grew up in the south in the 1960's. Married... Read More
Laws of the Attraction notwithstanding, there are several external ways... Read More
Spend some time thinking about how good you have it.... Read More
"We come equipped with everything we need to experience a... Read More
In denial, I was slow to accept Multiple Sclerosis. Who,... Read More
Robert was so strong that I once saw him pick... Read More
I find of particular interest in the Eastern Religions many... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of June 16,... Read More
At SPIRIT Connections, we believe that the most powerful tool... Read More
The boogeyman lurking in the closet scares the bejesus out... Read More
Why do so many of us end up frustrated when... Read More
I thought you might enjoy reading a professional article I... Read More
In Berlin a restaurant opens for anorexics and in Buffalo... Read More
Human mind which is well known as a fluctuating prodigy... Read More
What is passion? Recently after a presentation, I was once... Read More
The feeling response to being filled up with Love from... Read More
"Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow... Read More
1. How do I love myself?2. How can I feel... Read More
The outer conditions of a person's life will always be... Read More
I recently had to take a trip to Germany. It... Read More
Life ?.. Indeed is full of learning's, experiences, facts and... Read More
In the philosophical teachings which form the foundation for the... Read More
Your Spirit is continuously beaming communications to you. As long... Read More
When starting any enterprise or business, whether it is full-time... Read More
People have a tendency of anticipating pending change on the... Read More
Are you a procrastinating perfectionist? I once read an article... Read More
She was just over knee-high standing next to me in... Read More
The New Year has not started out very well for... Read More
A young man in search of enlightenment had traveled to... Read More
1 Samuel 16:7"...The Lord does not look at the things... Read More
For our diet and, indeed, in every aspect of our... Read More
He was pushing a cart containing crates of soft drinks... Read More
This is my new favorite quote. Now to understand it... Read More
Given a steady wind and a properly balanced kite, the... Read More
How often do you decline an invitation because you have... Read More
Silence means no voice input of any sort. What happens... Read More
There is an old proverb with a lot of wisdom.... Read More
I AM SO GRATEFUL for the time to smell the... Read More
I'm a pretty competitive guy, though I try to keep... Read More
There is one thing you want...My guess is you want... Read More
When was the last time you smiled at a stranger?When... Read More
The beauty in creation is in the process, in every... Read More
This morning at 5:22am to 6am, I was overwhelmed. Overwhelmed... Read More
One man can make a difference. I've been saying this... Read More
If you were an Angel what could you do to... Read More
Don't let anyone kid you. The road to self improvement... Read More
"Why go and reinvent the wheel?" It's a question that's... Read More
I bought this computer just over two years ago with... Read More
The old familiar adages just don't do it for me... Read More
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and... Read More
As I sat down to write this article, I was... Read More
We all assume that making choices is a simple process.... Read More
Do you find yourself asking questions when tough times come... Read More
Have you ever had the opportunity to follow-up on a... Read More
Last week we started a five part series on The... Read More
Not long ago, I attended a seminar that featured Naomi... Read More
Why would we need to examine our lives? What benefit... Read More
All you want is a little more.More money, more love,... Read More
I really like Jack Dempsey's great one liner: "A champion... Read More
Inspirational |