The Selectarian Diet
I had a funny experience a few nights ago. I was sitting at my computer minding my own business and suddenly, out of nowhere, I swear I heard the voice of 2 ginger molasses cookies calling to me from my kitchen. “We want you to eat us!” they exclaimed merrily. At other times this voice has appeared to be more commanding, seductive, or alluring, spoken by leftover dessert, mac and cheese, or ice cream. It’s quite amazing actually how it manages to be heard all the way through sealed cabinets and doors!
The experience of hearing food speak is a common one amongst many who dabble in overeating, under-eating, dieting, and food obsession of any kind. But what became apparent as I lovingly watched this psychotic interaction was that being summoned did not matter as much as how I chose to respond.
So often people feel like a victim of that beckoning voice. They don't recognize that while it may be convenient to blame the food for calling, we are the ones in charge of answering, and that answer can be a yes, a no, or a not now. So many will give up as soon as the call comes, placing their power in the “hands” (while we’re anthropomorphizing why not go all the way) of the food, instead of their own.
I heard an amazingly refreshing term coined by yoga teacher Bryan Kest, who refers to himself as a “selectarian”, one who chooses everything he eats. I found that to be a powerful way to express what this all points to, and that is, the freedom and power of choice. Healing this experience may not need to be about not hearing the call, although it’s certainly nice when the house is quiet, but more so about recovering our voices in the matter.
Think about it, do you jump up and say yes with everything just because someone asked? If the answer is yes, this issue may be more universal and I invite you to start playing with saying no, or not now, and checking in more often with your own voice and desires. And if not, practice using the same self possession to pause, check, and own your choices and desires in the matter with your food as much as you do with the rest of your life. And when the food is begging, pleading, and especially seductive, try thinking of yourself as the parent in charge who’s got your bratty kid’s game.
When it comes to eating, “selectarian-ism” offers a lot. As it is with everything we do in life, our freedom begins with owning each action as a selection of our own choosing. That means even if we don’t like or approve of the choice we’ve made, we take personal responsibility for it. No, the cookie did not leap into your mouth, smack your lips, move your jaw and activate your swallowing reflex! The bag of Cheetos did not sit your butt in front of the TV, click on the remote and force feed you! Once we’re willing to take this perspective and relate to food and life from a place of personal power we can look at what may be fueling our choices and begin to find new ways of being with our food, instead of blaming it.
Who's ready for a selectarian diet? I'm in!
