What Are You Not Saying?
Nothing feeds the soul like speaking our truth. When I think of the many times I’ve turned to food in my life, for reasons beyond nourishment and pleasure, I have found it’s so often been connected to something I’m not saying. I heard a story once about a tribe whose healer does one thing. The community convenes around the sick individual and he asks one simple question, what are you not saying? The healing takes place through the simple act of speaking ones truth.
Often when we eat emotionally, something is really eating us, but out of fear or shame, and thoughts that deny us permission to feel and speak our minds, we choose to squelch our voice. It may feel scary to say what we’re feeling, to articulate our needs, especially if we believe they won’t be met or well received. We may think we can bury our truths, lock the door and throw away the key by downing an entire cheesecake, but that voice inevitably gets louder the more we try. Our power and freedom lies in giving voice to the very thoughts and feelings we may be denying. What if rather than making our goal the OUTCOME of our self-expression, we celebrated the expression itself?
What if we tried this? First allow ourselves to hear our truth, whatever it is we’re not saying. This can happen beautifully through a journaling practice; letting yourself rant on paper whatever it is you really feel, think, or need. Next, find a trusted friend, coach, therapist or teacher and share what you discover. Finally, grant yourself permission to communicate directly with the person or people from whom you’ve been hiding and silent. I promise there is huge freedom and power on the other side of this bold truth-telling. Maybe you can even recall occasions when you’ve experienced this kind of healing and satisfaction.
Next time a strong craving or desire to binge hits, pause for long enough to ask yourself the question, what is it you are not saying? Feed yourself the truth instead of the food. After all, the answers are in you, not the fortune cookie.
