We have all heard the phrase, 'the answers are within.' In times of confusion, it is generally best to be quiet and to take pause, in order to allow clarity to surface, so that we can see our direction with more ease.
It's just a matter of listening. But listening can be challenging when the mind is turbulent with stress, confusion or pain.
One of the most popular yogic texts, called the Patanjali Sutras, explores the complexities of our inability to listen, the causes of this inability, and how to solve the problem of not being able to listen through the practice of yoga. The formula of yoga quells the obstructions that inhibit the inability to listen by quieting the mind.
Create The Space for Calm in Your Life
In the Patanjali Sutras the stuff that clouds the mind, our thoughts, and mistaken beliefs are called vrittis. Vrittis are often translated as 'swirling fluctuations of thought,' and are considered mental debris that block our ability to perceive the truth of things.
Further, we project our vrittis on to the things, people, and experiences we perceive, further inhibiting our ability to accurately interpret. Most of us, according to yogic theory are in a constant state of projection. It is yoga and meditation that diffuses our vrittis and allows them to settle, so that like a clear lake, our mind becomes calm and translucent, enabling the direct perception of truth, as it is.
When it comes to eating food in a balanced way, it is often creating the space to connect with the self and really listen that is needed. The more frequently we do this, the more often we take pause, the more we allow ourselves to 'stop,' the more easily we can act in accordance with our inner truth. In the practice of connecting with the self, many of our habitual patterns to food can be alleviated.
Try A Meditation with Rice
Just take a moment and plunge your finger tips and hands into uncooked rice. Feel the temperature of the rice and its texture against your skin. Notice its weight, temperature, and smell. Really let yourself experience the physical presence of the rice.
Ask yourself: