As many of you know I am an ordained interfaith minister.
For those who didn't know, now you do
Part of my reason to study interfaith traditions had to do with a realization that struck me a few years into clinical practice. My realization was that there is a profound and undeniable connection between our mind and our body. At some level our belief systems about ourselves, others and the world impact the working of our physical body.
Once a month we have an interfaith gathering in our local area and ours occurred last night.
The theme was transformation and was centered around the quote 'change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.'
Toward the end of my sharing last night I warned that while transformation can be joyful and bring us much freedom, it can also bring us some pain. Often our changing doesn't sit well with others.
Sometimes they feel insecure or threatened and this can be expressed through disapproval, criticism and even exclusion. Interestingly it is often those closest to us who are most uncomfortable with our change.
It got me thinking of many of my clients and a frequent lament from them about the unfriendly way many people react to them when they start to eat or feed their families in a 'different' way.
Even though you and/or your family may experience benefits from your different way of eating, or be eating this new way in the hope of experiencing benefits, others focus on the 'weirdness' of the way you eat.
They could of course just mind their own business and not say anything at all, but unfortunately that's not how many humans work
For some of us it all becomes too hard and we throw it all in and go back to our old ways. The loss of connection is just too painful. Fair enough. We have to do what we have to do.
For others reverting to the old ways is just not an option - you and/or your family feel so much better, maybe look so much better. Health and/or behavior issues have improved or resolved.
You want to walk more gently on the earth.
You can't unknow things like how your food is produced and the effects many additives or some foods can have on health.
Gradually this new way is feeling more comfortable - it's become your new normal. You've changed. Transformed. Grown wings.
So I shared this quote with everyone last night and thought some of you on this page may also find it affirming for those times when it does get hard and the ground feels a little shakey - don't fear... you now have wings!
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