Food, body, mind: The spiritual connection

We are always told, ‘You are what you eat’. It is an expression that is both literal and metaphorical. It is literal because our food contains the building blocks of our physical bodies. It can be metaphorical because the quality of our food can directly influence our thoughts and emotions.

t’s not just the food we eat that nourishes our body, but the way the food is prepared, along with the energy the cook imbues in the practice.

In their well-known quote from Consuming Passions: The anthropology of eating, authors Peter Farb and George Armelagos note, “Food to a large extent is what holds a society together, and eating is closely linked to deep spiritual experiences.” Most religions and spiritual paths throughout history have some kind of ritual or rule related to food and eating. Fasting is one practice; in many spiritual traditions, the act of abstaining from food is thought to increase spiritual awareness, achieve the discipline necessary to resist temptations of the flesh, purify the body or atone for evil acts.

It is often said that the kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s the space where we prepare the food that nourishes our loved ones and ourselves. It’s the space where we teach our children about nutrition and cooking.

A few decades ago, the kitchen was the sacred space where many of our earliest memories were born. From the smell of fresh fruit, the aroma of baked banana bread or the hypnotic waft of a Sunday night dinner, our earliest and most pleasant memories originate there.

However, this is increasingly not the case anymore. We live in a world that is very disconnected from the source of our food. From intensive farming to fast food, many modern practices are adding to this disconnect. We now have to track and sift through numerous food suppliers just to know where and how our food is produced.

It is also important to note, though, that the ones who are most affected by this are the most underprivileged in society. People eat at fast food restaurants because that is what they can afford. They may not have the land and resources to grow and prepare their own food. After all, intensive farming and mass production were intended to bring down costs.

Hence, discussion about food can be a very personal and sensitive subject. It will be influenced by an individual’s religion, financial circumstances, genetics, wellness goals, culture, history and family traditions. However, one thing that rings true for everyone is that we need to eliminate food that brings dis-ease to our body or separates us from the soul. Ridding your diet of inflammatory foods (like gluten and processed sugar) is an important step to do this.

Salonen (2018) has proposed an idea that religion is not about abstract ideas and ideals, but rather a function of everyday life carrying individual moral judgment and wisdom. The author linking this idea with food and how both religion and food can be understood synergistically through each other shows how our eating choices and habits provide us with an identity from a deeply social and psychological context. The same idea in essence can be seen in Thompson’s and McDonald’s (2013) work where food consumption is explored as a possible outlet for symbolization and embodiment of social and cultural solidarity, both from an individual and a group perspective. Self-nourishment can be perceived as a medium for virtue in a spiritual context showing temperance, restraint and moderation (Thompson and McDonald, 2013). Food acquiring in the form of hunting was reported by Inuit to provide them with spiritual satisfaction of feeling self-sufficient (Chen and Shao, 2012). Rituals and practices concerning food consumption allows one to make choices and get closer to their heritage and religious traditions (Chen and Shao, 2012; Pufall et al, 2011; Rouse and Hoskins, 2004) which shapes and moulds them as an individual: “Eating is one form of creative activity in which subjects are allowed to make choices about what will come to constitute their very being, both corporeally and symbolically” (Rouse and Hoskins, 2014,

Food directly impacts how you feel

Vedic culture looks at food in terms of how it affects our disposition. Food is divided into three sections – Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. These are Sanskrit words that have a depth of meaning.

Tamasic food is heavy. It is laden with empty calories such as pasta, pizza and foods that carry an energy of dead matter – like meat. This sits in your gut and creates a heaviness. It has little nutritional value for your body and on a deeper level also ‘weighs’ down your energy field. After a Tamasic meal you will probably feel like sleeping. Processed and artificial foods also fall into this category of course.

Rajasic food is spicy. It has the effect of making you ‘racy’ as in speeding you up and making you feel restless. Garlic and onions, chili and jalapenos, for example, would fall into this category. These are therefore not good for meditation because you want to settle the mind at that time.

On the other hand, Sattvic food such as whole, natural, organic foods – fruit and vegetables from Mother Earth are good for calmness, peace, digestion and health. The division of food in this way reflects on our physiology, psychology, thoughts, emotions and of course our attunement and interpretation of our spiritual nature.

Eating whole, real, unprocessed foods that are life-giving (like fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes and high quality vegan protein) nurtures both our body and soul. Recognizing this as the first step to truly nourishing your body and soul.

These concepts in Vedic science are echoed in modern medicine and biology. The protein and micronutrients in our food are the building blocks of hormones and neurotransmitters. Hormones, in turn, affect how you regulate mood and stress. On the other hand, heavy ‘tamasic’ foods like red meat and dairy have been proven to cause inflammation, while ‘sattvic’ foods like vegetables are high in antioxidants that can reduce inflammation.

Our stress levels, nutrition needs, movement and sleep all fluctuate throughout the year, and we must alter our diets to meet the demands we place on our body. With an emphasis on eating natural, whole foods, it’s also important to pay attention to what’s in season and to fill ourselves with what nature gives us.

Eating can be a fine balancing act. Eating too little can cause nutritional deficiencies and interfere with our hormones. Eating too much of the wrong foods can cause inflammation, exacerbating the effects of stress.

The only way to get it right is to take the time to ‘listen’ to your body and see how it responds to each food. It is a practice that used to be commonplace, but has been lost in the fast-paced and disconnected nature of modern food.

Peter Bolland’s guide to feeding the mind, body and soul

Health and ‘well-being’ as much more than just bodily health -- well-being or tranquility requires a strong relationship with one’s spirituality, good physical health, mental happiness, a sense of purpose and good character and relationships.

Peter Bolland in his article “The Sacrament Of Food,” says that “Maybe the most sacred space in your home is not the yoga room, or the altar with the candle, or the chair by the window where you meditate and pray. Maybe the most sacred room in your house is the kitchen.” But our interaction with food begins far in advance of preparing it in the kitchen. Here are some suggestions for cultivating more mindful reverence in our relationship with food:

● Know exactly where your food comes from. Read labels, ask questions, and research sources for whole, organic foods in your region.

● Consider becoming a community supported agriculture (CSA) member which allows you to buy directly from the farmer or grower.

● Give thanks when you shop—thank the food you purchase, thank market staff, and give thanks that you can afford to shop.

● Commit to purchasing 10% or more of food that is grown locally.

● Mindfully plan your meals. Perhaps it won’t be possible for you to eat at home today or tomorrow or the next day because you are traveling or because of time constraints. Plan a strategy for eating in places where nourishing food is served or plan to bring healthy snacks with you.

● Take a moment or two to stop before eating and give thanks for your food. Remember to thank the people who grew, harvested, transported, and distributed your food. Thank plants and animals for their lives and the sacrifice they made with their lives so that you can be fed.

● Regularly enjoy food with family and friends. Cook and eat meals together. Share the sacrament of food with each other in potlucks or other gatherings.

● Occasionally share extra food or leftovers with neighbors or people who are not in your family or circle of friends. In a world of skyrocketing food prices and climate change, food “security” may become increasingly “insecure,” and sharing food with others communicates a subtle message that you are concerned about their well being in hard times. Reaching out in this way encourages reciprocity around food so that when someone has little or no food, others are more motivated to share.

While eating is a political and an economic act, it is also a sacrament. How we eat matters not only to ourselves but to everyone else, or in the words of Peter Bolland, “The way we eat is the way we live. How we eat is who we are. Let us affirm that which is best in us and in each other through the sacrament of food.”