Transcending Diets and Dogma to Nourish the Natural Self
BY CHARLES EISENSTEIN
“Your body is your friend and a wise friend at that. You will very likely find that when you sincerely give yourself permission to choose the foods you want, moderation comes effortlessly.”
~Charles Eisenstein, The Yoga of Eating
Who hasn’t wondered: what is the best diet or eating plan to adopt, what foods are best for my body and how do I summon the discipline needed to eat right and lose weight?
These are confusing times for people seeking answers to the questions above – hundreds of conflicting dietary plans all competing for attention or purchase and each supported by authoritative advocates with compelling stories of success and weight loss. How is one to know what to do and who to believe?
The Yoga of Eating spoke to me, as learned this book addresses an entirely different approach, one that I, myself, agree with and use in my work with women struggling with weight issues. The approach is nourishing the natural self, trusting and believing in our wholeness and in our ability to know what is right.
This is not a book about nutrition or about how to use will power to conquer personal unhappiness in the area of weight loss. Rather, it is an inspiring and very practical manual that addresses:
- Distinguishing momentary cravings from true hunger so the body can be nourished
- Who you are and who you wish to be – and how to choose foods accordingly
- How to choose the right path for you as you make your way through all of the dietary plans available
- How to rediscover and rebuild trust in your natural body and in yourself
The Yoga of Eating offers fresh insights on types of foods, fasting and dieting and, most importantly, the deeper principles of caring for oneself and nourishing oneself. This is not a book on dieting nor is it a book on nutrition. You won’t find conventional doctrine here – you will, instead, learn how to access and trust the untapped potential of your own body’s wisdom.
The word “yoga” is used as a word to refer to a practice that brings a person into greater unity and wholeness with themselves and the world in which they live. Since this world is different for each of us, we may find ourselves in these pages – in the call to an authoritative voice that is our own, based on trust and knowing. From “the fallacy of will power” to “loving the body, loving the self”, the Yoga of Eating will inform, encourage and inspire.
