Eating Intuitively and Supporting our Well-Being and Health

When we become mindful of what our mind and body is telling us we are empowered to bring about change.  Unless we are aware of our needs how can we begin that process of change?  I am going to share a process with you that will offer you the opportunity to begin to notice what your mind and body are saying so that you can begin to make positive choices.  The process is called Inner RePatterning and the name in itself is a true reflection of what occurs.

Firstly we need to identify (or notice) what is happening.  You could say identify a problem.  In this context we are looking at food and how it affects our health and well-being.  How many times have you craved a type of food or liquid?  Let us look at the scenario of having a sweet tooth.  You crave cake, biscuits or chocolate and decide that craving needs to be fulfilled but what if you know that by fulfilling that need another problem will occur.  Perhaps you are trying to lose weight or notice that this craving has become a habit that you would like to change.

For a moment, be with the thoughts and feelings that have arisen when you notice the need.  Notice how it feels, any thoughts that may have arisen or emotions.  Perhaps you recognise that if you eat one biscuit, you will automatically eat another and another, you switch to automatic pilot and forget to notice the taste, texture or even the smell of the food.  Part of you may be in conflict as you begin to satisfy your need.  You might feel comforted and yet there is another part that feels empty, guilty or powerless to resist eating more and more.

If you resisted the temptation to eat the food, thoughts and feelings may arise of feeling that you had a sense of control, how often do you notice the good feelings, thoughts or sensations when they occur?  What if after resisting the temptation, you began to feel deprived or experienced physical pains like stomach ache, headache or emotions such as irritability and discontent.  Therefore you decide better to have the cake than not.  It becomes a cycle that is difficult to break unless we are aware of the impact it is having upon us.

Both of these scenarios affect us and we may begin to build beliefs about ourselves, I’m hopeless or I can never commit to anything and we may even transfer these beliefs to other parts of our life.

Let me share with you another perspective.  It is not the food that is the problem, but what we attach to the food in terms of our thoughts and feelings, perhaps even our attitude and our beliefs.  How we respond internally has a powerful effect on how we behave and often we behave mindlessly and become stuck in our thoughts, beliefs and habits.

Now change can happen and here is the process …..

Imagine the food that is your downfall.  Perhaps you get the 4 o’clock munchies?  Or just opening the fridge door is a nightmare; you can’t resist the fatty food or sweet puddings?  Imagine the situation as if it is NOW.  Notice what is happening internally.  What are you thinking, feeling, any sensations, memories or images?  Don’t worry if you can’t find the words, just notice how it feels and if anything uncomfortable is happening; that is your mind/body being your friend, helping you to notice.  Okay now make either a mental notice of how it feels or write it down.  You can ask the question:  How do I know I have a problem?

Now you have established the problem, write down or make a mental note of how it is affecting you NOW.  You can write the question:  How is this affecting me NOW?

The next question is the answer but perhaps you weren’t aware you already knew the answer.  Again you can make a mental note of it or write it down:  What do I need to notice to know that this has changed?

Okay, are you ready?  We are now going to do the process.  Below are all the instructions you need.  Find a comfortable space where you won’t be disturbed and give yourself the time to be in the moment with you for a little while.  I must tell you that sometimes changes happen so quickly we can miss the moment, so I really suggest that you are very present and notice the experiences and anchor in the positives.  By the way, I am not going to explain the process, you are going to experience it and if you need any further information, please look through this site:-)

1. Read this intention carefully, listen to yourself saying the words and just let them sink in. By the way you only have to do it once.

I set the INTENTION to release anything which blocks me living fully in the present moment, in a place of allowing peace and joy to flow through every level of my being

Pause, Breathe and Allow the Words to Enter

I set the INTENTION to release any attachment to the PAST and MY STORY and attachment to the FUTURE STORY

Pause, Breathe and Allow

I set the INTENTION that as I tap a deep and profound healing will take place at all levels, safely and gently allowing me to clear all blocks and reach a place of accepting deep inner peace and joy to flow through every level of my being as I am fully present in the moment

Pause, Breathe and Allow

2. Tap gently with your finger pads on the Thymus Point (see picture above)

3. Put your awareness on your breathing and allow yourself to breathe more fully

4. Expand your awareness by accessing Peripheral Vision (look into the distance and then be aware of everything to the sides of your eyes as you do so) slightly raising your eyes but keeping your chin level.

5. Whilst tapping, breathing and in peripheral vision, imagine that food in front of you, don’t worry if you can’t visualise just have a sense of it there, noticing what is happening inside you, any thoughts, feelings, sensations, emotions or memories. It is important you don’t judge or criticise what you are experiencing, just accept it as it is.  Whatever arises just have a sense of putting it out there.

6. Witness whatever you have put outside of yourself – Put your awareness on it

Have a sense of:

“Accepting whatever is there. Release any judgment and criticism of it. Just allow it to be”

7. As you are watching what is in front of you, notice what is happening internally. What are you aware of?

“Put your awareness on that, breathe in, and as you breathe out, put that outside. Have a sense of stepping back from it as you become aware of the sides of your vision”.

 8. Repeat steps 5-7 until you notice a more positive state, feeling, thought and do the following. This anchors in the positive experience, take as long as you need:

“Put you palm over the heart/ thymus area and allow your awareness to be with that experience. Expand out that experience, using your breath; breathe it through every cell and fibre within you. Allow and accept this experience/ feeling without judgment or criticism”

9. Imagine putting that good feeling to the side of you, you know what it feels like so you can draw back that experience whenever you choose, but for now just check what is underneath that good feeling, repeat steps 5-7 until you find another positive and repeat step 8.

10. Continue until when you imagine the food, you have no negative emotions,          thoughts or sensations and check you have read the intention you set when you asked the question:  What do I need to notice to know that this has changed?

11.  To finish, rest both your hands over the Thymus Point and breathe in any positive experiences you put to the side.  Imagine them going into every cell, every part of you.  Rest in this moment and know Inner RePatterning has occurred.

by June Kaye Spencer

co-developer of Inner RePatterning