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The Yoga of Eating: Transcending Diets and Dogma to Nourish the Natural Self
The Yoga of Eating is a practical and inspiring manual that offers original insights on the physical and spiritual functions of sugar, fat, meat, and other foods; fasting, dieting, processing, willpower, and the deeper principles of self-nurture. This book appeals to a higher authority―your own body―and shows how to access and trust the wisdom your body has to offer.
192 pages, Paperback
First published December 28, 2001
197 people are currently reading
2714 people want to read
About the author
Charles Eisenstein
27 books750 followersCharles Eisenstein is a teacher, speaker, and writer focusing on themes of civilization, consciousness, money, and human cultural evolution. His writings on the web magazine Reality Sandwich have generated a vast online following; he speaks frequently at conferences and other events, and gives numerous interviews on radio and podcasts. Writing in Ode magazine's "25 Intelligent Optimists" issue, David Korten (author of When Corporations Rule the World) called Eisenstein "one of the up-and-coming great minds of our time." Eisenstein graduated from Yale University in 1989 with a degree in Mathematics and Philosophy, and spent the next ten years as a Chinese-English translator. He currently lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and serves on the faculty of Goddard College.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
September 16, 2012
I suspect that I liked this book because I took it with a rather large grain of salt (npi). Eisenstein sometimes careens rather quickly from sensible (Why yes, raw vegan diets make plenty of sense for hermits with minimal physical activity--oh, you say you live in the world? With people? And a job? Perhaps rethink the celery...) to odd (I understood his logic around the point, but I think he's probably the first person ever to claim that tea is bad for you, and I just can't get on board with that idea). He's best when he talks about the actual practice of the yoga of eating--eat slowly enough to be able to actually taste your food, and trust that your sense of taste can guide you quite effectively towards what you want and need and away from what you don't. At any rate, the book is pleasantly short enough that you can avoid actually overdosing on the woo-woo; perhaps the best testament I can make to his good ideas is that writing this review has alerted me to the fact that I'm thirsty.
August 18, 2009
I really liked most of The Yoga of Eating, except that it has one MAJOR flaw. If not for this flaw I probably would have given it 5 stars. There were lots of other minor things I vehemently disagreed with, but for the most part those can be understood and looked over.
In the very beginning, Eisenstein tries to blow the myth of willpower. He says that willpower is forcing oneself to do what they really don't want too do and that it is a loosing battle to keep trying. He argues that our soul (body and spirit combined) knows what it needs and therefore we shouldn't override those needs with willpower. He says this extends beyond food. In my core book, I am taught that the natural man is an enemy to God and that a change of heart is needed. I would agree that the soul knows best and whims should be followed ONLY if a change of heart has taken place.
Eisenstein says that yoga means "union" and that the body and spirit must be united to be at peace. Eating should not be self-denial. The body sends messages encoded in cravings, appetites, and tastes. The yoga of eating doesn't sacrifice pleasure, but it uncovers unimagined dimension of it. He says the health crisis engulfing the modern world is a spiritual crisis because of this disunion. The ancient yogis considered eating to be a sacred act, in which one living part of nature absorbs and integrates another.
He talks about how ranking the vibrations of food can be dangerously misleading. He shows a graph of food on scales of Density of Nutrition, Place on the Food Chain, and the Degree of Consciousness of Beings Killed. He says we need a symphony of vibrations for robust health living in a physical world. It goes without saying the the low vibrations of processed, empty food should be avoided. What he is talking about is whole, natural foods.
Eisenstein talks about how a person who adopts a vegan raw foods diet is perhaps trying to prove to herself that she is pure and good, robbing herself of the nutritive element required to exist in such a mind state. She will not be eating in tune with the needs of her soul. The resulting cravings will move deeper and deeper, become chronic illness and eventually she will die or revert back into harmony with the rest of her being. The diets of monks and saints are not usually a practice, but simply the result of changing appetites. They live in a different world with very different responsibilities than the average person, like having children. A world of the flesh needs flesh. He says there will be times of lack of desire for meat, like at a zen retreat or when death is close.
He has an interesting chapter on breathing, which is so much more than deep breaths where your stomach moves instead of your shoulders.
Eisenstein talks about the different types of diets and that he agrees with whatever one he happens to be reading about. Indeed, they can be very confusing because each is so convincing and seems to have so much evidence. That is why historical evidence is so decisive for me. There are so many variations found in history, but they all have the same principles. Most traditional diets even have cleansing or fasting variations. He says not to write your diet rules in stone, setting your symphony of vibrations to sheet music, because health is a work in progress that evolves over time. It has different melodies and themes weaving in and out from movement to movement. Do not be afraid to let go of a diet that no longer serves you.
The meat of the book for me is in the chapter titled "Distinguishing Appetites from Cravings." When we are reaching for food when we aren't hungry or we know is horrible for us, what is the emotion behind it? Are we trying to escape a situation? Another abuse is using food as a substitute for other kinds of nourishment and pleasure that is lacking from our lives. Eating is a primeval form of solace and comfort, but no matter how much you eat it won't bring more love, nurturance or acceptance into your life. Overeating indicates that there might be something wrong with your life, not that there is something intrinsically wrong with you. This is something that EFT can be very useful to treat. If we honestly listen to our body, we can discern between genuine appetites and physiological cravings that are transfered to foods. He describes how focused breathing is valuable to find the real reason behind the craving.
Eisenstein has a great chapter on fasting. It balances lots of the things I have heard with reality.
The yoga of eating will help people loose weight, as long as the goal is listening to your soul, not loosing weight. When our relationship with food is changed, then weightless will happen. Fat is a way of protecting or armoring oneself. Health problems are truly emotionally related. He gives 4 steps to "weight loss."
He has a chapter on changing our paradigm of fat, but with Weston A Price, I have already done that. I liked the different points he brought up.
There are notable chapters on meat, sugar, drinking and cooking.
Even though he uses evolution to make a point, I liked it. By the time man as we know him evolved (translation: Adam), he was cooking his food, not eating all of it raw all of the time.
The summary of the yoga of eating is to be grateful for the food, smell it, and to chew it completely before taking another bite. It is listening to your soul, trusting the tools of taste, smell and intuition.
In the very beginning, Eisenstein tries to blow the myth of willpower. He says that willpower is forcing oneself to do what they really don't want too do and that it is a loosing battle to keep trying. He argues that our soul (body and spirit combined) knows what it needs and therefore we shouldn't override those needs with willpower. He says this extends beyond food. In my core book, I am taught that the natural man is an enemy to God and that a change of heart is needed. I would agree that the soul knows best and whims should be followed ONLY if a change of heart has taken place.
Eisenstein says that yoga means "union" and that the body and spirit must be united to be at peace. Eating should not be self-denial. The body sends messages encoded in cravings, appetites, and tastes. The yoga of eating doesn't sacrifice pleasure, but it uncovers unimagined dimension of it. He says the health crisis engulfing the modern world is a spiritual crisis because of this disunion. The ancient yogis considered eating to be a sacred act, in which one living part of nature absorbs and integrates another.
He talks about how ranking the vibrations of food can be dangerously misleading. He shows a graph of food on scales of Density of Nutrition, Place on the Food Chain, and the Degree of Consciousness of Beings Killed. He says we need a symphony of vibrations for robust health living in a physical world. It goes without saying the the low vibrations of processed, empty food should be avoided. What he is talking about is whole, natural foods.
Eisenstein talks about how a person who adopts a vegan raw foods diet is perhaps trying to prove to herself that she is pure and good, robbing herself of the nutritive element required to exist in such a mind state. She will not be eating in tune with the needs of her soul. The resulting cravings will move deeper and deeper, become chronic illness and eventually she will die or revert back into harmony with the rest of her being. The diets of monks and saints are not usually a practice, but simply the result of changing appetites. They live in a different world with very different responsibilities than the average person, like having children. A world of the flesh needs flesh. He says there will be times of lack of desire for meat, like at a zen retreat or when death is close.
He has an interesting chapter on breathing, which is so much more than deep breaths where your stomach moves instead of your shoulders.
Eisenstein talks about the different types of diets and that he agrees with whatever one he happens to be reading about. Indeed, they can be very confusing because each is so convincing and seems to have so much evidence. That is why historical evidence is so decisive for me. There are so many variations found in history, but they all have the same principles. Most traditional diets even have cleansing or fasting variations. He says not to write your diet rules in stone, setting your symphony of vibrations to sheet music, because health is a work in progress that evolves over time. It has different melodies and themes weaving in and out from movement to movement. Do not be afraid to let go of a diet that no longer serves you.
The meat of the book for me is in the chapter titled "Distinguishing Appetites from Cravings." When we are reaching for food when we aren't hungry or we know is horrible for us, what is the emotion behind it? Are we trying to escape a situation? Another abuse is using food as a substitute for other kinds of nourishment and pleasure that is lacking from our lives. Eating is a primeval form of solace and comfort, but no matter how much you eat it won't bring more love, nurturance or acceptance into your life. Overeating indicates that there might be something wrong with your life, not that there is something intrinsically wrong with you. This is something that EFT can be very useful to treat. If we honestly listen to our body, we can discern between genuine appetites and physiological cravings that are transfered to foods. He describes how focused breathing is valuable to find the real reason behind the craving.
Eisenstein has a great chapter on fasting. It balances lots of the things I have heard with reality.
The yoga of eating will help people loose weight, as long as the goal is listening to your soul, not loosing weight. When our relationship with food is changed, then weightless will happen. Fat is a way of protecting or armoring oneself. Health problems are truly emotionally related. He gives 4 steps to "weight loss."
He has a chapter on changing our paradigm of fat, but with Weston A Price, I have already done that. I liked the different points he brought up.
There are notable chapters on meat, sugar, drinking and cooking.
Even though he uses evolution to make a point, I liked it. By the time man as we know him evolved (translation: Adam), he was cooking his food, not eating all of it raw all of the time.
The summary of the yoga of eating is to be grateful for the food, smell it, and to chew it completely before taking another bite. It is listening to your soul, trusting the tools of taste, smell and intuition.
March 31, 2009
When reading Charles Eisenstein's Ascent of Humanity a few weeks ago I was amazed at the depth and breadth of his scholarship. Unfortunately the book is so tremendous, weighing in at over 600 pages its enough to scare most people off. The Yoga of Eating is a focused piece of writing that takes all of Eisenstein's core philosophies of separation from core humanity and presents in an easily accessible 160 pages.
However, while Ascent of Humanity is focused on the entire scope of existence, Yoga of Eating is solely about our attitudes and approaches to food.
Charles begins by stating that, "the health crisis engulfing the modern world is a spiritual crisis, and a precocious opportunity as well. Pain and illness in the body can illuminate what is important in life." And it is that approach which forms the basis for his thesis. By listening to our body when we eat and truly, wholly trusting it we can begin to find our actual dietary needs. Modern western medical practice indicates that our bodies are imperfect and need discipline but as we have imposed more and more willpower the results have been continually diminishing.
Only by practicing the occasional eating in silence, attentive eating and focus on breathing can we reunify with the sacred practice of consuming life in the form of plants and animals.
To highlight one example, we will examine the sweetness of our food, something I have particularly noticed in US foodstuffs (with the emphasis on 'stuff'). This sweetness may be a result of the ever increasing desire to break free from bland lives filled with illusory "choices" between Kmart and Walmart, CBS and NBC, focusing on security above all else. The sweetness is a glimpse of the fullness of our true existence.
Key to practicing the Yoga of Eating is understanding that our bodies are adapted perfectly to the conditions we have experienced. If we look at the world around us, we must understand that if I were you, I would do the same things you do. If God were you, he would do those same things. We must embrace this understanding of our perfect bodies. A body separate from a false image propagated by the establishment. By effortlessly trusting ourselves, we will likely lose weight, eat less and exercise more but without the pain and struggle of diets and willpower.
Perhaps the Yoga of Eating will be too irrational for many, and if the approach Charles advocates will make you skeptical, challenge yourself by reading this book. You will not emerge from the final page the same. It is time for a call for true selfishness. When we are good to ourselves we can embrace the abundance nature provides and we can relax into the change the we most crucially desire.
However, while Ascent of Humanity is focused on the entire scope of existence, Yoga of Eating is solely about our attitudes and approaches to food.
Charles begins by stating that, "the health crisis engulfing the modern world is a spiritual crisis, and a precocious opportunity as well. Pain and illness in the body can illuminate what is important in life." And it is that approach which forms the basis for his thesis. By listening to our body when we eat and truly, wholly trusting it we can begin to find our actual dietary needs. Modern western medical practice indicates that our bodies are imperfect and need discipline but as we have imposed more and more willpower the results have been continually diminishing.
Only by practicing the occasional eating in silence, attentive eating and focus on breathing can we reunify with the sacred practice of consuming life in the form of plants and animals.
To highlight one example, we will examine the sweetness of our food, something I have particularly noticed in US foodstuffs (with the emphasis on 'stuff'). This sweetness may be a result of the ever increasing desire to break free from bland lives filled with illusory "choices" between Kmart and Walmart, CBS and NBC, focusing on security above all else. The sweetness is a glimpse of the fullness of our true existence.
Key to practicing the Yoga of Eating is understanding that our bodies are adapted perfectly to the conditions we have experienced. If we look at the world around us, we must understand that if I were you, I would do the same things you do. If God were you, he would do those same things. We must embrace this understanding of our perfect bodies. A body separate from a false image propagated by the establishment. By effortlessly trusting ourselves, we will likely lose weight, eat less and exercise more but without the pain and struggle of diets and willpower.
Perhaps the Yoga of Eating will be too irrational for many, and if the approach Charles advocates will make you skeptical, challenge yourself by reading this book. You will not emerge from the final page the same. It is time for a call for true selfishness. When we are good to ourselves we can embrace the abundance nature provides and we can relax into the change the we most crucially desire.
August 9, 2021
Wow! This book was, and perhaps still is, years ahead of its time. An inspiring, wise, beautiful, gentle read which unflinchingly looks at the ideologies that lead us to brutalize the planet and its creatures, and to brutalize our own bodies even as we think we are helping the planet and its creatures.
This book resonated with me in so many ways. It came to me about 5 years after I had an eating epiphany with me, my Self and my body when I first discovered my own path to 'Transcending Diets and Dogma to Nourish the Natural Self'.
Each chapter is a gem, filled with sharp and gentle knowledge and wisdom, even when looking at the brutal methods we have of farming and of animal husbandry.
At the core is the deeply grounded understanding that each body is unique, living in unique circumstances and requiring unique diets. To arbitrarily decide to become a vegetarian or a vegan, for example, because you want to show how humane you are, or conscientious of the planet, may be in fact exercising the equivalent dogma to you body that our current profit maximizing dogma is doing to the earth and its creatures: harming it. When we fall into dogmatic eating ideology, even good intentioned ones, we can create very serious health consequences. Eisenstein asks the question: are we making manifest within our own mind/body system the very same brutal behaviour on our body with diet as the weapon that our poor farming practices are doing to the earth?
"Dietary goal" is the nub: is our ethically minded diet that is meant to help the planet doing so at the expense of our own health? If it is, we are just as out balance as the people we are protesting against, and we are not practicing the yoga of eating: we are in fact out of balance, and fully integrated balance is the goal of true yoga. If your body is asking you to eat meat, are you able to honour that request, even if you can hear your body's plea and then follow though on its ask while honouring the earth by buying from ethical suppliers or ethically creating your own supply? And are you careful with your food, not wasting it needlessly? To hurt your health to help the planet is not the yoga of eating.
I found it particularly interesting that Eisenstein discusses the idea that as we spiritually evolve our need for food will naturally change. For some, it may be eliminated altogether. This rang true with me. In 2014 I had a significant spiritual awaking during an intense five day course. I left that course having become a vegetarian and stopped alcohol. Up until then I was a resolute omnivore because of my own experiences with having been a strict vegetarian decades earlier. Without effort, and with a very clearly understood but unspoken 'language', my body has made it crystal clear that it does not want me to ingest either meat or alcohol.
A truly yogic, balanced discussion and examination of eating: what we eat, why we eat, and the importance of balance and of listening to what our body/mind/spirit is saying.
This book resonated with me in so many ways. It came to me about 5 years after I had an eating epiphany with me, my Self and my body when I first discovered my own path to 'Transcending Diets and Dogma to Nourish the Natural Self'.
Each chapter is a gem, filled with sharp and gentle knowledge and wisdom, even when looking at the brutal methods we have of farming and of animal husbandry.
At the core is the deeply grounded understanding that each body is unique, living in unique circumstances and requiring unique diets. To arbitrarily decide to become a vegetarian or a vegan, for example, because you want to show how humane you are, or conscientious of the planet, may be in fact exercising the equivalent dogma to you body that our current profit maximizing dogma is doing to the earth and its creatures: harming it. When we fall into dogmatic eating ideology, even good intentioned ones, we can create very serious health consequences. Eisenstein asks the question: are we making manifest within our own mind/body system the very same brutal behaviour on our body with diet as the weapon that our poor farming practices are doing to the earth?
"Dietary goal" is the nub: is our ethically minded diet that is meant to help the planet doing so at the expense of our own health? If it is, we are just as out balance as the people we are protesting against, and we are not practicing the yoga of eating: we are in fact out of balance, and fully integrated balance is the goal of true yoga. If your body is asking you to eat meat, are you able to honour that request, even if you can hear your body's plea and then follow though on its ask while honouring the earth by buying from ethical suppliers or ethically creating your own supply? And are you careful with your food, not wasting it needlessly? To hurt your health to help the planet is not the yoga of eating.
I found it particularly interesting that Eisenstein discusses the idea that as we spiritually evolve our need for food will naturally change. For some, it may be eliminated altogether. This rang true with me. In 2014 I had a significant spiritual awaking during an intense five day course. I left that course having become a vegetarian and stopped alcohol. Up until then I was a resolute omnivore because of my own experiences with having been a strict vegetarian decades earlier. Without effort, and with a very clearly understood but unspoken 'language', my body has made it crystal clear that it does not want me to ingest either meat or alcohol.
A truly yogic, balanced discussion and examination of eating: what we eat, why we eat, and the importance of balance and of listening to what our body/mind/spirit is saying.
August 30, 2011
This book is somewhat scary, not because anything in it is hard, but because it goes so against the grain of what I believed before I read it. It resonates very strongly with my mind, but my heart is taking it's time coming to believe the things in it. But in that way, it is shining a light on inner contradictions, and helping to heal them. I love this book. It is profoundly beautiful, deeply insightful, and gives a picture of the self that is far more cogent and loving than any other put forth by any religion, philosopher, or teacher I have ever previously read.
The Yoga of Eating to sum it up simply, gives us a way to use our relationship with food to heal our relationship with our selves.
The Yoga of Eating to sum it up simply, gives us a way to use our relationship with food to heal our relationship with our selves.
August 28, 2023
En relativt kort bok, på rundt 170 sider, som er stappet med god informasjon og interessante vinklinger fra Eisensteins syn på Yoga of eating - som i korte trekk handler om å stole på kroppen og øke sensitiviteten vår til kroppen. Det er mye fokus på at kroppen og sjelen, o og boken er spirituell i den forstand. Ellers er hva han skriver veldig håndfast og forståelig for alle, i motsetning til andre bøker av han som kan virke mer «svevende». Hans hovedpoeng er at vi må være god mot oss selv og at svaret på dette allerede ligger i oss selv, vi må bare være villig til å lytte til kroppen. Det er ikke en bok om ja-mat og nei-mat, selv om vi får innblikk i hans syn på bla. sukkerbruken i samfunnet, prosessert mat og mat/kjøttindustrien for øvrig.
Boken adresserer også avhengighet, det måtte være til mat, spenning, alkohol eller rus, og i den forbindelse hvorfor en ikke skal dømme andre, vice versa hvorfor en ikke skal dømme seg selv.
Boken og hans meninger kan nok oppleves/sies å være radikal, og jeg kan ikke si meg helt enig i absolutt alt. Men jeg finner den stort sett som en forfriskende, ekte og jordnær holdning mat og alt det innebærer, i motsetning til hva samfunnet, reklame og industrialiseringen av mat formidler (særlig i usa som er hans utgangspunkt). Jeg liker den veldig godt og kommer nok til å hente den frem igjen for påminnelser og «selvhjelp» i fremtiden! En bok som burde vært pensum etter min mening, i alle fall en bok man har godt av å lese💚
Boken adresserer også avhengighet, det måtte være til mat, spenning, alkohol eller rus, og i den forbindelse hvorfor en ikke skal dømme andre, vice versa hvorfor en ikke skal dømme seg selv.
Boken og hans meninger kan nok oppleves/sies å være radikal, og jeg kan ikke si meg helt enig i absolutt alt. Men jeg finner den stort sett som en forfriskende, ekte og jordnær holdning mat og alt det innebærer, i motsetning til hva samfunnet, reklame og industrialiseringen av mat formidler (særlig i usa som er hans utgangspunkt). Jeg liker den veldig godt og kommer nok til å hente den frem igjen for påminnelser og «selvhjelp» i fremtiden! En bok som burde vært pensum etter min mening, i alle fall en bok man har godt av å lese💚
September 20, 2013
One of the most important messages I got out of this book was simple: listen to your body. I have read about this idea so many times, but Eisenstein explained, in detail, why it is truly important in order to experience real health and wellness. He talks about how everyone's dietary needs are different based on other aspects of their lifestyle (is their lifestyle laid back, or stressful? Is the person a farmer, or a business man? etc) Even how we are now brought into this world (at a hospital, poked, prodded, and then put in isolation) could explain our cravings for "sweetness". As a vegan, I am respectful of other people's dietary choices, however I found his argument for meat-eating to be flawed. He says, "When death itself, rather than a life wrongly lived, is the ultimate calamity, it is easy to see why an ethical person would choose vegetarianism." This statement seems pointless, as he just described how animals now endure terrible lives, their whole life, until they are eventually slaughtered. It is not just a matter of death for me, but of suffering as well. Every creature on this Earth deserves to live a happy life full of freedom.
"From looking at your neighbor and realizing his true significance, and that he will die, pity and compassion will arise in you for him and finally you will love him." -G.I. Gurdjieff
"From looking at your neighbor and realizing his true significance, and that he will die, pity and compassion will arise in you for him and finally you will love him." -G.I. Gurdjieff
May 7, 2010
This is definitely a much more spiritual take on eating than I expected. Learning to listen to and trust your body seems like a relatively simple thing to do but there are definitely times when my sweet tooth is warring with common sense. The author focuses on delighting in food rather than resisting what you think you should or shouldn’t be eating.
Since finishing the book, I have been paying much more attention to not only what I eat but also the way I eat; being mindful about actually tasting and savouring each bite, chewing my food more than a few times before swallowing a big lump and slowing down and taking the time to prepare meals that I know will nourish my body. I like his idea that the body is always doing its valiant best with what it has rather than believing that there is something wrong with me (and my cravings) that needs fixing. It’s a much more empowering way to think about food.
Since finishing the book, I have been paying much more attention to not only what I eat but also the way I eat; being mindful about actually tasting and savouring each bite, chewing my food more than a few times before swallowing a big lump and slowing down and taking the time to prepare meals that I know will nourish my body. I like his idea that the body is always doing its valiant best with what it has rather than believing that there is something wrong with me (and my cravings) that needs fixing. It’s a much more empowering way to think about food.
January 14, 2025
Maybe 3.5 as certain arguments r conditional upon the author’s subjective, anecdotal experiences. I like a lot of the ideas being offered up anyway, on American health programming, animism, and judgment. some scenarios contradict my experiences so the line of reasoning didn’t always resonate but it was an enjoyable read with some nice insights.
My biggest critique is that Eisenstein pushed the idea that changing one thing requires changing everything, and though the author advises against being dogmatic here, I felt there were few actionable steps provided to encourage that process little by little. I found the sections on breath and distraction useful for this and would’ve loved more on that.
Recommend this book for anyone who’s interested in “intuitive eating” but doesnt really know where to begin
My biggest critique is that Eisenstein pushed the idea that changing one thing requires changing everything, and though the author advises against being dogmatic here, I felt there were few actionable steps provided to encourage that process little by little. I found the sections on breath and distraction useful for this and would’ve loved more on that.
Recommend this book for anyone who’s interested in “intuitive eating” but doesnt really know where to begin
January 1, 2021
1.5 star.
I practice Yoga.
I do 19-20 hour IF four days a week.
I truly believe in “You are what you eat” theory.
That’s why I was expecting something deeper to learn from the book but I already knew 85% of contents and it was very repetitive.
I practice Yoga.
I do 19-20 hour IF four days a week.
I truly believe in “You are what you eat” theory.
That’s why I was expecting something deeper to learn from the book but I already knew 85% of contents and it was very repetitive.
July 1, 2012
Some parts of this book are just excellent, although I don't agree with all of it. (The really new agey type stuff, for example.) But the good stuff here really is pretty wonderful.
The book is about disease prevention and deep healing as much as diet.
I'm still working on my review of this book. But these are some of my favourite quotes from the book so far:
‘Conscious eating is an infallible tool but it requires considerable trust and courage. We are constantly barraged with messages from the media and, sad to say, from our medical establishment, that our bodies are not to be trusted, that we are near-helpless victims of their arbitrary breakdowns; that when our bodies do break down we expert help to fix them; that foods harbor invisible, odorless enemies along side the equally undetectable friends called vitamins; that we just need do as we’re told, get 800 milligrams of this and 50 micrograms of that, avoid this and eat more of that, and meet minimum daily requirements of someone’s list of essential nutrients.
The disastrous state of public health puts the lie to orthodox nutritional standards, which are almost fulfilled by eating a single bowl of fortified cereal, yet many alternative diets are little better, relying on dogma over the ultimate authority of one’s own body.’ Charles Eisenstein
‘However you decide to use—or misuse—its strength and resources, the body does its best to oblige you. First it makes small sacrifices, minimising the harm to its smooth functioning. It will happily sacrifice liver cells to protect you from the toxic effects of alcohol. The pancreas will exhaust itself to protect you against the effects of too much sugar. The body always chooses a lesser harm over a greater. When your intake of toxins exceeds the capacities of your body’s cleansing mechanisms, it deposits them inside the body, in places where they will do the least immediate damage. Eventually, though, the body is overwhelmed. But even as it degenerates, even as whole organs and systems lose their ability to function, still the body fights on.
All the while it sends you messages: “Please don’t do this.” And the loudest of these kindly messages we call pain.
For many of us it is hard to see pain as a kindly message, or the body anything but a betrayer, an enemy, or, at best, a stranger—especially when you suffer chronic pain or a serious illness.
It is a great leap of faith to trust your body, because from earliest childhood the media teaches you to loathe it by propagating idealized body images and concepts of beauty that no one can possibly measure up to. To this loathing, the dominant medical culture adds fear and distrust, for it sees the body as an errant machine, a traitor that breaks down and becomes sick because something is wrong with it.
In fact, the body always does its heroic best under the circumstances thrust upon it—either through our own ignorance, or through the environment we are born into.’ Charles Eisenstein
‘From conception onward, we have been subject to any number of toxins that challenged the healthy development of body and mind, Accordingly, our bodies have bent into various physical, chemical, and emotional contortions to accommodate these injuries.
Imagine a tree growing in rocky soil, next to a cliff, in the shade of bigger trees. To survive it must grow crooked to search out light and water. We wouldn’t call it a bad tree for being crooked though; on the contrary, it is a wonderful tree, a heroic tree. Your body is the same, compensating and adapting as best it can to the barren, rocky soil amid occluded sunlight of our modern society.
I’m not saying that if you are sick and tired you should learn to live with it. What I’m saying is that wherever you are right now physically, it is your body’s wise response to the circumstances thrust upon it. Some of these may be beyond your immediate control—for example, pre-natal and early childhood trauma. But a lot of it may be just not listening to your body. Your body told you what it wanted, but you did not listen; you gave it harmful things, and your body did its best to adapt to them.’ Charles Eisenstein
The book is about disease prevention and deep healing as much as diet.
I'm still working on my review of this book. But these are some of my favourite quotes from the book so far:
‘Conscious eating is an infallible tool but it requires considerable trust and courage. We are constantly barraged with messages from the media and, sad to say, from our medical establishment, that our bodies are not to be trusted, that we are near-helpless victims of their arbitrary breakdowns; that when our bodies do break down we expert help to fix them; that foods harbor invisible, odorless enemies along side the equally undetectable friends called vitamins; that we just need do as we’re told, get 800 milligrams of this and 50 micrograms of that, avoid this and eat more of that, and meet minimum daily requirements of someone’s list of essential nutrients.
The disastrous state of public health puts the lie to orthodox nutritional standards, which are almost fulfilled by eating a single bowl of fortified cereal, yet many alternative diets are little better, relying on dogma over the ultimate authority of one’s own body.’ Charles Eisenstein
‘However you decide to use—or misuse—its strength and resources, the body does its best to oblige you. First it makes small sacrifices, minimising the harm to its smooth functioning. It will happily sacrifice liver cells to protect you from the toxic effects of alcohol. The pancreas will exhaust itself to protect you against the effects of too much sugar. The body always chooses a lesser harm over a greater. When your intake of toxins exceeds the capacities of your body’s cleansing mechanisms, it deposits them inside the body, in places where they will do the least immediate damage. Eventually, though, the body is overwhelmed. But even as it degenerates, even as whole organs and systems lose their ability to function, still the body fights on.
All the while it sends you messages: “Please don’t do this.” And the loudest of these kindly messages we call pain.
For many of us it is hard to see pain as a kindly message, or the body anything but a betrayer, an enemy, or, at best, a stranger—especially when you suffer chronic pain or a serious illness.
It is a great leap of faith to trust your body, because from earliest childhood the media teaches you to loathe it by propagating idealized body images and concepts of beauty that no one can possibly measure up to. To this loathing, the dominant medical culture adds fear and distrust, for it sees the body as an errant machine, a traitor that breaks down and becomes sick because something is wrong with it.
In fact, the body always does its heroic best under the circumstances thrust upon it—either through our own ignorance, or through the environment we are born into.’ Charles Eisenstein
‘From conception onward, we have been subject to any number of toxins that challenged the healthy development of body and mind, Accordingly, our bodies have bent into various physical, chemical, and emotional contortions to accommodate these injuries.
Imagine a tree growing in rocky soil, next to a cliff, in the shade of bigger trees. To survive it must grow crooked to search out light and water. We wouldn’t call it a bad tree for being crooked though; on the contrary, it is a wonderful tree, a heroic tree. Your body is the same, compensating and adapting as best it can to the barren, rocky soil amid occluded sunlight of our modern society.
I’m not saying that if you are sick and tired you should learn to live with it. What I’m saying is that wherever you are right now physically, it is your body’s wise response to the circumstances thrust upon it. Some of these may be beyond your immediate control—for example, pre-natal and early childhood trauma. But a lot of it may be just not listening to your body. Your body told you what it wanted, but you did not listen; you gave it harmful things, and your body did its best to adapt to them.’ Charles Eisenstein
May 12, 2017
This is an interesting book in that it hops between compassionate and infuriating in nature. When reading it comes across with thoughtful solid ideas and then find the book wanders into rather vague abstract notions. The tone of the book also occasionally became judgemental particularly around veganism, soy and vegetarianism. That started to sound familiar and very much part of the Weston A Price Foundation agenda. Sure enough that's who produces the book. Setting that aside and being able to look at it through their lens (eat lots of animals, particularly organ meats, butter and raw milk) I could dig through for the more balanced notions. The author occasionally becomes insightful when he's not supporting myths or simplistic notions. There is some decent content here, but it's not likely to appeal to your average thoughtful Yogi.
January 19, 2018
Loved this book. Charles did a wonderful job of making sure he included everyone from all walks of life. A lot of interesting information that really made me take a step back and think regarding the way we have come to view food in our lives. How important it is to respect ourselves as a whole (mind, body, soul) and listen to our bodies.
April 22, 2013
For me, this book was a mixed bag. There were some parts that really seemed insightful and thought-provoking and other parts were much less so. Because of this unevenness, I have given it 3 stars, but I still feel that I walked away from it with some very valuable seeds of wisdom.
August 16, 2023
Charles Eisenstein never fails to deliver a comprehensive holistic look at things!
I throroughly enjoyed this book and is making concrete changes in the way I eat to align with the life I chose to live.
I throroughly enjoyed this book and is making concrete changes in the way I eat to align with the life I chose to live.
August 21, 2020
I learned about this book from a podcast I love (the Intermittent Fasting podcast with Gin Stephens and Melanie Avalon [narrator of the book]). I thought it was going to be all about intuitive eating, and there definitely was some of that in there. Ultimately, however, this book is a little "woo woo" for me. There's nothing wrong or offensive -- in fact, I was really moved by how understanding the author is of all approaches to eating and (ahem) food acquisition. It just wasn't quite for me.
April 20, 2015
The body does not grow fat out of incompetence or error. Rather, weight gain is its optimal response to the physical and emotional conditions that surround it. If we force the body to lose fat without regard for the conditions underlying it, we are essentially demanding that the body be other than what it is.
December 6, 2014
Eisenstein provides a wonderful alternative look at food. Basically, he offers that our bodies know how to take care of themselves, and we just need to listen. Each one of us has a different body, so the same thing doesn't work for everyone. I appreciate Eisenstein's acceptacne of the individual. It really is good for us to make our own decisions.
December 23, 2017
"If we live rightly, decision by decision, the heart sings even when the rational mind disagrees and the ego protests. Besides human wisdom is limited. Despite our machinations, we are ultimately unsuccessful at avoiding pain, loss, and death. For animals, plants, and humans alike, there is more to life than not dying."
May 17, 2015
The worst book I have ever read. There are no respect for the life of other species.
February 4, 2016
"You are a symphony of vibrations that encompasses every though you think, everything you do, everything you eat, everything you are."
January 14, 2020
Really enjoyed this book, it has lots of useful ways to view our relationship with food on a more mindful way, these are the ideas I took from it:
Greater sensitivity to the body, its cravings and tastes
Eating relates to feelings of security and safety - the food of the universe
Craving for security through food, healing the wound of separation from childhood and past trauma will relinquish this search for security through food
Fruits are best of all in terms of less effect on the ecosystem it also has highest vibrations topped by algae and sprouts and water
Raise vibration of food raises your own vibration
Diet must harmonise with our presence in the world
Entire history of food is bound up within it. Vibration of broccoli grown in different circumstances will vary vastly
If you follow a monastic diet but not a monastic lifestyle, you will crave more
If you follow a fast food diet but a monastic lifestyle, you will abhor your diet and seek change
If you're strongly involved in the world, (child barers or career driven) a fleshy or rooted diet will benefit this
Karma of food: When you eat food you are subscribing to the conditions from which it was brought to you
Enjoy each bite of food. Full attention to the sensations you feel as you eat
If you do something else whilst eating, you are not actually eating the food
If you read while you eat, you are eating the words, if you watch television while you eat, you are eating the show
Without distractions, focused interactions with others become too intense, this is why we tend to eat/drink during interactions i.e on dates
Appetites vs cravings: Food to escape the situation at hand, substitute for other forms of pleasure missing from the life. The hunger is for something else. The problem is engaging in work that is not the true soul's work
Overeating - there is something wrong in your life. Authentic need for a certain nutrient but fast food tends to be for the below:
Sugar - life's sweetness
Msg - excitement and zest for life
Overeating - Nourishment in general
When you are sure you are hungry, eat slowly and with intention. Do I really want this food? Understand what food your body wants - food that suits your lifestyle
Shallow breathing comes with gorging
Deep breathing helps mindfulness of hunger
Lose your self control and willpower, choose the foods you want, mindfulness allows moderation and this will come easily, let your choices be okay, enjoy what you want to enjoy
Connect to feelings after food, acknowledge the present situation i.e bloating
Fasting: when there's imbalance in the body, the body can force fasting by suppressing appetite or through illness in order to cleanse the body (I relate this to heartbreak or adrenaline usually suppressing hunger)
Weight gain is the body's reaction to the physical and emotional conditions that surround it. We should honour and trust the body's messages. It's the body's response to who you are and how you live
Let it be okay, whatever your choices are, and change will come naturally
Exercise: do something you enjoy and have fun doing, don't set goals, it doesn't need to feel "challenging" and "hard"
If you enjoy your diet and enjoy your exercise, that's all you need, you wouldn't stray from them
Sugar: A desire for life's sweetness - dessert viewed as a treat or reward. Used as a comfort or medicine.
Drinking water: people have an insensitive view of the body and thirst, thirst tends to come when the body's need for water becomes acute. Learn to identify the subtle symptoms of thirst
Supplementing: removes having to taste the food, the taste is part of the way the body reads the potent substances
Processing: Includes foods that we were never meant to eat, genetic mutation, cooking. Cooking denies raw, wild animalty, we are adapted for this. We are able to revert back to these primitive ways by going raw
Many people find eating problems stem from underlying conditions from which is arises such as life partners, job, calling
Food is part of the microcosm of the whole, changing your diet won't often fix larger life problems, but fixing larger life problems will fix a poor diet
Greater sensitivity to the body, its cravings and tastes
Eating relates to feelings of security and safety - the food of the universe
Craving for security through food, healing the wound of separation from childhood and past trauma will relinquish this search for security through food
Fruits are best of all in terms of less effect on the ecosystem it also has highest vibrations topped by algae and sprouts and water
Raise vibration of food raises your own vibration
Diet must harmonise with our presence in the world
Entire history of food is bound up within it. Vibration of broccoli grown in different circumstances will vary vastly
If you follow a monastic diet but not a monastic lifestyle, you will crave more
If you follow a fast food diet but a monastic lifestyle, you will abhor your diet and seek change
If you're strongly involved in the world, (child barers or career driven) a fleshy or rooted diet will benefit this
Karma of food: When you eat food you are subscribing to the conditions from which it was brought to you
Enjoy each bite of food. Full attention to the sensations you feel as you eat
If you do something else whilst eating, you are not actually eating the food
If you read while you eat, you are eating the words, if you watch television while you eat, you are eating the show
Without distractions, focused interactions with others become too intense, this is why we tend to eat/drink during interactions i.e on dates
Appetites vs cravings: Food to escape the situation at hand, substitute for other forms of pleasure missing from the life. The hunger is for something else. The problem is engaging in work that is not the true soul's work
Overeating - there is something wrong in your life. Authentic need for a certain nutrient but fast food tends to be for the below:
Sugar - life's sweetness
Msg - excitement and zest for life
Overeating - Nourishment in general
When you are sure you are hungry, eat slowly and with intention. Do I really want this food? Understand what food your body wants - food that suits your lifestyle
Shallow breathing comes with gorging
Deep breathing helps mindfulness of hunger
Lose your self control and willpower, choose the foods you want, mindfulness allows moderation and this will come easily, let your choices be okay, enjoy what you want to enjoy
Connect to feelings after food, acknowledge the present situation i.e bloating
Fasting: when there's imbalance in the body, the body can force fasting by suppressing appetite or through illness in order to cleanse the body (I relate this to heartbreak or adrenaline usually suppressing hunger)
Weight gain is the body's reaction to the physical and emotional conditions that surround it. We should honour and trust the body's messages. It's the body's response to who you are and how you live
Let it be okay, whatever your choices are, and change will come naturally
Exercise: do something you enjoy and have fun doing, don't set goals, it doesn't need to feel "challenging" and "hard"
If you enjoy your diet and enjoy your exercise, that's all you need, you wouldn't stray from them
Sugar: A desire for life's sweetness - dessert viewed as a treat or reward. Used as a comfort or medicine.
Drinking water: people have an insensitive view of the body and thirst, thirst tends to come when the body's need for water becomes acute. Learn to identify the subtle symptoms of thirst
Supplementing: removes having to taste the food, the taste is part of the way the body reads the potent substances
Processing: Includes foods that we were never meant to eat, genetic mutation, cooking. Cooking denies raw, wild animalty, we are adapted for this. We are able to revert back to these primitive ways by going raw
Many people find eating problems stem from underlying conditions from which is arises such as life partners, job, calling
Food is part of the microcosm of the whole, changing your diet won't often fix larger life problems, but fixing larger life problems will fix a poor diet
February 16, 2019
If my 146 highlights aren't testament enough, you should know that I am tempted to buy 100 copies and share it on street corners like a Jehovah. If you have an interest in food, diet, holistic health, ethics, and finding freedom within the realm of eating - then READ THIS! With that said, it is so much more than a just book about food.
One of my favourite excerpts:
"Reliance on willpower reveals a profound distrust of one's self. We seem to think that what we really want to do must be bad, indulgent; therefore we must exercise willpower to enforce better behavior. Life becomes a constant regimen of "shoulds" and "shouldn'ts." But maybe this distrust is misplaced. Let's think about it more carefully: What if you really did lose your willpower tomorrow? Yes, maybe you would sleep in-but is that laziness, or a genuine need for rest? Maybe you would miss work-but couldn't that mean your work is not your soul's true work, and no longer do you force yourself to do it? You might stay in bed until ten, even until twelve, but eventually the bed would become uncomfortable. You might sit around doing nothing for a while, eating chocolate bon-bons and watching television, but eventually you'd become restless. Without work and chores to do, escapism loses its appeal. Maybe you'd feel free to catch up on neglected areas of your life. Maybe you would spend all day with your child, or a friend, or in nature. Maybe you would take up a creative project you'd never had time and energy to do. Maybe this creative project would turn into a new career, a job that you are excited to wake up to. Maybe, just maybe, life without willpower would be more creative, more abundant, more productive, and more dynamic than the life of shoulds and shouldn'ts."
One of my favourite excerpts:
"Reliance on willpower reveals a profound distrust of one's self. We seem to think that what we really want to do must be bad, indulgent; therefore we must exercise willpower to enforce better behavior. Life becomes a constant regimen of "shoulds" and "shouldn'ts." But maybe this distrust is misplaced. Let's think about it more carefully: What if you really did lose your willpower tomorrow? Yes, maybe you would sleep in-but is that laziness, or a genuine need for rest? Maybe you would miss work-but couldn't that mean your work is not your soul's true work, and no longer do you force yourself to do it? You might stay in bed until ten, even until twelve, but eventually the bed would become uncomfortable. You might sit around doing nothing for a while, eating chocolate bon-bons and watching television, but eventually you'd become restless. Without work and chores to do, escapism loses its appeal. Maybe you'd feel free to catch up on neglected areas of your life. Maybe you would spend all day with your child, or a friend, or in nature. Maybe you would take up a creative project you'd never had time and energy to do. Maybe this creative project would turn into a new career, a job that you are excited to wake up to. Maybe, just maybe, life without willpower would be more creative, more abundant, more productive, and more dynamic than the life of shoulds and shouldn'ts."
February 28, 2018
I recommend this book to anyone that is looking to change their relationship with their body and with food. The underlying message of the book is clear and extremely valuable however, some of the things the author says is a bit “wishy-washy” and I advise you to take it with a grain of salt.
Recently, I have been trying to eat healthier. It's been going pretty well, but there is so much conflicting information out there. It's difficult to figure out where to start and there’s this intense pressure that makes you feel like the only way to achieve optimal health and happiness is if you follow some strict diet plan. If you’re not forcing yourself daily to eat a certain way, you’re doing it wrong. This just never made sense to me. We all have different bodies, live different lifestyles, and are brought up with different experiences. How could it be that there is only a certain set of foods that will ultimately heal every single one of us? For example, our genealogy is different, right? People who live in the Arctic (such as the Inuit) survive mostly on meat, while people from a place like India tend to eat a lot more vegetables. Are either of these groups inherently unhealthy? No. Different diets work differently for different people. What works for someone else may not work for you. This is why it’s important to learn how to tune into ourselves and create our diets based on how our own bodies react to certain foods. Trust yourself and that higher intelligence within you; its the same intelligence that runs all those intricate systems in your body with no guidance at all.
Recently, I have been trying to eat healthier. It's been going pretty well, but there is so much conflicting information out there. It's difficult to figure out where to start and there’s this intense pressure that makes you feel like the only way to achieve optimal health and happiness is if you follow some strict diet plan. If you’re not forcing yourself daily to eat a certain way, you’re doing it wrong. This just never made sense to me. We all have different bodies, live different lifestyles, and are brought up with different experiences. How could it be that there is only a certain set of foods that will ultimately heal every single one of us? For example, our genealogy is different, right? People who live in the Arctic (such as the Inuit) survive mostly on meat, while people from a place like India tend to eat a lot more vegetables. Are either of these groups inherently unhealthy? No. Different diets work differently for different people. What works for someone else may not work for you. This is why it’s important to learn how to tune into ourselves and create our diets based on how our own bodies react to certain foods. Trust yourself and that higher intelligence within you; its the same intelligence that runs all those intricate systems in your body with no guidance at all.
October 21, 2020
Mul on hea meel, et "Söömise joogat" lugesin. See on tõeliselt vabastav ja lohutav raamat, mis piisava vastuvõtlikkuse ja kaasamõtlemise soovi korral võib lugeja elu muuta. Minul oli raamatust tegelikult palju abi. Mulle tundub, et see tõepoolest muutis mingil määral mu mõtlemist. Tegelikult on kõik ju väga lihtne- kui me vaid suudaks iseennast kuulata ja kuuldut ka usaldada, isegi kui see läheb vastuollu kõikvõimalike ametlike dieetide, soovituste ja teooriatega.
Mulle meeldis väga, kuidas Eisenstein asjadele lähenes ning kõike selgitas- nii delikaatselt, mõistvalt ja sõbralikud. Ta rääkis inimkehast ja -hingest viisil, mis oli kohati isegi liigutav, alati aupaklikult, nagu vanem sõber, kes soovib sulle vaid head. Lisaks vaimsele toele jagas autor ka oma isiklikke kogemusi, arusaamu toiduainetest, nende töötlemisest, vitamiinidest, taimetoitlusest, inimeste vajadustest ja muust.
Jah, kui peaksin seda raamatut ühe sõnaga iseloomustama, siis oleks selleks "vabastav", eelkõige mõjus see vabastavalt. "Söömise jooga" on raamat, mida võiks veel lugeda, vähemalt osaliselt, kui minapildiga läheb nii raskeks, et oleks taas tuge ja turgutust vaja.
Mulle meeldis väga, kuidas Eisenstein asjadele lähenes ning kõike selgitas- nii delikaatselt, mõistvalt ja sõbralikud. Ta rääkis inimkehast ja -hingest viisil, mis oli kohati isegi liigutav, alati aupaklikult, nagu vanem sõber, kes soovib sulle vaid head. Lisaks vaimsele toele jagas autor ka oma isiklikke kogemusi, arusaamu toiduainetest, nende töötlemisest, vitamiinidest, taimetoitlusest, inimeste vajadustest ja muust.
Jah, kui peaksin seda raamatut ühe sõnaga iseloomustama, siis oleks selleks "vabastav", eelkõige mõjus see vabastavalt. "Söömise jooga" on raamat, mida võiks veel lugeda, vähemalt osaliselt, kui minapildiga läheb nii raskeks, et oleks taas tuge ja turgutust vaja.
November 4, 2020
I always find Charles Eisenstein to be quite reasonable and full of sense. At first glance many would write him off, but as an atheist believer in science I find his arguments persuasive. I don't accept a completely dark and unredeemable view of the universe. A very few of the things he said I found difficult to believe or was not persuaded by, but for the most part I agree with what he says. I think this yogic inspired way of relating to food and eating is healthy and good. I first encountered similar arguments about trusting your body from Linda Bacon in her book Health At Every Size and it resonated right away.
I read this book because I am a very picky eater and sometimes feel I have a bad relationship with food because I don't want anything we have in the house (which isn't that surprising since I am an adult living at home with my parents who do the shopping so I don't choose what's in the house).
Worth the read and I will be recommending to my mom, boyfriend, and others.
I read this book because I am a very picky eater and sometimes feel I have a bad relationship with food because I don't want anything we have in the house (which isn't that surprising since I am an adult living at home with my parents who do the shopping so I don't choose what's in the house).
Worth the read and I will be recommending to my mom, boyfriend, and others.
August 16, 2019
I really enjoyed this fresh take on diet and dispelling the dogma that goes along with so many nutritional fads. In so many ways this open minded approach could really do a lot of go. If you are looking for an instructional on what to eat this isn't it. This is a holistic look at food and how food fits into lifestyle. If you, however, suffer with a proper relationship to food this may just be what you are looking for.
March 12, 2021
This book was referred to me from a podcast by Melanie Avalon and I tried it out. It was very interesting to say the least. I'm not quite sure I followed or absorbed all of the information and I found myself having to "go back" and re-read sections to even comprehend some of what was being said. It wasn't the easiest read, in my opinion but there were some very interesting points made about spiritualism and our existence as human beings on earth, etc.
October 13, 2017
Curious anti-diet book. Lots of enlightening content. The author takes time to dispel some of the magic and myths associated with current diet culture. "Change your diet, change your life!" Maybe not. But if you change the way that you view your diet, then your life will probably change in response. Check out the footnotes - many of them are super interesting!
May 25, 2024
I have read countless books on eating, and this one took me by surprise. Expecting to agree to everything would be unrealistic, but the amount I genuinely took from this book is impressive. There is some really valuable and good information. Most of these books honestly feel like a waste of time, but I think this one is worth the read :)
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