All that we consider today as nutrition is really just a secondary source of energy.
Think back to a time when you were passionately in love. Everything was exciting. Colors were vivid. You were floating on air, gazing into each others eyes. You lover’s touch and feelings of exhilaration were enough to sustain
you. You forgot about food and were high on life.
Or what about children playing outside with friends? It’s dinner time, and the mother is crying out “Time to come in and eat!” “No Mommy, I’m not hungry yet.” would be a common response. Once at the table, mother feels her role
is to enforce the rules of good nutrition and yell at the child, “Eat your food!” Could this be the start of an eating disorder?
Eventually, the child forces down the minimum acceptable amount and rushes out again to play. Finally, at the end of the day, she comes in exhausted and goes to sleep without thinking about food at all.
Children live on primary food. The fun, excitement and love of their daily life feed them, so that nutrition is secondary.
Primary foods feed us, but don’t come on a plate. Things like love, hugs, touch, kisses, warmth, massage, meditation, fun, freedom, self-expression, tears, hot baths, nature, trees, down time, close friends, and children at play. They feed our soul, and our hunger for living.
On the other hand, think of a time you were depressed or your self-esteem was at a low; you were starving for primary food. No amount of secondary food would do. Eat as much as you want, you’ll never feel satisfied. Even in
good times, we come home at night, look into the refrigerator for something to eat, when all we really want is a hug or someone to talk to.
It is our opinion that the more primary food we receive, the less will be our dependence on secondary foods. The opposite is also true. The more we fill ourselves with secondary foods, the less we are able to receive the primary
foods of life.
That is why every spiritual tradition encourages people to fast; to have times during the year where we reduce our intake of secondary foods, so that we are more able to be present to God’s love and the primary foods in our lives.
