For people who have ready access to food and struggle for dominion over body weight, there’s a subtle fear that might need to be addressed to find that dominion. It’s a fear of hunger.
It was an eye-opener for me years ago when I was trying to lose weight. I noticed I stock-piled food. I would put some extra food in my pocket or in the storage compartment of my pickup so I could grab it anytime I wanted.
One day, when reaching for more food I thought, “Do I really need this?” “Yes!” an internal voice argued. “You’re hungry.”
I could feel hunger pangs in my stomach so the argument sounded reasonable. But then I thought about the time of day. It was only 11 in the morning. Lunch was in an hour. I could wait until lunch to eat, I thought. I don’t need food yet. And I put the food away. I still felt hungry, so I prayed to know I was filled up with God’s love and truth and I could feel its sufficiency to keep me satisfied until lunchtime. And the hunger pangs vanished. I felt fine.
Lesson learned! And I repeated it over many times until the temptation to eat snacks between meals disappeared. It gave me much greater dominion over the body and my weight.
Hunger pangs aren’t always what they feel to be. They are often not signs of hunger at all for those with ready access to food, but of gluttony let loose, self-indulgence and self-gratification out of control.
To exercise dominion over the body one must be discerning about what is influencing thought and action. Is it God or fear?
I still have to ask the question at times, “Am I eating because I need to eat or because I’m afraid of getting hungry if I don’t eat?” There is a legitimate place for eating in our lives in this world, but it should be done with dominion not out of fear.
Mary Baker Eddy wrote, “If thought yields its dominion to other powers, it cannot outline on the body its own beautiful images, but it effaces them and delineates foreign agents, called disease and sin” Science and Health, p. 485.
As reflections of the one Mind, our thought is naturally filled with beautiful images that outline themselves in grace, beauty, and attractive form and shape. But if fear is getting in the way, it would cover up those beautiful images from being fully seen.
So, don’t eat out of fear! Replace fear with spiritual mindedness that knows genuine satisfaction and contentment coming from Truth and Love better. You’ll have more dominion over the body and a mastery over false hunger rather than it mastering you.
Thank you Evan, for I have caught myself doing the same thing – making snacks readily available. The alertness to handle the fear, the false suggestion, is helpful to me. I now understand the quote you referenced in a new light.
Mindful eating….what a lovely concept!
A great reminder that’s ever timely – Thank you Evan.
A number of years ago (I’m glad “time is no part of eternity”) my new bride & I invited the Christian Science practitioner who had been an important part of my “young survival”, so to speak, and her introducer to C.S. (before we became acquainted with each other) to dinner on an evening when he & I were scheduled to go together to a joint meeting of the C.S. Churches in our metropolitan area. My wife served a very nice meal which I partook of heartily, but she & I noticed that the practitioner had taken a rather modest helping & declined the offer of more. My wife asked if she could get him something else that he might enjoy. He chuckled & softly said that he had thoroughly enjoyed the meal but that, “I eat to meet my needs & not to satisfy my appetite.” He was a gentleman whom everyone admired for how well kept he maintained himself, even to always having a fresh Bachelor Button flower in his lapel at all times – at that point I guess we sort of found out – “the rest of the story.”
Your articles on weight loss have helped me very much. I now eat until I am satisfied and hunger pangs often tell me when it is time to eat. It took along time to get out of the diet head: it says I can have this so I need to eat it or worrying about everything that went into my mouth. But mostly how I saw myself has helped the most, not to identify with anything but the perfection I am as God’s beloved child. I had to stop looking in the mirror except to check an outfit for a long time and stop weighing myself. But it really was how I looked at myself spiritually that constituted the change. People are beginning to notice and ask me how I did it and I tell them meditation. They don’t act as if this is so strange and some commend me. I do
eat much less but I never feel deprived.
Eating out of fear is a fresh concept to be dealt with. Years ago, when my husband passed, I vowed that I would not eat for comfort. I could not solve grief and loneliness from the refrigerator. I also early learned that “cleaning up my plate” did not solve hunger problems for those without food. I learned to eat modestly and until satisfied.
Thanks for this eyeopener, Evan. How do you know the difference between false and true( (?) hunger pangs? If we just eat when the world tells us to eat, e.g. at breakfast, or at noon, or at 6 pm; are we not just listening to what world thought, or cultural norms. or false health laws are telling us is best to do? How can we tell when it’s God guiding us, or does He tell we are being fed spiritually or so doesn’t guide us when or what to eat? I’ve really been struggling with these questions and would appreciate some guidance. Thanks again!
I’ve often thought…wouldn’t it be nice if we came equipped with a fuel gauge, like a car, so we knew when to fill up?
Lyn,
How do you know when to blink your eyes? I’m guessing you never think about it, and it happens naturally, and with good effect. The same kind of experience will develop in your life with food as you are consistently conscious of God’s harmonious government over your life, health and affairs. God will guide your eating decisions in a wise and intelligent way as you let God guide you. And when you do it well, you won’t even be consciously thinking about it much anymore. You will eat in a way that does not have a bad effect on you. It will be natural and normal without all the extra thought-taking that you are presently giving it.
Don’t let food be a god in your life. Have one God, the one Mind, the Mind of Love, which is not stricken with cravings and false feelings, but balanced with grace, peace of mind, gratitude and spiritual contentment.
Hope that helps.
Lyn, what occurred to me re your questions is that most of us seem to need to get back in touch with our true Mind, God, on all human questions. He/She knows our needs–our human needs–and will give the right clues about what to do in all things. This listening will tune us in more correctly to the human body’s’ true needs. Not the desires and demands it may seem to have as a response to the myriad advertisements for food! Mortal mind is being fed a whole bunch of suggestions about what to buy, eat, etc. etc. We are wise when we notice the mesmeric nature of these ads, and pay closer attention to Mind’s directives. It takes discipline, but, humans have a very difficult time with the problem of overweight and getting the pounds off without this spiritual discipline, that’s for sure!
We are so privileged to have this Science to guide us in all things human.
In friendship,
SpiritView Fan
For me, I find that I want to continue eating something that taste particularly yummy. But, if I just eat and wait at least 20 minutes I am full. I know I am eating less but I usually feel really very full. I love to cook and I am very passionate about preparing dishes but unless I have a craving for something I’m not as consumed with eating. Today I find keeping up with everybody’s diet’s is fatiguing, and uninspiring a lot of the time.
Hi Evan. Thanks for such lovely thoughts on our real appetite, which hungers and thirsts for righteousness.
I loved your anser to Lyns query. I too have one please.
Here in India my friends and colleagues say, that you can not lose excess weight unless you, not only control your diet, but you also need to do some work outs daily. I have been trying to reduce weight since a long time now. I avoid junk food and eat only when I am hungry. But there is no remarkable change in my weight.
Can you throw some light on what ideas should I use in Chrisitan Science to bring a balance in my weight. Thanks.
Under the influence of the one Mind, the body is most harmonious. So, pray to be under the influence of the one Mind only. If fear, dietary concerns, love of food, worry, etc., get into thought, then mortal mind is having the influence and its influence will throw the body out of whack, out of balance. Kick out mortal mind’s influence by having one Mind, and the body will come back into balance.
Thanks Evan for answering my query so well. I shall listen only to what Divine Mind tells me and be guided accordingly. Yes I do realize what you want to tell me that “Everything is under the control of the one Mind, even God.”
Your answer very appropriate and much appreciated. God bless.
What fabulous insights. Evan, to follow your comments with this MBE quote is so perfect.
Thank you all for your insightful comments & questions. And your replies, Evan, have expanded our spiritual approach to eating – all SO HELPFUL.
this post has been especially helpful to me and my husband, so much more on track without thought to the material food, just what seems good & pleasant when we are hungry, and knocking out that fear of hunger when it comes blasting in between meals, very very helpful, thank you thank you Evan!