How to change Habits in an integrated and balanced Way at the Example of a Healthy Diet

February is a wonderful month, it is right at the bridge to spring. The Roman Empire focused in February on purification rituals in order to reestablish righteous living in the kingdom. This month is a wonderful month to cleanse and to get fit for the warmer time of the year.

When engaging in changing something in your life, it is the most efficient if you address multiple levels in a balanced and integrated way simultaneously. Knowing the koshas in yoga, you could have practices for your physical body, energy body, mental body and your spiritual body.

I love to use the model of Dr. Joshua David Stone with the following 3 levels¹. You can see here how you would apply this idea to work on a change in your diet:

1. Spiritual level (example practices): 

• Change your perspective: how would God/my best Self would see your situation? For instance, regard your body as an instrument of service and love instead of something, which doesn’t comply to the standards of your negative ego; by seeing your body as an instrument of love and service you focus on the connection of you and other people instead². Your life becomes and feels more fulfilled!
• Ask for help, act as if and center: You can ask your Higher Self/God to support you in your change daily via daily prayer and listen to your Higher Self’s answers in meditation. Act as if your prayer request was already answered. Meditation also helps to become calm and centered, which lessens the need for emotional eating.
• Be a loving, curious observer, like being a scientist about yourself: observe of your thoughts, emotions and actions. You can do this before choosing your food, while you are eating and afterwards.

2. Psychological/conscious level (example practices):

• Leadership of self: Instead of being ruled by your emotions, inner child, bad habits etc. develop a firm leadership over yourself; not in a judgmental way, but out of love! The leader chooses his thoughts carefully. The thoughts inform the emotions and finally form your actions. If you choose a thought of love in the beginning the whole chain “thought –> emotion –> action” becomes loving. For instance, the thought “I didn’t manage to eat healthy so far, I am so bad with this” will probably not help you to change your eating habits. Say to yourself with conviction “I choose this salad now.” when you shop for your next meal and see what this leads to.
• Become a loving parent to yourself: parents, who love their children clearly say “no” to certain things and you should develop a habit to say “no” to your lower self, too. The reason is: you love yourself and you want the best for yourself.
• Re-program your subconscious mind: If you like to work with affirmations or know methods to reprogram your subconscious mind, you can apply them here as well. You can also go and work with people, who know how to get to the cause of a pattern/problem and heal that cause (as we learned it in our healing education with Malcolm Southwood and in which I offer to do private sessions, too).

3. Earthly/physical level (these practices are best applied all together³):

• Only eat in a way that is beneficial for your body: Focus on a green vegetable centric diet with proper food combining
• Remove waste matter: Awaken old waste matter with green juices and release it by using detox tools
• Engage in life-force (Prana) -enhancing physical practices: Exercise daily / regularly and get enough fresh air and sunshine
• Become an explorer and share your experiences with your friends: explore new recipes, try new sports or a new yoga style, or go on a hike in a new area

You can apply this method not only to changing your diet but to any changes you want to make in your life. Choose practices from all 3 levels for a certain change you want to make in your life and stick to the practices for 21 days in a row until they become a habit.

If you are specifically interested in more details about nutrition, cleansing and detoxing, you can subscribe to my virtual online cleansing course in German or in English. This course also addresses all 3 levels. If you wanted support in private coaching sessions, please send me an email.

All the best,
Sandra.