A Weight Off Your Mind

I love Oprah Magazine. There, I said it. That and The Economist and I'm in heaven (I know, very different publications). While Oprah Magazine sometimes disappoints me with their occasional based-on-shaky-science re-publication of anti-commercial-agriculture propoganda, in general: Oprah feeds my soul. Paul always kids me when I'm reading that magazine "Is Oprah telling you how to live?"

This month's issue had an incredible article on weight by Marianne Williams called "A Weight Off Your Mind". Here are a couple of quotes from the article. I've scanned it if you're interested in a copy, just let me know.

"Being overweight is a spiritual issue. And spiritual growth is required to overcome it."

"You've subconsciously tried to get rid of difficult feelings by eating them."

"I was never a food addict, but for years I was a compulsive eater."

And finally, the paragraph that completely resonated with me:

"Imagine your excess weight as a brick wall you are carrying around. This wall has been built by your subconscious; its purpose is to separate you from other people and from life itself. Looking closely, you see that every brick has something written on it: Shame, Anger, Fear, Judgement, Pressure, Exhaustion, Stress, Heartbreak, Injustice, Protection, Jealousy, Inferiority, Embarrassment, Self-abnegation..."

All of a sudden, after reading this article I can FEEL my weight. I can see how it affects me in day-to-day interactions and why I've allowed it to stay on, even made choices that made that a certainty. This article has helped me and I thought it may help you. Pick up an Oprah or send me an e-mail and it's yours.

Abby