Nourishing Body and Soul

Perhaps our current one-dimensional understanding of food stems from the Occidental body-soul dichotomy, so inherent in our thinking. In the Western world, born of Christendom, we lack a sense of the spirituality of food that permeates the philosophies of the East. This is despite the fact that Jesus appeared to understand the importance of food and wine and when he provided them, they were reported to be of good quality. But the bread used in the communion sacrament today, unlike the food used in the religious ceremonies of many other cultures, may offer spiritual sustenance, but is not carnally appetising. Indeed, the communion wafer is designed not to taste nice, not to give physical sustenance, not even to be chewed.

Anyone who has studied martial arts in any depth, or become interested in Buddhism, or taken a yoga course even, will be aware of the integration of food into the spiritual practices and purification rituals of the East. Physical purification of the body is also integral to the tribal cultures of the world. Many of us will be familiar with the Native American sweat lodge ceremony, the Oenikika, during which the body is cleansed, the mind is purified and the participant connects with the gods. The sauna removes toxins through the pores of the skin and the drum-beat focuses the mind. Then the divine is within reach. The Oenikika is used by shamans as a prelude to entering altered states of consciousness. Without the purification of the body, the divine cannot be accessed.

Blessings on your table!
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