An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything

BY GENEEN ROTH

“We live, embrace and put to rest our dearest things, including how we see ourselves, so we can resurrect our lives anew.”

~Mark Nepo

If you are someone who thinks you must lose weight, wear a certain size, control disliked behaviors and/or, in some way, be better than you are right now, then Geneen Roth’s latest book Women, Food and God is a must read.

Having recovered long ago from a devastating eating disorder, I was drawn to this book and to the rich information I discovered in the various chapters. I identified with the women who shared their stories and with the many emotions and experiences revealed in the pages. As an eating disorder counselor as well as a recovered anorectic, I found Geneen’s book validating and inspiring.

Daily, I work with women who are struggling with personal issues in regards to eating behaviors and dreams of being free of the imprisonment of rituals, control and guilt. We look with inquiry, not mistrust, at what is ‘here now’. We begin to cultivate awareness ~ becoming mindful of the assumptions and judgments we continually make. We meet thoughts from the past, fears about the future and uncover unmet needs inviting compassion, understanding and kindness. In most cases, the very barriers perceived as road blocks to healing are doorways into a life of richness, purpose and freedom.

In her workshops with women, Geneen asks us to begin to cultivate a practice of mindfulness ~ one where the activities of the mind can be observed and then questioned. Establishing such a practice allows the possibility of freedom from the constant tyranny of thoughts, desires and emotions. By illuminating destructive thoughts and emotions, the healthy self is gradually able to grow larger than these thoughts ~ able to change perspective and take charge of choices.

Both in my own life and in my professional work, embracing mindful awareness practices encourages the taking apart, layer by layer, of thoughts and belief systems telling us we are anything but whole and complete. From a place of strength, compassion and acceptance, we begin to define a life of wellness and well-being and take the steps necessary to create this life.

Geneen Roth’s book Women, Food and God, is a loving guide, a companion in print, for anyone on the journey to a life well lived, regardless of how long or difficult the path has been. By facing our fears and welcoming obstacles as opportunities, we grow, we heal, and we reconnect with the aliveness and the beauty of who we truly are.

“When we welcome what we most want to avoid, we contact the part of ourselves that is fresh and alive.”

~Geneen Roth

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P.S. If you are ready to change the way you think about eating for good, why not join Oprah and her fans, taking the time to explore the 15 main lessons of Women, Food and God, chapter-by-chapter, with the ultimate reader’s companion guide.