I loved, loved, loved this book. It is now up, up in the list of my all-time favorite non-fiction books, right there along with “The Introvert Advantage”. The blurb says that the book is packed with revelations and it actually does not lie.I ordered this book as soon as I saw a YouTube video of Anne Lamott speaking her beautiful words about the book and its author. She convinced me.
The ideas that we eat emotionally, that obesity and overweight have deep psychological roots have been out there. It’s not something completely new. The way it is presented however makes it all very digestible and helps bring about personal experiences of the reader. This is how I felt. While it is simplistic to believe that food says everything about us, a lot of it is true.
One main idea that I was left with is that the mind is crazy and plays tricks on us but the body does not lie. This is a very deeply layered concept, which can have many understandings. For me personally it marks a new level of spirituality that I aim to reach, one that incorporates the body rather than disregarding it, as a dead weight. I have long time believed that the body only stands in the way of our being pure spirit beings. I never understood its role in our path to growth and evolution, except for the role of adversary worth of unforgiving, relentless battle. Slowly I am starting to see how there can be more than that to it, how we can see our bodies as instruments finely tuned to the spiritual lives we lead. It is difficult however to fully inhabit the concept, and accept and love the body after a lifetime of war. This book, I think, helped me make a big step forward.
The basic recommendation that Geneen Roth teaches about eating is to drop any diet whatsoever and just listen to our bodies and give them what they are asking for. Whatever that is. Sure, it is difficult to do–it takes meditation, introspection, facing your emotions and tragedies and being present with yourself. It sounds much more difficult than going on a diet, doesn’t it? But it is a path to real and long-lasting healing.
Another aspect that I wanted to mention was the voice of the author and the incredibly powerful style of her writing. It is mesmerizing and carries you farther and farther into the book like beautiful, powerful sea currents, that sometimes turn into waves of storm.
So, yes, I understand why there are 80 holds on this book at my library (similar to the number of holds on the “Twilight” books). It is a book that will not waste your time.
