Question for David Hoffmeister

Hi David,

I have a question for you about how you deal with things like healthy
diet and exercise.

I used to be very gung-ho about eating really healthy and exercising
daily, but in the last several months I've started to realize that I
was doing those things mostly out of fear that if I DIDN'T... it would
lead to health problems, gaining unwanted weight, etc.. Therefore, I
decided to just stop "should-ing" on myself, and just making my ONLY
priority to practice forgiveness. If I feel inspired to exercise or
eat a healthy meal, I do, but if I don't feel inspired, I just do
whatever I want. As a result, I've noticed that I've been eating in a
way that isn't as healthy as I used to be and not exercising as much,
and I've also been gaining a little weight.

So I'm sort of conflicted right now about this. It doesn't feel good
to "force" myself to do things that I don't feel like doing but that I
think I "should" do. I know that if I forced myself to start
exercising daily right now, it would be motivated primarily by fear.
But the thing is, I don't really have much fear left around the body.
I know that the body is not important except as a learning device, and
I trust that whatever happens with my body will be exactly what's
meant to happen ("the script is written") and that I need not worry
about it. But on the other hand, I still feel this nagging "should"
telling me that I should exercise and eat healthier.

Have you ever dealt with these issues? How would you recommend I look
at this?

Thanks!

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Beloved One,

Thanks for writing. Yes, the ego's 'shoulds' around diet and exercise
and health are some of its common tricks at maintaining guilt. It is
always helpful to remember that health is inner peace, and the Holy
Spirit sees the body as neutral. The focus on mind watching is most
important, no matter what the form of judgment seems to be.

The question about diet is another version of the prayer to step back
and let the Spirit lead the way. The curriculum is highly
individualized, so I cannot speak in broad generalities about diet. It
is most helpful with diet, as with all things, to be highly Intuitive
and thus very open to the Spirit's Guidance. You may use the prayer:
"Holy Spirit Guide my eating that I may be Fed by You." Truly it is
not what you eat that is most important on the spiritual journey, but
Who is Guiding the mind is All important. It is not what you put in
your mouth that defiles, but that which proceeds from an unhealed
heart. Likewise, the miracle brings healing far beyond what the ego
judges as "healthy food."

Healing always depends upon exposing and releasing the ego belief
system, for thus is distorted perception healed. Problems are never in
form, being always a belief in the deceived mind. The ego projected a
body and food and weight issues and fitness issues, etc., to distract
the mind from the Light within. In the reversal of thought the Holy
Spirit sponsors, the mind is empowered as the mechanism of Awakening.
As you learn to think with the Holy Spirit you will be truly healthy
and vibrant and joyful and energetic. This health comes from sharing
the Purpose of the Spirit, which is forgiveness.

The body is a symbol or representation, so when you feel well this is
a sign that you are following the Spirit. Let your feelings be a
barometer to the voice that you are following, and learn to trust the
Voice for God within the mind. Eat what you feel Guided to eat and
when you feel Guided to eat, and let this be a practice of the ACIM
Workbook lesson: I will step back and let Him lead the way. The ego
will attribute the feeling to form as it always does. Yet as you
deepen with the Spirit it becomes more obvious that health is a
decision of Purpose and the form is always just a backdrop or stage.
In Awakening it becomes apparent that there is nothing causative in
form, and this includes the body and food and exercise and the
environment. Every experience is a decision of the mind. With training
the mind is consistently miracle minded or right-minded, and this
state of mind is healthy. The happy dream is healthy indeed, and peace
of mind results from the Purpose & Perspecive of the Spirit. In
Quantum Physics terms, this is the Observer. In ACIM terms, this is
the Dreamer.

Digest the Spirit's Purpose and you will never hunger again. At some
point in my experience the concepts of diet and exercise and physical
health and fitness that were part of the David self concept just
seemed to fade and dissolve and disappear entirely.:) Keep the focus
on undoing false belief, and see how concerns are easily undone in
forgiveness. :)

Love & Blessings and Gratitude,

David

http://awakening- mind.org

http://miracleshome .org

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