nourish your whole self workbook -...

NOURISH YOUR WHOLE SELF

Workbook

Food & Spirit™

Nourish Your Whole Self Workbook

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Copyright © by Deanna M. Minich, Ph.D., C.N.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or redistributed in any

manner without permission in writing. This report reflects the published works of Dr.

Minich, including Chakra Foods for Optimum Health (ISBN#978-1-57324-373-5) and

Quantum Supplements (978-1-57324-420-6).

Deanna M. Minich, Ph.D., C.N.

Food & Spirit, LLC

www.foodandspirit.com

E-mail: [email protected]

http://www.foodandspirit.com/

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Medical Disclaimer

This workbook is intended as an informational guide and is not meant

to treat, diagnose, or prescribe. For any medical condition, physical

symptoms or disease state, always consult with a qualified physician

or appropriate health care professional. The author does not accept

any responsibility for your health or how you choose to use the

information contain in this workbook.

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GETTING STARTED:

The Science & Spirituality of Foods & Eating

“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you always got.”

– Mark Twain

THE JOURNEY…

What you need for our journey of nourishment together:

• An intention, aim, objective

• A dedicated journal

• This NOURISH YOUR WHOLE SELF Workbook

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What is your intention for this journey to nourish your whole self? You can use

words or images to create within this space below…

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REDEFINING NUTRITION

What has been your approach to foods and eating throughout your life? What

does this approach say about you?

What has been your experience with dieting?

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How has eating defined you through your life? Note your defining food

moments on your representative “life” line below. What did you learn from these

experiences? After completing the events of your life, write out your life story

according to your relationship with food on the next page. Share with a friend or

with a family member. See what symbolism comes forth in the interpretation.

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Your life story according to your eating…

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There is a defining difference between nourishment and nutrition.

We can be nourished by food as much as we can be nourished by events,

emotions, thoughts, actions, people, and things.

What nourishes you?

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“How we eat is how we live. How we live is how we eat.”

When we change how we live, we change how we eat.

When we change how we eat, we begin to change how we live.

What does your eating say about how you’ve been living?

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THE ROOT:

Eating and its Connection to Safety, Trust and Survival

“I think that what we're seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life

experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances within our own

innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive.”

– Joseph Campbell

The Terrain:

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INSTINCT, TRUST & SAFETY

What is your “power animal”? (See the appendix at the back of this workbook)

In other words, what animal gets you in the present moment and connects you

to deeper aspects of yourself? What do you know about this animal? What does

it symbolize to you? How can you bring it into your daily living?

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Do you trust your body when it comes to eating? How do you receive the

messages? When do you feel it’s unsafe to listen to your body? Practice

checking in with your body on food choices – in the kitchen, restaurant, and

grocery store.

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TRIBE, GROUNDEDNESS & EATING

What belief patterns about food and eating did you inherit from your family?

Are these belief patterns still valid for you? If not, list the new belief patterns. List

the eating traditions and beliefs you wish to keep.

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Give your low body and feet some extra special attention this week. Notice

whether you are continually crossing your legs or wearing shoes that aren’t

comfortable. Write a small paragraph from the perspective of your feet and

how they feel.

Treat yourself to eating on the ground, barefoot – write about whether and how

this activity changes your eating experience.

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Feel out what protein sources are “right” for you and how eating them at

different times impacts your sense of “presence”.

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THE FLOW:

Eating and its Connection to Emotions, Creativity,

and Expression

“One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star.”

- Nietzsche

The Flow:

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EMOTIONS

How would you describe your emotions? If they were a person, what would they

look and be like?

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How do your emotions determine your eating? Dedicate this week to

celebrating your emotions. Try the emotion log in the Appendix to help you

track what you feel. Look for patterns with your eating.

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Identifying emotions is essential for solving where they need to flow. See if these

questions help in teasing out specific emotions.

If you are feeling SAD, ask yourself whether

you can define your sadness as any of the

following:

Do you feel guilty?

Do you feel ashamed?

Do you feel depressed?

Do you feel lonely?

Do you feel bored?

Do you feel tired?

Do you feel full of regret?

Do you feel apathetic?

Do you feel isolated?

If you are feeling MAD, ask yourself

whether you can define your anger as any

of the following:

Do you feel hurt?

Do you feel rage?

Do you feel hateful?

Do you feel critical?

Do you feel distant and cold?

Do you feel cynical?

Do you feel frustrated?

Do you feel jealous?

Do you feel competitive?

Do you feel irritated?

Do you feel suspicious and non-trusting?

Do you feel overwhelmed?

If you are feeling FEARFUL, ask yourself

whether you can define your fear as any

of the following:

Do you feel confused?

Do you feel helpless?

Do you feel rejected?

Do you feel insecure?

Do you feel anxious?

Do you feel discouraged?

Do you feel inadequate?

Do you feel embarrassed?

Do you feel pessimistic?

If you are feeling HAPPY, ask yourself

whether you can define your happiness as

any of the following:

Do you feel excited?

Do you feel energetic?

Do you feel cheerful?

Do you feel creative?

Do you feel abundant?

Do you feel joyful?

Do you feel playful?

Do you feel content?

Do you feel thankful?

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What is your favorite food to eat when you are eating emotionally? Reflect on

the food; see it as a symbol or a metaphor for what you are really experiencing.

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CREATIVITY & FLOW

How does your creativity come through? Where do you have flow in your life

and where do you sense blocks?

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Set a 2 hour time that you can be creativity this week. Write about the

experience.

Combine food and creativity in any way you choose. Write about your creation.

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What foods are you eating and liquids are you drinking to establish flow from

within?

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THE FIRE:

Eating and its Connection to Power, Energy, and

Sustenance

“I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes

from within. It is there all the time.” – Anna Freud

The Fire:

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Power, Confidence & Acceptance

Do you radiate self-confidence? Why or why not?

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What does the word “power” mean to you? Do you feel a sensation in your solar

plexus region when you think of it? How about the other spectrum of power –

“control”? What do you feel with that word?

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An all or nothing approach to eating takes us away from learning from our

mistakes and moving on and puts us into a mode of finding the worst in

ourselves. As Julia Cameron says, “How does perfectionism steal your fire?”

Journal on: “If I didn’t have to do it perfectly, I’d try…”

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List your “should have” statements that keep appearing or keep coming to

mind.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

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How is the gift of transformation present in your life? How do you embrace it?

Caroline Myss talks about how we have “100 coins of energy” – how do we

spend our energetic currency? How much of our inner reserves do we spend on

the past, present, and future?

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Try monitoring your energy levels in the morning, afternoon, and night using a

simple scale of 1-5 with 5 being “high energy” and 1 being “low energy”. What

do you observe about your energy levels?

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ENERGY & EATING

What foods are costing you energy? What foods are giving you energy?

Examine the sweetness in your life. Does it need adjustment? How can you live

life in a sweeter way? Do you eat sweet foods to compensate?

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Prepare a meal for yourself to eat. What does it say about who you are?

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THE LOVE:

Eating and its Connection to Love, Compassion, and

Sharing

“What is essential is invisible to the eye; it is only with the heart that one can see

rightly.”

-Antoine de Saint-Exupery

The Love:

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LOVE, GRATITUDE & COHERENCE

Draw your heart with crayons. Place names of those you find to be supportive

inside the heart. Outside the heart, place names of those you must be self-

protective around now.

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Forgiveness heals the person forgiving as well as the one receiving the apology.

Where is forgiveness asked for in your life? Who or what needs forgiving?

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Practice coherence by practicing belly breaths in combination with feeling

compassion or love for at least 5 minutes per day. Journal on the feelings you

have from this activity. How long do the effects last after the exercise?

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Hum, sing, chant, or tone for one minute a day. Write down your response to this

exercise. Note any changes in your chest area.

List 10 things you are grateful for:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

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GRACE-FULL EATING

Create a prayer of gratitude to say before your meals.

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Have green vegetables at least once daily. Note whether you have any

resistance or whether you welcome this action. How do you feel when you eat

them?

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How does food represent “love” in your life?

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THE TRUTH:

Eating and its Connection to Voice, Communication,

and Truth

“Self-expression must pass into communication for its fulfillment.”

- Pearl S. Buck

The Truth:

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CHOICE, COMMUNICATION & AUTHENTICITY

“Managing the power of choice, with all its creative and spiritual implications, is

the essence of the human experience.” – Caroline Myss; How conscientious are

you of your choices?

What archetypes are present in your life? Where and how are they present?

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How mindful and authentic are you in your daily living – speech, action,

thought? Where do you have space to grow these qualities?

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HARMONY

Is your eating full of variety? What food can you try this week that you’ve never

tried before?

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Is your eating in balance with talking, chewing, breathing, and swallowing?

How do you honor and harmonize your body’s eating rhythm and the rhythm of

the external environment?

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Try to use all 5 senses when it comes to eating and living. How does doing so

change your ability to choose?

Hearing

Seeing

Touch

Tasting

Smelling

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THE INSIGHT:

Eating and its Connection to Intuition, Insight, and

Thought

“Look within the silence and behold our indigo soul-light,

hear the quiet wisdom that illumines our inner sight,

together let us dream of the peaceful world we would perceive,

with our imagination we will create what we believe.”

- Mara Berendt Friedman

THE INSIGHT:

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THINKING, INTUITION & INSIGHT

What type of thinker are you?

Absolutist, Catastrophic, Pessimistic, Linear, Expansive, Optimistic, Realistic?

What challenges and benefits does your perception of life provide you?

How do you define “intuition”? How do you listen to your intuition? How do you

know it’s your intuition you are hearing?

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Do you dream and remember your dreams? Do you listen to your dreams? What

symbols are coming through? Draw some of them here if you’d like!

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Do you meditate or have you used guided imagery? What is your experience? If

you haven’t tried either before, see if you can experiment with either of them

this week. A guided imagery exercise is provided in the Appendix. If you are

familiar with these techniques, see if you can try a variation on one or both of

them. Journal on your experience…

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Which of the “4 Addictions” (Source: Angeles Arrien, PhD, The Fourfold Way)

resonates most with you? How can you access more of the “unclaimed

resource”?

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What symbolic messages are coming through your body? How? Why do you

think they are there? What is their inherent wisdom?

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FOOD, THOUGHTS & MOOD

What thoughts about food and eating plague you? Write them out and

meditate or reflect on each one. What are they trying to say?

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How dependent are you on stimulating foods like chocolate, caffeine, coffee,

and sugar? Why do you think you are drawn to these substances?

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Do foods change your moods? Do moods change your food choices?

How colorful is your eating – do you get blue-purple foods regularly?

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THE SPIRIT:

Eating and its Connection to Purity, Clarification, and

Spirituality

"The true way to be humble is not to stoop until you are smaller than yourself, but

to stand at your real height against some higher nature that will show you what

the real smallness of your greatness is."

- Phillips Brooks

The Spirit:

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CONNECTION & COMMUNION

Is eating a spiritual experience for you? If yes, in what ways? If not, how can this

physical event become spiritual?

How important is purification in your daily life? How do you bring “purity” into

your everyday life?

What daily miracles do you experience?

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Based on how you eat, how do you relate to divinity/God?

Develop a prayer or a gift of grace for every meal.

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Lifelong Assignment:

• Be yourself.

• Allow yourself to go with the flow of life and your inner passions.

• Balance your internal and external worlds.

• Give and receive love as much as possible.

• Speak your truth.

• Listen to your divine wisdom within.

• Connect with vital life force of divinity/God.

“And when you crush an apple with your teeth, say to it in your heart,

“Your seeds shall live in my body,

And the buds of your tomorrow shall blossom in my heart,

And your fragrance shall be my breath,

And together we shall rejoice through all the seasons.”

-Kahlil Gibran

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APPENDIX

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A. POWER ANIMAL INDEX

Animal Characteristics, qualities, symbolism

Ant Hard-working, social, working for a cause, letting go of outcome

Antelope Agile, adaptable, quick moving, grace

Bear Healing, strength, flexibility, protection, harnessing messages from dreams

Beaver Harmonious, problem-solver, fertile, home-builder

Bee Determination, community, momentum, guardian

Buffalo Wise, ancestral knowledge, protection, sacredness, grounded

Bull Assurity, potent, present, earth-loving

Butterfly Transformation, beauty, illumination, uniqueness, carefree

Cat Agility, curiosity, clever, mysterious, playful

Cow Gentle, compassion, serene, peaceful, fair

Coyote Teaching, humor, the unexpected, laughter, duality

Crocodile Birth, fertility, exploration, subtle, primal feminine power

Crow Wayshower, magic, abundance, links physical and spiritual realities

Deer Gentleness, humility, love, forgiveness

Dog Loyalty, devotion, service

Dolphin Ancient wisdom, grace, divine guidance, evolution, enlightened expression

Dove Peaceful, inspiration, purity, clarity, illumination

Dragonfly Inner vision, gathering perspectives, transformation, swift

Eagle Creation, source, journey into the unknown, surrender, truth

Elephant Wisdom, knowledge, insight, venerable, service, majestic

Elk Transforms weaknesses into strengths, endurance, warrior energy

Fish Fluidity, peaceful, surrender, guidance

Fox Strategic, clever, wisdom, nobility

Frog Cleansing, purity, observation, quick, regeneration

Goat Feeling secure, ambition, curiosity, endurance, accomplishment

Hawk Protective, mother-energy, visionary, observer

Heron Femininity, regeneration, depth, delicate

Horse Freedom, adventure, strength, brave

Hummingbird Happiness, freedom, sweetness

Lamb Gentle, kind, non-judgmental

Leopard Investigative, stealth, mystery

Lion Courage, heart-centered, radiance, regal

Lizard Experience, satisfaction, ancient wisdom

Monkey Playfulness, humor, courage

Moose Determined, knowing one’s values, focused

Mouse Order, organizing details, preparing, quietude

Otter Unique, eccentric, looking at blind spots, insightful

Owl Wisdom, observing, cautious, feminine

Panther Ferocity, understanding the shadow side, confidence, agility

Peacock Wisdom, intuition, beauty, expression

Pig Loyalty, honesty, forgiveness

Polar bear Peaceful, self-acceptance, powerful

Porcupine Stand one’s ground, confidence, turning adversity into opportunity

Rabbit Warmth, fertility, rebirth, change

Raccoon Embracing our shadow, resourceful, tenacious

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Ram Rebirth, renewal, new beginnings

Raven Shape-shifter, messenger of the spirit world, independent, instinctual

Salmon Instinct, internal quest, overcoming challenges

Sheep Caring, sharing, connected to others

Skunk Protective, peaceful, discriminating

Snake Liberation, rebirth, agelessness, mystical wisdom, ancient

Spider Feminine energy, protector, guide, patterns possibilities

Squirrel Abundance, trust, prepared

Swan Acceptance, willingness, adept, graceful, exquisiteness

Tiger Creative power, sexuality, strength

Turkey Gratitude, objectivity, generosity

Turtle Cautious, perseverance, security, protection

Whale Integrity, synthesis, depth of knowledge

Wolf Movement, evaluation, inner reserve, vigilance

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B. EMOTION LOG

Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat

Able to express self

Angry

Appreciative

Authentic

Aware

Balanced

Compassionate

Courageous

Creative

Daring

Energetic

Forgiving

Frustrated

Grateful

Grieving

Happy

Helpful

Honest

Interested

Joyful

Loving

Optimistic

Peaceful

Playful

Relaxed

Sad

Self-accepting

Solutions-oriented

Upset

Worried

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C. GUIDED IMAGERY EXERCISE

Close your eyes and find yourself in a comfortable, seated position. Breathe in, and use

your breath to relax your muscles. Allow yourself to let go in these next few minutes and

to sail within the ocean of your imagination. With your mind’s eye, see yourself in an

open field full of electric green grass. The sky above you is free from any trace of a

cloud…and in the distance, much to your surprise, you see a marvelous rainbow

stretching through the sky. You can’t help but walk towards the rainbow as it draws you

in. In a few moments, you have reached the rainbow’s edge. Your instinct is to walk into

the band of red color…at once, you feel a sense of safety and trust. Any fears about

money or survival are shed from your body like clothing falling to the ground. You

breathe in the essence of the deep, grounding red color, and in so doing, you see the

roots of your being connected to the vast core of the Earth. You come to an

appreciation of your body’s wisdom, and in honor of your body, you let go of any stress,

tension, or hardness that you hold in your body as a result of your daily living. The red

color fills your being, giving you the strength you need to feel strong and capable to

withstand any challenges you may encounter day-to-day. You fully embrace the red

light before moving on to the intensely vibrant orange band of light radiating from the

rainbow. The dancing orange molecules of light permeate your being, filling you with

laughter and a sense of pleasure and play. At once, you feel the spirit of your childlike-

self surfacing. All worries are dispelled from your emotional body and replaced with

contentment. You can now “go with the flow” of living in a way that you hadn’t been

able to before. Once you’ve taken in as much healing orange light as you can, you

take a few steps over and walk into the radiant, glistening beam of streaming yellow

light. The light is so bright and sunny; it carries the possibility of power and energy like

you haven’t felt in a long time. Basking in its radiance sheds any feeling of being

overwhelmed. In your mind’s eye, you are presented with a representative movie of a

typical day in your life and you begin to see where you can better improve your

management of time, relationships with people, and even create more efficiency in

your living situation. Being in the glow of yellow infuses you with a confidence that

enables you to forge ahead into the unknown without the baggage of anxiety or stress.

At your own pace, you transition yourself into the peaceful hue of emerald green that is

next to the sunny yellow strip. The green color blankets you, almost like the towering

embrace from a comforting forest. You immediately feel love and warmth entering

your heart. Any stress that you had previously put on your heart is now coming undone,

unwinding itself from the chamber of your heart and from the extensions of blood

vessels networking through your body. This release allows you to sink into the moment

even more than before. There is no more heaviness in your heart now – it is now

expansive with the green light of nature. From green, you walk into an aquamarine

color, which resembles the energy of the sky. You feel a sense of freedom from any

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restriction that may have centered around your spoken words to others. You know that

all of your verbal exchanges with others will be of the good, true, and beautiful. No

more stress blocks your true nature and expression, and you can see who you really are.

When you are ready, you walk into the vibrant energy of violet, which stimulates your

intuition and imagination. You realize that you may not have been as attentive to your

intuitive voice as you may need to…and that by listening to it, you are tapping into

deep wisdom and insight about life. By connecting with violet and with your intuition,

you allow yourself the gift of inner knowing so that you can make choices going

forward that benefit your highest self. And finally…when you are saturated with the

depth of violet, you can walk into the dazzling white light at the end of the rainbow. This

light purifies and clears any residual stress in your being – whether your physical,

emotional, mental, or spiritual bodies. You feel at one with all of your layers, perfect,

whole and complete, ready to take on life’s challenges and opportunities in the spirit of

growth and learning. Stepping out of the white light, you notice that you have

captured each of these colors within you so that they are always working with you to

reduce stress in your life and guide you to your higher path. On the count of seven, you

will open your eyes to your new, enlightened, invigorated

self…1…2…3…4…5…6…7…open your eyes and take a deep breath in to welcome

your new state of being!

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Resources & References

Books

Deanna Minich, PhD, CN. Chakra Foods for Optimum Health: A Guide to the Foods that

can Improve Your Energy, Inspire Creative Changes, Open Your Heart, and Heal Body,

Mind, and Spirit. Conari Press, 2009.

Deanna Minich, PhD, CN. Quantum Supplements: A Total Health and Wellness

Makeover with Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs. Conari Press, 2010.

Deanna Minich, PhD, CN. The Complete Handbook of Quantum Healing: An A-Z Self-

Healing Guide for Over 100 Common Ailments. Conari Press, 2011.

Marc David. Nourishing Wisdom: A New Understanding of Eating. Bell Tower, 1991.

Caroline Myss. Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing. London:

Bantam Books, 1996.

Cyndi Dale. The Subtle Body: An Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy. Boulder,

CO: Sounds True, 2009.

Louise Hay. You Can Heal Your Life. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, Inc., 1984.

Myss C. and Shealy C.N. The Creation of Health: The Emotional, Psychological, and

Spiritual Responses That Promote Health and Healing. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1988.

Donald Altman. Art of the Inner Meal. Harper San Francisco, 1999.

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Contact

Keep connected to food, eating, and personal growth through Dr. Deanna Minich:

Food & Spirit Website:

www.foodandspirit.com;

Sign up for a free newsletter informing you on topics and events.

Food & Spirit Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/foodandspirit#!/foodandspirit

Daily tips to body, mind, and spirit wellness through foods & eating

Thank You!

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