LIVIN G & LE ARNING


it is interesting to note that seven were emotional, mental and/or spiritual in nature and so arguably more linked to Vitamin J and the soul food diet; they were as follows: • taking control of your health • following your intuition • releasing suppressed emotions • increasing positive emotions • embracing social support • deepening your spiritual connection • having strong reasons for living In another remarkable book Dying


to be me (2012), Anita Moorjani documents her journey as a terminally ill cancer patient; and her healing


with, and was always meant to be. Thus, she urges everyone to live fearlessly, realising it was fear that caused her cancer in the first place: afraid of letting people down, of being disliked, of not being good enough and in particular, of getting cancer. “I was afraid of living, and terrified of dying”, says Moorjani.


“The realm I experienced when my body shut down allowed me to see my own magnificence undistorted by fear. I became aware of the greater power I had access to”.


handwritten communiqué or ‘snail mail’ as it is known. And the so-called advantage of speed means we miss out on that special sense of anticipation and/or feeling special or cherished that often accompanies receiving a real letter; or to borrow again from the French, the intangible je ne sais quoi of a connectedness that engages the senses, rather than intellect alone. Remembering to be open to some


joie de vivre everyday, as part of our own personal soul food diet, reminds us of the value of savouring life and its experiences. Not to rush everything, but to take one’s time; to absorb the


transformation in the realm between life and death, before returning to share her message with the world. “Love, joy, ecstasy, and awe poured into me, through me, and engulfed me”, she says; “I was swallowed up and enveloped in more love than I ever knew existed.” Aware that she had the choice, Anita decided to return from her near death experience (NDE) – and to the astonishment of her doctors, after a period of thorough examination and rounds of tests, was found to be free of cancer. Anita recalls being in such a state of euphoria that her doctors wrote in big letters on her hospital discharge slip, “Discharged to go home for further rest. NO SHOPPING OR PARTYING FOR AT LEAST SIX WEEKS!” Moorjani’s epiphany while in a coma


was that her illness was a manifestation of her own internal disconnection. She had lost touch with the true, magnificent, infinite self she was born


14 AUGUST 2015


In today’s age of information, we should be vigilant not to lose touch with ourselves and the things that feed our soul; those that add meaning and sparkle to life. In the present-day haze of distractedness, it is easy to overlook the soul food diet. Like the man in the Leunig cartoon who watches a sunset on television, we might forget the real event is happening right outside our window. We might also forget some old- fashioned basics, like being out of touch, or not able to be contacted, can actually be a way of rejuvenating; so we can go about life again with renewed zest. Yes, even in today’s fast and furious


lifestyle, there are still roses to be smelled. We just need to slow down, stop and take the time. In the past, time and space were simply the by-products of a less advanced technology. The advent of instant communications has come at a cost. Email, for example, is much less personalised than yesteryear’s


nutritious essence of what life has to offer, just as you would relish a fine meal – except this is a degustation of life energies, experiences and impressions. Moorjani also reminds us that we need


to self-administer some of this Vitamin J. Without a healthy love and respect for the fearless and magnificent self that I am, nothing is possible. When I realise that my sense of scarcity, of being incomplete and always in need of others’ approval is an illusion; that I already am what I think I lack – in other words, when I see that I am whole and complete as I am — then I will know my true self, as a unique source of universal love, capable of emanating love energy for the benefit of everyone around us and all creation. n


Steve Denham is a published writer of non-fiction, fiction and poetry. His ebook A Plate of Eggs is dedicated to the mateship of soul.


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