Our natural hunger

A few years ago, I picked up a book called The Diet Alternative. Diane Hampton tells of how she found herself overweight and not knowing how she’d gotten there. She finally came to understand the problem after an eating binge and purge, when she realized she didn’t know how to stop. In her recovery through prayer and fasting, she pinpointed the real source or her problem: losing her hunger.

In a physical sense, her body had lost the ability to recognize hunger. Hunger is a natural sensation that we are born with and it includes the ability to feel full or satisfied. Hampton explains that she had over-indulged so often her body had learned to ignore its natural tendencies.

I believe the same is happening with spiritual hunger. We are told that our conscience is our internal, moral compass. We may struggle to accept this when we see so many poor, harmful choices being made. But an informed conscience — close to God — is one that keeps us naturally in tune with what is good and healthy.

I can’t count how often I hear: “What does your gut say?” “Use your head,” and “Listen to your heart!”

These three components do make up a good conscience. But I’m sure many can agree that we don’t listen to them at all times. Why? Have we forgotten how to trust our human instinct?

The gut provides a first impression. Immediately, we know if something is good or bad. It creates an instant connection to how we feel about something. Whether we listen to it or not, that intuitive sense exists. The gut is a wry character; he judges things immediately. Listen, but don’t linger.

That’s where the brain comes in. He is a wise old professor who craves the full story and often does detective-like investigations. He takes his time processing information, creating pro-con lists, and synthesizing our past experiences and future endeavours. Think, but don’t get caught in a circle.

Our heart is at the centre of our being. It holds impressions and memories and is where our emotions find their hiding place. She is a generous, warm, delicate thing, and needs protecting at times. To put her at the forefront of everything without consulting the gut or the brain, she would surely not stay tender for long. She’s something special to be held like the treasure she is. If she is abused, we may lose our ability to love with our whole heart.

Like our physical hunger, our spirit has a hunger too. We have the potential to lose that instinct if we do not connect with God and check-in with ourselves. How do we start fresh when we are so confused about how we got to a place we didn’t want to be?

Much like Hampton, fasting (with the mind or body) is a great way to regain that hunger. We don’t know what we have until we leave it behind. We must dare to learn how that absence feels to know when we are filled.

The silence of prayer, and the support from the ones who know and love us best, are the places to revisit to get plugged back into our natural, healthy hunger.