I think many of us can relate to feeling empty. Like something is missing from our lives, something deep within our core. And this missing piece isn’t solved by a lower number on the scale or a new diet.

As Susan and Jennifer explained in part one of our interview yesterday, individuals with eating disorders can suffer from spiritual emptiness, when “their authentic connection to self, others as well as a higher being, diminish.”

And again, this spiritual lack is something that many of us also experience, though certainly in a different way. (Remember that eating disorders are serious illnesses.)

In part two of our interview, Susan and Jennifer focus on this universal lack. They share their ideas on how readers can explore spiritual emptiness and find spiritual sustenance. They also talk about several important recovery tools for eating disorders.

Q: To me, it seems like women without eating disorders can also suffer from spiritual emptiness. How can readers delve deep within themselves to know if they’re suffering from this emptiness?

A: We agree that spiritual emptiness is not confined to women with eating disorders. When individuals are able to explore feelings, thoughts and perceptions that underlie their sense of spiritual emptiness, they may re-discover and reclaim a sense of purpose in their lives that comes from giving and receiving, wholeness through connection and compassion in relationships, including one’s self. One tool that could be used to explore spiritual emptiness is the Cognitive Markers.

Here are some additional suggestions:

• Identify times in your life you have felt a greater sense of wholeness and stability and explore what might be keeping these things at bay for you now.
• Identify ways to begin to reintroduce at least one of these pursuits. These could include the arts -painting, dancing, theatre, singing; religious affiliations, classes, and anything that causes you to feel more purpose in life.
• Select and maintain, on a consistent basis, those activities that help you to reach into your soul and feel greater purpose and fulfillment in your life.
• Remember that we’re not humans having spiritual experiences. We’re spiritual beings having human experiences.

Q: You give presentations on ways therapists can help their “patients discover the spiritual sustenance to connect mind, body and spirit and transform eating disordered behaviors into movement toward a healthy recovery.” I think that all of us, including individuals with unhealthy eating thoughts and behaviors and poor body image, can also benefit from these approaches. How can readers discover this spiritual sustenance?

A: We are a culture that is plagued by difficulties with our eating, body image, and feelings of self-worth. The women we treat at The Renfrew Center are often dealing with the acute stages of a problem that to a greater or lesser extent affects our society as a whole. It is therefore important to explore the underlying issues to why any individual may not be caring for themselves through their own eating habits. Are they eating “on the run” or in ways that feel imbalanced to them?

Often what we are doing with our food, we are doing in the rest of our life. Thus, our eating habits are simply a reflection of the greater issues that we are dealing with in our own life. Looking at these patterns can give us a glimmer into deeper insights regarding how we are managing our lives.

It is sometimes a chicken vs. egg scenario in that when a person begins engaging in better self-care through their eating patterns, they will automatically begin to engage in more productive, healthy ways regarding other aspects of their life. It also can work the other way around in that once they have made decisions like making themselves a priority, then their eating behaviors will more naturally flow from this intention or “conscious decision.”

Also, when there is imbalance in our lives, there may be an existential “why” that needs to be further investigated. The question begs to be asked: “ What true sustenance is missing or needs to be added into my life?”

When we are not feeding ourselves well physically, we usually are not feeding ourselves well emotionally or spiritually.

For instance, here is an example of someone who works very long hours. As a result, she often makes little time for lunch and then is starving by the time she gets home. Because she is working all of the time, she makes grocery shopping a low priority and often eats what is quick and easy rather than what is nourishing and enjoyable. Therefore, she often eats mindlessly and is not making food choices that truly satisfy her.

This is what she is doing in the rest of her life as well. Does she really want to be working endless, tireless hours? Does her workaholism cause her to hide from deeper issues? What would her life be like if she could connect to something beyond her job? What if she took the time to be less busy, took more time for herself, slowing down and developing other relationships like we mentioned in the first question above? How might that change her life? How might that change YOUR life?

Q: The Renfrew Center offers a variety of free webinars to individuals recovering from eating disorders. One of the topics is recovery tools. Can you share some of the most effective ways individuals can maintain long-term recovery?

A: One of the most important aspects to maintaining long-term recovery is not going through it alone. Dealing with an eating disorder is disorienting and finding a multidisciplinary treatment team that specializes in eating disorders, as well as friends who will support you in maintaining these therapeutic relationships, is invaluable. Most women feel very lost at the beginning. Having “guides” along the way that can point them toward health is a critical part of the process.

Understanding the deeper meaning to the eating disorder struggle is very important. The eating disorder always makes some kind of sense because it has served the person in some capacity. It is like a puzzle. As you further explore and inquire into the purpose the eating disorder has served, you begin filling in each piece of the puzzle so the picture becomes clearer.

As you begin to understand the deeper meanings of using ED symptoms to cope, you will be able to consciously manage your life in healthier and more positive ways

Lastly, what we have found very helpful is helping a person find the divine purpose in their life. We have seen over and over again, that as they begin to really go after their dreams and to do what it is that they truly want to do, they begin to rely less on their eating disorder. They begin to rely on themselves and also to value their unique contribution to the planet.

Here is a quote from Joseph Campbell to consider regarding this principle.

“Follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.”

—

Thank you so much, Susan and Jennifer, for your insight!

Today’s favorite post. “25 Ways Losing Weight Will Not Change Your Life” at Cynosure. It’s an absolute must-read.

Have you experienced spiritual emptiness? How did you explore these feelings? How did you heal?

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    Last reviewed: 3 Nov 2010