Sacred Food - Sacred Body - Sacred Earth
with Jennifer Byers and Tari Follett
A six week exploration of the impacts of food on
individuals, communities, and the planet.
Dates: Wednesdays, May 14 – June 25, 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.
(no class on June 11)
Location: Fulton Carroll Center - 2032 W. Fulton, Ste. F-263-A
Cost: $25-50 sliding scale (work exchange possible)
Few things in life are more personal and intimate than eating - literally taking something into our bodies in such an intense and permanent (relatively speaking) way. It's surprising how remote we can seem, culturally, from the realities of food. Often, we're not conscious of what is actually in our food, where it comes from, how it affects our bodies, or what the broader impacts of our eating habits might be. Further, because eating is something everyone (with tragic exceptions) does every single day, several times a day, the potential for tremendous impact on the planet is enormous.
Wrapped up in our food disconnects is a related estrangement from our bodies. Pop culture, media of all types, and societal stereotypes and gender norms all feed alleged "ideals" that do not, in fact, reflect averages, health, or happiness...yet every day millions fall prey to advertising smoke and mirrors, sacrificing their mental and physical health (not to mention happiness) and torturing their bodies with insufficient food, toxic chemicals, and other catastrophically harmful behaviors - all in pursuit of an illusion only achievable by a tiny genetic minority.
Addressing all of these issues is the work of several lifetimes, and is most impactful when personally engaged by every individual. Unfortunately, we may not have several lifetimes to tackle these complicated problems - the earth is at a tipping point, and the impacts of our relationships with our bodies and the food we put into them cannot be shifted too soon. Our survival as individuals, as a species, and as one facet of a delicate biosphere depends on the choices we make at the breakfast table.
Our intention in "Sacred Food, Sacred Body, Sacred Earth" is to wade into the confusing morass of issues surrounding food, health, and ecology to broaden perspectives and offer information that will enable students to make wiser, more sustainable choices - for their own understanding of and enjoyment of their food, their bodies, and their planet. What if we knew the life cycle of our food from seed to soup bowl? What if we viewed each bite as an act of devotion to our health? What if we saw ourselves as strong, vibrant, and beautiful - just as we are in this very moment? What if we viewed the health of total strangers as just as sacred as our own? What if every meal was a prayer?
Wrapped up in our food disconnects is a related estrangement from our bodies. Pop culture, media of all types, and societal stereotypes and gender norms all feed alleged "ideals" that do not, in fact, reflect averages, health, or happiness...yet every day millions fall prey to advertising smoke and mirrors, sacrificing their mental and physical health (not to mention happiness) and torturing their bodies with insufficient food, toxic chemicals, and other catastrophically harmful behaviors - all in pursuit of an illusion only achievable by a tiny genetic minority.
Addressing all of these issues is the work of several lifetimes, and is most impactful when personally engaged by every individual. Unfortunately, we may not have several lifetimes to tackle these complicated problems - the earth is at a tipping point, and the impacts of our relationships with our bodies and the food we put into them cannot be shifted too soon. Our survival as individuals, as a species, and as one facet of a delicate biosphere depends on the choices we make at the breakfast table.
Our intention in "Sacred Food, Sacred Body, Sacred Earth" is to wade into the confusing morass of issues surrounding food, health, and ecology to broaden perspectives and offer information that will enable students to make wiser, more sustainable choices - for their own understanding of and enjoyment of their food, their bodies, and their planet. What if we knew the life cycle of our food from seed to soup bowl? What if we viewed each bite as an act of devotion to our health? What if we saw ourselves as strong, vibrant, and beautiful - just as we are in this very moment? What if we viewed the health of total strangers as just as sacred as our own? What if every meal was a prayer?
Visit http://www.tarifollett.com/SacredFBE for more information.
E-mail SacredFBE@tarifollett.com with any questions or to register!
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