Dieting or exercising is unnatural. It is only because most of us live the way we do that we need to create systems that prompt us to move, eat etc. in a “special, better” way. For most of the human history, our daily activities were shaped by the natural environment. Since we’ve greatly altered our environment we no longer understand the genetic predispositions of our body and mind that ensure optimal functioning. Before the development of agriculture, civilization and industrialization, we used to experience intermittent periods of feasting (especially prized were all animal foods including fat, organs and bones), intervals of food scarcity – resulting in fasting, brief intense physical exertion and exposure to natural elements like water, air, sun and earth. Primal Tao practices reintroduce these natural patterns into our lifestyle within the context of today’s modern life. Pre-industrial foods – what would you eat to survive in the area where you live if there were no grocery stores? SLOW foods. Nutrient dense foods. Modern “foods” to avoid. S easonal L ocal O rganic W holesome Mental training – the importance of meditation and mind cultivation in the world of over-abundance of dis-information, confusion, depression and the lack of meaning. Regenerative training – occasional practice of forgoing food.. Physical training – daily physical activity (walking, gardening, stretching, Tai Chi, Yoga etc.) vs High Intensity Training, sprints, cold and heat body conditioning The importance of sleep, rest, contact with Nature etc. Primal Tao is the way of nature. Primal Tao is not a system. There can be as many expressions of Primal Tao as there are people expressing it. Primal Tao aspires to imitate Nature. Align with Nature. Be part of Nature. To simplify rather then complicate. To minimize rather then maximize. To subtract rather then to add. “To pursue learning is to increase daily. To practice the Way is to decrease daily . . .” Tao Te Ching ...
Tao of the Four Empties – the Empty Stomach.
The principle of the “empty stomach” has to do with the frequency, volume and timing of our food consumption. If we take a closer look at Nature, just like the ancient practitioners of Tao did, we will notice that it is quite common that animals will go through periods of hunger. It can be caused by the seasonality of certain foods, animal migratory patterns or simply the natural cycles of day and night, times of rest and gathering or hunting. In our “civilized” world, humans, if they can, try to practically eliminate these periods. What’s more important, we increase the frequency of our meals, sometimes up to 6-8 times a day! This is not a very natural pattern for Homo Sapiens. We evolved to rest from digestion on a regular basis. “This makes sense from a survival standpoint. If we do not eat, our bodies use our stored energy as fuel so that we can find more food. Humans have not evolved to require three meals a day, every day.” Excerpt From: Fung, Jason. “Complete Guide to Fasting.” Occasional fasting turns on a very important mechanism of autophagy – the regeneration and recycling of the cells that improves the efficiency and working of the entire system. It is a very “handy” tool for the body’s natural processes of detox and renewal. “fasting is the most time-honored and widespread healing tradition in the world. It has been practiced by virtually every culture and every religion on earth. Fasting is an ancient, time-tested tradition.” Excerpt From: Fung, Jason. “Complete Guide to Fasting.” Fasting is and has always been a part of natural cycles. There are many approaches to fasting but one of the simplest and at the same time the most efficient ways is what is known as intermittent fasting. It is done by simply limiting your “eating window” during the day to anywhere from two to ten hours of time when we consume food and leaving the rest of the day and night to fasting. For example, you eat between10 am and 6 pm and you fast between 6 pm and 10 am the following day. This gives your body 16 hours of rest and regeneration. Once our body and mind adapt, this rhythm is very easy to maintain indefinitely. Other forms of periodic fasting can include but are not limited to water or dry fasting once a week for 24-36 hours, longer 2-3 day fasts every few months, etc. Fasting can be utilized on a daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly basis depending on the individual needs and goals. The amount of food is another aspect of the “empty stomach” principle. There is an old Taoist and Yogic saying: “Eat only when you are hungry but stop before you’re full.” Overrating is often a result of food addiction, inappropriate food choice, boredom or habit. Once we start consuming natural, species-appropriate foods (check the “empty kitchen” article) our unnatural food cravings largely diminish and we start eating according to our body’s true needs. We cultivate an “empty stomach” to support recovery, healing, and overall vitality. ...
Natural health cultivation. The simple approach to maintaining your daily health.
Every day we need to challenge ourselves to stay fit. Without this challenge, there is no growth. Without this challenge, a gradual decline begins. We need to challenge our cells. We need to challenge our mobility. We need to challenge our strength. We need to challenge our immunity. We need to challenge our mind. There are many ways to practice these challenges. Here are the three main ones: Every day make sure that you experience a little bit of being: Sweaty, Hungry and Cold. Sweaty means you’ve strengthened your body’s ability to be functional by moving, exercising, being active. Hungry means you’ve strengthened your digestive and cellular system by letting the body digest, rest and rebuild. Cold means you’ve strengthened your immune system by exposing your body to colder temperatures. Try to develop regular: Movement Habits Fasting Habits Body Tempering Habits ...
