Shopping As A Spiritual Practice

Even though I logically there is probably a book about everything, this one both surprised me, and pleased me (ah I am not a novice at this spiritual practice):

An Excerpt from Attention Shoppers! The Woman's Guide to Enlightenment Through Shopping by Eve Eliot

Eve Eliot suggests ways to make your shopping a path to personal growth. A first step is to assess why you shop. Here are 31 reasons.

"Shop to devote time to your self
Shop to "save money" because stuff is on sale
Shop as a kind of ritual with a personal meaning
Shop to avoid gaining insight
Shop to gain insight
Shop to avoid sitting still
Shop to fit in
Shop as a distraction from building relationships
Shop to avoid writing the book, cleaning the basement or washing the floor
Shop as a way of expressing your "wild "side
Shop as a way to feel in control because every shopping decision is yours
Shop as a way to fill empty time, which might otherwise bring anxiety
Shop as a way to deny anger, grief, fear, guilt, shame or any other unwanted emotion
Shop as a way to provide stimulation when bored
Shop to have something to obsess about so you can avoid something else
Shop as a form of self-nurturing
Shop as a form of "consuming" without taking in calories.
Shop to rebel
Shop to "make someone happy"
Shop to "make someone angry"
Shop as a form of temper tantrum
Shop to postpone doing the next thing
Shop to obtain a sense of centeredness in your body
Shop to avoid experiencing yourself in your body
Shop to" transform" your life with the perfect shoes or lamp
Shop to spend money in order to feel powerful
Shop to bolster the belief that beauty and perfection are, finally, attainable
Shop because you will not forgive yourself
Everybody is unique.
Compare not yourself with anybody else lest you spoil God's curriculum.
— Baal Shem TovShop in order to forgive yourself
Shop to escape
Shop to find your self."

found on www.spiritualityandpractice.com

and if shopping is a way to enlightenment, I am sure eating out must be too. This means I have so got it made, right?

And just as I was feeling as much smug as I was humorous, I hit a different key on the wonderful website Spirituality & Practice. Up came the spiritual practice of the day with this quote:

 Everybody is unique.
Compare not yourself with anybody else lest you spoil God's curriculum.
— Baal Shem Tov