National Pie Week is held annually in the United Kingdom from March 6-12, when the British celebrate one of their staple food favourites.

I am proud to originate from Wigan in Lancashire, England. This town is the undisputed pie capital and home to The World Pie Eating Championships, held annually since 1992. Where I’m from, being crowned “Pie Eaters” is a source of pride. As a teenager, I also worked in a pie shop.

Ask a Wiganer who their favourite pie maker is and the topic will be hotly debated, all in jest of course But deny a Wiganer their instinctive dietary requirement—the pie—and suddenly things become serious.

So why do so many of us love pie? What can the type of pie we eat teach us about our taste choices? And how does any of this relate to our chakras?

First, we need to learn the six tastes, according to ayurveda:

1. Madhura (sweet)

2. Amla (sour)

3. Lavana (salty)

4. Katu (pungent)

5. Tikta (bitter)

6. Kashaya (astringent)

Now we can compare the fundamentals of pies (layers and crust) to the seven chakras: 

>> Violet is associated with the Crown Chakra at the top of the head, and is the colour of an eggplant (aubergine). The Mediterranean pie containing this bitter ingredient has been popular since ancient times in both Greece and Turkey, and the aubergine pie is a rich source of fibre and Vitamin B6, as is this gluten-free moussaka variation.

>> Blackberry picking like Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail—the rabbits of Beatrix Potter—can make for a perfect day out. Returning home with indigo stained fingers, the colour of our Third Eye Chakra, and a bag full of sweet juicy berries full of Vitamin C, is equally as great. Let your intuition find the biggest and best, and get ready to bake.

>> Our Throat Chakra, which allows us to voice our opinions, corresponds with a Canadian favourite, the blueberry pie, also popular in New England. This astringent berry is a fantastic source of manganese and Vitamin K. Raw vegan recipes are simply to die for.

>> The filling of a pie is of course the heart of the dish. Our Heart Chakra is associated with the color green, just like apple pie—a crowd favourite that’s full of fibre right in the center, just like our heart lies in the center of our being. A savoury vegetarian cheese and onion pie, which is a fantastic source of calcium, would also fit the pungent bill here.

>> There are many variations of pie, and not all are known to be covered by pastry. Savoury potato tops are often used, or a cream or meringue topping, as with a lemon pie—akin to the sunny yellow, sour taste, and gut instinct of our Solar Plexus Chakra. Vegans, and those of us who are lactose intolerant, can sample this dairy-free version.

>> Pilgrims in the 17th century crossed the Atlantic to the United States and took their pie recipes with them. Pumpkin pie, with its orange filling full of Vitamin A and potassium, which can be sweet or bitter and savoury, depending on preference, corresponds to the Sacral Chakra. This chakra resides below the belly button and seat of deep emotion.

>> The Root Chakra, located at the base of the spine, governs our human survival instincts and is associated with earthy red, rooted and wholesome. The traditional Lancashire pie is salty and a great source of protein and dopamine. My mum’s own recipe includes meat, potatoes, and a pastry crust, and is a personal favourite of mine.

Our food preferences are governed by our taste buds, and this desire is an indication of the vitamins our bodies require for a strong and healthy constitution. We crave what we require.

Our bodies are containers of sacred emotion with foundations, middle layers, and outer crusts. We can use our gut instincts and inner wisdom to give our chakras, our bodies, and our minds the love that is needed and desired, whilst expressing gratitude for the food we have.

Wherever you originate from and whatever your filling preference, we can celebrate National Pie Week and take this opportunity to delve deep within ourselves and figure out what this humble, yet symbolic food choice can reveal about us. So embrace your pie choice—love it, honour it, savour it, devour it.

What pie will you be eating this week?

 

 

Author: Shelley Dootson-Greenland

Image: YouTube screenshot

Editor: Nicole Cameron