Meditation On Mindful Eating

When we have thoughts of wishing our body or our food cravings are different, we may judge ourselves and believe that giving in to these cravings makes us “bad.”  This meditation addresses our relationship with food by tuning into the breath and body, then looking at the parts of us that struggle with food or body images. This practice over time will help us build compassion for ourselves and allow us to feel more ease and self-trust in the choices we make with our food.

Transcript

I'm going to begin with the sound of the bell. So you can just enjoy listening to the sound of the bell. The sound of the bell is heard. So, We'll just begin by feeling your body, However it is right now. Noticing the shape that your body is in. Notice what your body is being supported by right now. It might be the floor, Chair, Cushion, But feel where you have that connection. What's underneath you, What's holding you up? And then beneath that, Sensing into how the whole earth is beneath you through whatever it is you're sitting relying on. You can really rely on the whole earth to support you. So you can release all of your body weight into that support. And really let yourself feel that support. Feel how you're held by the earth. Feel your feet, What your feet are touching, And your legs, Your hips. Feel your back, Your whole back, Shoulder blades, Shoulders. Just noticing how your body is in this moment. Sensing your hands, What your hands are touching, Your arms. Sensing your neck and your head, And your face. And sensing your whole chest, Heart, Lungs, Rib cage, Belly, All the way to your groins. Sensing your whole body, Whole body, My dear body, I know you are there. Sensing any aches or pains that are happening in your body this morning. And if it feels right, You could place a gentle hand on places that aren't feeling great, Just like you're letting them know, I know, I know you're there and not feeling great. And then bringing your attention to the breath in your body. So just beginning to notice where you feel the inhale and where you feel the exhale. So that may be in your belly, The movement of your belly, Or the movement of your chest, Shoulders, Maybe in your throat, Tip of your nose. So just wherever for you the breath is showing up right now. And becoming aware of the inhale as it moves and the exhale as it moves. Beginning and the middle and the end of the inhale, And the beginning and the middle and the end of the exhale. And as you breathe, You're sensing the whole body breathing. It's not a concept of breathing. It's the actual breathing that's happening in your body right now. And then you could stay right here if that's what you need today. Or you could move on with us and just exploring what it is that you wish were different about your eating or your body. Just letting that be in your awareness. Could be a body part that you're not satisfied with or a way that you approach food or eating. But whatever it is, Allow it to be there as you're breathing. And notice what happens in your body as this idea arises. Is there tension, Pressure? Is there an image? Just noticing. When I think about this dissatisfaction, What arises? Maybe take a moment to notice and describe what it is that arises. So if it's a tension in your belly, You might describe it to yourself, Feels like this, Or it has the image like this. So just describing it to yourself and you're still breathing. And we're all here together breathing, Holding this space. And just turning toward this part of you that is having a reaction right now. Not trying to get rid of it, Not trying to change anything, We're just exploring right now. We're just observing right now. And maybe noticing if it feels right, If there's any kind of if only language coming up, Like if only I did X or I ate X or I had this different body or this, Any kind of if only that's coming up, It may or may not be. And if there is, You can just say hello to that. If only XYZ, I would no longer have to suffer some kind of belief that whatever I would gain from this would be permanent. And you might just very gently inquire, Is this true? Am I sure? So we want to be very gentle with whatever arises in us. It's all welcome. It's all beloved. Even if it's causing us to suffer, We want to treat it with tenderness and care. Because everything that arises is in us for a good reason. It believes it wants to help us in some way, Even if it causes suffering in us. Whatever's there is really wanting to help. It believes that what it's saying to you or encouraging you to do is helpful. And you are the one who can hold that and can see that. You are more than that thought, That behavior. And you're breathing in and out, Just getting to know these parts, These monkeys in us, These parts, And reminding ourselves that we are the one that can hold it all. We are more than this. So release any efforting there and just come back to your breath and your body. Breathing in, I can feel I'm breathing in, Breathing out, I can feel I'm breathing out. I can feel I'm breathing out. I can feel I'm breathing out. I can feel I'm breathing out.