Welcome to the Art of Mindful Eating.
I'm Christina M.
Martin.
Let's begin.
There are three basic steps to eating mindfully.
Number one,
Arrive in presence.
With your meal already plated,
Place it on the table in front of you.
Rest your hands gently in your lap.
Now,
Close your eyes and take two or three deep grounding breaths.
As you breathe,
Take a moment to check in with yourself.
What feelings are present?
Do you feel rushed,
Starving,
Tired,
Anxious?
Simply notice without judgment.
And now ask yourself,
How hungry am I,
Really?
We tend to enjoy our meals the most when we arrive with true hunger.
Too hungry and we might eat too quickly.
Not hungry at all?
Maybe you're here just because it's quote,
Dinner time.
In that case,
Would eating now be kind to your body or could it wait until you're truly ready?
If you're ready,
Take a deep breath.
This time,
Letting your attention drift toward the aroma rising from your food.
What do you notice in the air?
Is your mouth beginning to water?
What sensations arise?
Take another deep breath.
Scan your body.
What physical sensations are here?
Do you feel tightness anywhere?
Fatigue?
What does appetite feel like in your body right now?
Is there a clear desire for food or maybe a sense of flatness or disinterest?
And now one last deep breath.
Tune into your emotional state.
Are you feeling eager,
Anxious,
Stressed,
Excited,
Exhausted?
Anything you notice is welcome here.
The check-in is your way of honoring your body and your experience before the first bite.
There's no rush,
Just awareness,
Curiosity,
And kindness.
Number two,
Open your senses.
Now,
Gently open your eyes and take a moment to truly see your meal.
Notice the colors,
The textures,
The way everything is arranged on your plate.
Let yourself appreciate the beauty of what's in front of you.
As you gaze at your food,
Reflect on everything it took for this meal to reach you.
The farmers who nurtured the crops,
The hands that harvested them,
The drivers who transported them,
The store where you found them,
And everyone in between.
Each step,
Each person was part of a larger web that made this moment possible.
In Buddhism,
This is known as dependent arising.
The idea that everything comes into being because of countless interconnected causes and conditions.
Your meal is not just food.
It's the result of a vast and beautiful network of effort,
Care,
And cooperation.
As you acknowledge this,
Offer silent gratitude for every hand,
Every step,
Every unseen gesture that brought this nourishment to your table.
Number three,
Savor with intention.
Slowly take your hand and pick up your utensil.
Take a small amount of food and begin to bring it toward your lips.
As it nears your mouth,
What do you notice?
Can you smell anything?
Do you feel anticipation,
Curiosity,
Hunger?
Place the food gently in your mouth,
Set your utensil down,
And if it feels comfortable,
Close your eyes.
Let your taste buds explore.
What flavors are there?
Is it salty,
Sweet,
Sour,
Garlicky,
Nutty?
Is there a complexity of taste happening?
Now tune into texture.
Is it creamy,
Crunchy,
Soft,
Crumbly,
Rubbery?
What words would you use to describe it?
Notice the temperature.
Is it hot,
Warm,
Cooling?
How does your mouth respond?
Notice how your jaw knows exactly how hard to chew,
How your tongue moves things around without thinking.
Let yourself be in awe of the body's knowing.
What sounds do you hear as you chew,
Crunching,
Swishing?
Silence?
Just observe.
What's happening in your mind?
Is this strange,
Interesting,
Boring,
Or delightful?
When you're ready,
Swallow.
Can you feel the food moving down your throat,
Your esophagus,
Into your belly?
Time for the next bite.
Pick up your utensil and prepare another small portion.
As you taste,
Do you notice anything new?
Is this bite different from the last?
Taste it.
Savor it.
Slowly.
Are the flavors the same or have they changed?
More intense?
Milder?
Unexpected?
What about the texture?
Is it more creamy,
More crunchy,
Crumbly,
Or just watery?
Temperature check.
Has it shifted?
Still warm?
Cooled down?
And the pleasure?
Has it changed?
Is this bite more enjoyable or less?
Or is it about the same?
Now take your third bite.
Eat it the same mindful way.
As you chew,
Focus especially on your enjoyment.
Is the pleasure fading or building?
How is it compared to that first bite?
Let's take a few quiet moments to explore this fully.
Check in now.
Are you still hungry?
Are you beginning to feel full?
You have two beautiful options.
Continue eating with this slow,
Mindful awareness.
Or simply finish your meal as you normally would.
Either choice is totally fine.
This practice is here to bring you closer to your body,
To pleasure,
And to presence.
I hope this brought a little bit more joy,
Curiosity,
And satisfaction to your meal.
Until next time,
May you continue to savor the moment bite by bite.
Food may be essential as fuel for the body,
But good food is the fuel for the soul.
Malcolm Forbes
