Hello and welcome to this guided meditation which is part of a series of meditations looking at things we do every day and trying to find a way to incorporate mindfulness in these activities.
And so today's theme is cooking.
We're going to be having a look at how we can incorporate mindfulness into the process of cooking a meal.
Cooking for yourself or for others can be an expression of self-care,
Of love and compassion,
And being aware in the moment of the food that we are creating,
The ingredients that we are using,
Can be a very powerful experience.
So,
If you are preparing a meal for others,
It doesn't matter whether you are preparing a banquet or whether you're making a quick toasted sandwich for yourself,
You can use this exercise to be grounded to the present and to become fully aware of your actions and experiences in the moment.
And this can be done,
Of course,
By getting whatever ingredients and materials you need together.
And this is an exercise that you can do either while you are actually cooking,
Or this can be an exercise that you do as a visualization prior to cooking,
So that you picture in your mind the processes and the interactions.
Either works,
But perhaps the idea of grounding and incorporating some of these ideas and thoughts into the cooking process would be most beneficial.
So,
Once you have the ingredients and the tools that you need ready,
You're going to gently close your eyes and take a couple of grounding breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth.
And then you're going to visualize the final meal.
You're going to visualize the meal served at the table and you're going to focus your mind one at a time on the ingredients that you intend to use.
And you might also give some thought to your intention behind making this meal.
Is it purely sustenance?
Is it a way of doing something loving for your family or for somebody else?
Is it a treat for yourself?
Consider the intention as you visualize the completed meal and as you picture the ingredients that you're going to use.
And now,
As you open your eyes,
Bring your awareness to your body.
Bring your awareness to your points of contact.
Perhaps your fingers on the kitchen counter,
Your feet on the floor.
And as you move around the kitchen,
Collecting the things that you'll need,
Be aware of the sensations of touch.
Be aware of the sounds you're hearing.
Be aware of any smells that are apparent to you as you handle the different ingredients.
And now,
As you take the utensils you're going to use,
Be it a wooden spoon or a knife,
Feel the weight,
Feel the shape.
And as you chop or prepare or mix the ingredients that you're using,
Bring your attention fully to that one item at a time.
If you're turning on a hot plate or switching on the oven or lighting the gas,
Be aware of that process.
Fully engage with an awareness of the present moment as you cause things to be.
That might be as simple as turning a switch for electricity or lighting the gas.
And maybe spend a moment being aware and even being grateful for where that comes from,
For the countless and unknown people who have worked to enable that electricity current or that gas supply to come to you,
To come to your house,
To be disposable,
Usable by you at your fingertips.
Try to feel that experience with your complete and whole awareness.
Whatever you do in preparing the food,
Bring your attention completely to that activity.
You might like to focus individually on all of your senses.
What is your sense of touch telling you,
Be it your feet on the floor,
Your hands,
Touching items or the weight of items in your hands?
What are you hearing?
The slicing of vegetables,
The knocking of a wooden spoon in a saucepan,
The roaring of a gas flame.
Bring some attention to sight.
And the colors and shapes around you and to the smells.
Maybe you're cutting vegetables and smelling them more vividly.
You might even pick up parts of the ingredients and smell them intentionally and rest with that sensation,
Savoring it.
And of course,
Taste.
Perhaps you taste some of the individual ingredients as you use them.
Rest with that sensation of taste,
Perhaps offering up a moment of gratitude that this is something you are able to do.
And take as long as you need in this process.
If you're actually cooking whilst listening to this track,
Perhaps pause it now and spend the rest of the preparation time listening to the sound of the rest of the preparation time,
Focusing on your five senses and focusing on the present moment.
And now when you've finished preparing the meal,
Visualize how it's going to be served.
What is it going to look like on the plate?
And again,
Pay attention to your senses as you serve the meal,
Perhaps bringing it to a table,
Perhaps arranging it on a plate,
And acknowledge the effort that you have made to produce this meal.
Congratulate yourself,
However simple the meal,
On having achieved a goal,
On having created something that will sustain yourself or others.
And take another moment of gratitude for the water,
The electricity,
The gas that enabled you to prepare the meal,
For having the right implements,
For having the correct ingredients,
For being able to purchase these ingredients,
Maybe even a thought or two,
For how those ingredients got to your supermarket or your market,
To the people who produced them,
Who transported them.
Allow yourself to rest for a moment with a feeling of gratitude to all of that.
Thank you for joining me with this mindfulness meditation today.
I hope as a simple everyday practice,
Mindfulness is something that you can bring to your preparation of meals for yourself or for others.
Bon Appetit.
