Mindful eating in parashat Ekev.
In this week's Torah portion,
Ekev,
We learn about the blessings and the warnings given to Am Yisrael,
The children of Israel,
If they don't follow the commandments and keep the covenant that God made with them.
The blessings include fertility of the land,
Fertility of the people,
Health,
And protection from enemies,
Just to name a few.
We ought to be aware of all the good we have and not take it for granted.
We should be careful not to get haughty and think that all blessings come from us.
The goodly land of Israel is described to us in the Torah.
A land of wheat and barley,
Vines and figs and pomegranates,
A land of olive oil and dates,
We shall always have bread and we shall lack for nothing.
So after we filled our stomachs and feel satiated,
We're commanded to bless God who has given us this good land.
So we're required to try and cultivate appreciation of all the good we have around us.
Blessing God,
Which is mentioned here in the Torah,
Is the source for the commandment to bless our food after we've eaten,
Be'rekat hamazon,
Or grace after meals.
God is the giver of all food,
Hazan et hakol,
And we are receivers of his care.
This food and this land that grows the food is not to be taken for granted.
This is one lesson that we need to take with us as well,
To appreciate all the good around us.
One way to do this is to start a mindful eating practice.
Mindful eating is about paying attention to what we eat and how much we eat by using our senses to be fully present in the experience.
This means practicing awareness before,
During,
And after eating to fully experience the process of eating.
Mindful eating can improve body image,
Weight,
And digestive health.
Eating mindfully centers around thoughts,
Emotions,
And sensations during meals.
Here are a few examples.
Thoughts.
Where did the ingredients come from?
How and by whom was it prepared?
What are the colors,
Smells,
And textures?
Emotions.
What kind of emotions does this food evoke?
Happiness,
Disgust,
Guilt,
Satisfaction?
Do the smells bring back any memories?
Physical sensations.
How hungry am I right now?
What are the feelings of satisfaction versus fullness?
You can experience more enjoyment from the food you consume by shifting your focus from multitasking to only eating.
Then you can taste your food and reflect on each bite.
Here's how to practice mindful eating.
Some general tips for getting started.
Number one,
Remove distractions.
Removing distractions like phones,
Televisions,
And books will allow you to focus only on your meal or your snack.
Number two,
Mindful eating can start at the grocery store.
In fact,
It could even start with your grocery list.
Look at your list of items and consider each one.
How will it be used?
How did the item get to the grocery store?
Maybe farmers,
Distributors,
Stock people.
Number three,
Pause when you feel hungry.
Sometimes other emotional states like stress or boredom can feel like hunger.
Pausing to consider whether you're really hungry before eating can help sort out the difference between physical hunger and other needs.
If you'd like to try this practice now,
Take a moment or put this practice on pause to get something to eat.
It could be a small piece of fruit,
Let's say a raisin,
A piece of chocolate,
A nut like an almond,
Or really anything.
Number four,
Slow down before eating.
So before starting to eat your snack or your meal,
Take a couple of minutes to pause and think about the food you're about to eat.
Approach it with curiosity.
Pretend like you've never seen it before.
What colors are in this piece of food or on your plate?
What shape or what texture do you see?
What do you smell?
Bring this piece of food up to your nose.
Notice any smell.
Are there any sounds to the food?
Would you like to try to put the piece of food up to your ear and see if it makes any sounds?
And if this is a handheld food,
What does it feel like in your hand?
Is it pleasant?
Is it unpleasant?
Take a couple of minutes now to experience the food with your eyes,
With your nose,
With your ears.
Try holding it up to the light.
If you like you can take a moment to be thankful for everyone who made it possible for you to be eating this food.
And number five,
Slow down while eating.
Mindfulness is all about fully experiencing the present moment.
The only way to do that is to slow down each action during the eating process.
Chew each bite of your food before swallowing.
Notice the flavor in your mouth.
Take pauses to check in with your hunger level.
So if you're ready,
You can bring this piece of food to your lip and see how it feels on your lips.
And what's going on inside your stomach in your mouth?
And now gently open your mouth and place the piece of food inside.
You can roll it around on your tongue or the roof of your mouth.
You can keep it in your mouth.
Notice if there's an urge to swallow or to chew and if you've already done so that's okay.
Take as long as you want in this practice,
Really experiencing whatever food you're eating right now.
And when you're ready to chew the food and to swallow the food,
Try to imagine it going down all the way into your stomach.
And after you swallow,
Notice any sensations in your mouth.
What does your tongue want to do right now?
Do you want more?
How does it feel to be eating in this way?
Number five,
Be non-judgmental.
We all have different thoughts and feelings surrounding food.
Acknowledge when any thoughts occur without judging yourself.
Notice any thoughts simply is a thought you have towards food and then move your attention back to all of your senses in the present moment as you eat your meal or snack.
And the last one,
Stop when you're full.
Mindful eating includes focusing on hunger cues and stopping when you're satisfied instead of eating until you're stuffed or have finished all your food.
Some of us were raised that we have to clean our plate and eat all the food on our plate.
Maybe now's a good time to reevaluate that.
Mindful eating may not feel natural at first,
Especially if you're used to eating with distractions all around you.
Consider trying for just one snack or small meal to get started.
Try it out and be open to a more mindful experience with the food you eat.
Our food provides us with the nutrition we need to survive and maintain health by nourishing every organ,
Tissue,
And cell of our body.
Food is literally life.
Whether we bless our food before and after we eat or appreciate what we have on a regular basis and notice that it all comes from sources outside of us,
Mindful eating is a wonderful way to cultivate appreciation and gratitude.
And that can help us be more present and fully enjoy other moments in our life.
Thanks for listening and remember to tune in next week.
