A Mindful Eating Practice

We can take a food for granted. Eating hurriedly, distracted by newspapers and television as we munch away. We have coffee to go, food to go. It is important to stop from time to time to appreciate the food we are so lucky to have. For this practice, you will need one small piece of food. Something simple is all you need — a single raisin, a grape, a segment of orange, a square of chocolate, or even just a plain cracker. Whatever you choose, place it somewhere within easy reach before settling down to listen. Photo by by Farknot on Envato. Music warm-rain-145528 by Roman Dudchyk

Transcript

Dear friends, Welcome to this meditation practice of mindful eating. If you have seen the information about this meditation, You will probably be sitting down with a piece of food near at hand. But in case you still have to find a piece of food, We'll begin by having one minute of restful music to enable you to organise yourself. Welcome back. The first instruction is to make sure you're sitting comfortably. You might even have a meditation place where you sit regularly. Establishing such a place will be a huge help to you in your practice. But wherever you are sitting, Relax and allow yourself to simply be. Take a moment to arrive. There's no need to rush, To think ahead, Even to think that this is a mindful eating meditation. Right now, Just allow yourself to arrive fully in this wonderful present moment. Feel the weight of your body against the chair or the cushion, And notice the ground beneath your feet. Notice how gravity holds you to this good earth, Without requiring any cooperation on your part. Next, Bring yourself to a place of further relaxation by taking in a deep breath. And as you breathe out, Let go of any worries or concerns. Let any worries or concerns leave you, Just as easily as your breath leaves your body. Enjoy the fact that you are alive. Here, In this present moment. Maybe another deep breath in, And another relaxing breath out. Now on to this subject of mindful eating. We spend so much of our lives eating on the run. Eating while scrolling on our phones. Eating while watching TV. Eating automatically or in a hurry. We can even have the habit of eating food, Almost without noticing what it is. This meditation is an invitation to be present. To actually show up for something we do every single day. This act of eating. Eating mindfully, Not only gives rise to feelings of gratitude. But taking your time to eat, And noticing that we are eating, Will help us avoid the habit of eating more than we need. It might even help us avoid becoming overweight or obese. Of course, We can't expect to go through the process of mindful eating every day. Every single time. But if we could make a habit of carrying out this exercise from time to time. It will help us have a greater appreciation of our food. And it will bring about a sense of gratitude and thankfulness. So now we'll begin. And before you reach for your food, Take a moment to notice your body. Bring your attention especially to your mouth. Notice the inside of your mouth right now, Without putting anything in it. Is there saliva there? Or maybe your mouth is dry? Maybe there is a faint taste lingering from an earlier meal, Or a snack that you've had. Next, Bring your awareness to your stomach. It might help to place your hand on your stomach. Do you feel a sense of emptiness? Maybe a feeling of hunger? Or maybe you feel full if you've had a meal a little while ago. But again, There's no need to evaluate. Just notice. What we're doing is just a little bit of a test. What we're doing here is seeing how it feels in the body just now. You want to become really present. The next step is to slowly reach for your piece of food. And hold it between your fingers. There's no need to put it in your mouth just yet. Because this requires a little examination. So hold the piece of food, And look at it. Pay attention. Really look at this piece of food, As if you've never seen this thing before. Just imagine, Say you have arrived on earth for the first time. And someone has handed you this, And told you, This is what humans eat. See if you like it. So in that spirit, Examine this piece of food with curiosity. Notice its colour. Is it one colour? Or has it a variety of colours? And what about its contours? Maybe it's a biscuit with ridges. Whatever it is you've chosen, Does the light catch it differently from different angles? All this means we are paying attention. Look at the surface of the food. Is it smooth? Rough? Wrinkled? Shiny? Whatever? And notice its shape. Turn it around slowly. And notice that this particular piece of food has never existed before. And it will never exist again. There may be other pieces that seem to be the very same as this. Just in the same way as each of us is unique, Even though there may not be dramatic differences between us. Each one of us is unique. Again, Take a slow breath as you keep noticing the food. Now, Close your eyes, Or simply let your gaze soften. And see if you can explore the food with your fingers alone. What does the texture feel like? Is it firm? Or soft? Smooth? Or uneven? Does it yield slightly when you press it? Or does it hold its shape? Is it cool to the touch? Or has it warmed a little from the heat of your hand? Notice its weight. It may be small, But even so, Here it is. It exists in this world. Solid. Real. Present. Just like you. Slowly bring the food up to your nose. Hold it close and notice its smell. Has it any smell at all? Just notice if it has a smell, But don't try to put a name on the smell. At this stage, You've seen your food. You've held it and examined it. Notice what effect this has on your body. Does your mouth begin to water? Does your stomach begin to rumble in anticipation of something to eat? Just continue, For now, To notice. The next step is to bring this piece of food to your lips. And then place it on your tongue, But don't chew it just yet. Simply let it rest on your tongue and notice the sensation. Does this food remind you of anything? A person? A place? A time of year? A holiday? A kitchen somewhere in your past? You might find now that your mouth begins to respond, Producing saliva. You might have an inclination just now to chew and swallow the food. But first, Pause to notice the flavour. And again, Don't try to put a name on the flavour. Remember, What you're trying to do is to experience this food as if for the very first time. Now, Very slowly, Begin to chew. Just one or two chews at first, And then pause again. Notice the texture of the food changing. Notice how it breaks down. How it releases more flavour. How it becomes something different from what it was. Do you have to bite hard? Notice the food as it moves around your mouth. Continue chewing slowly, More slowly than feels natural. And notice how many chews it takes before you feel ready to swallow. Sometimes, Out of habit, We swallow before we've even tasted our food. And finally, It's time to let it go. Swallow, And notice the sensation of swallowing. The food actually going into your system. Sit now for a moment of quiet attention. Your mouth is empty. Food is gone. This particular piece of food, Which will never exist again, Has now become part of you. It has passed from the great world outside, Inside your body. And isn't it amazing how, Despite all our differences, Our diets, Our preferences, The food which we eat goes to nourish and support us. So many different foods, And yet all providing nourishment of one kind or another. Now let's return to the breathing again. Breathing in a sense of awareness of our food, And breathing out a sense of gratitude for all that we have. How lucky we are that we have food to eat. And you know, This is such a simple practice, This mindful eating. We don't need a special cushion, Special chair, No need for a quiet room. All we have to do is to slow down, Just once in a while. Break the habit of mindless eating, And really notice and pay attention with gratitude to our food. I'd like to end this reflection with a quote from the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh. This is used in his wonderful Plum Village community in France. It's called The Five Contemplations. This food is a gift of the whole universe, The earth, The sky, And the hard loving work of numerous living beings. May we eat with mindfulness and gratitude, So as to be worthy to receive this food. May we recognize and transform unwholesome mental formations, Especially our greed, And learn to eat with moderation. May we keep our compassion alive by eating in such a way that reduces the suffering of living beings. Stops contributing to climate change, And heals and preserves our precious planet. We accept this food so that we may nurture our brotherhood and sisterhood, Build our community, And nourish our ideal of serving all living beings. Namaste.

Reviews

Hi, Tony, Thanks for recording this mindful eating meditation. Gratitude and consideration for the food we eat every day is so important, not only in appreciating what we have, but also in understanding our relationship to the world we’re part of.
I especially appreciate your reminder to recognize that the foods we have eaten all our lives have been put to work as the very building blocks of our bodies! If I ever need a reminder of the interbeing of all things, I need look no further than my little finger, and to wonder what bit of broccoli, turkey, bean or potato chip—eaten long ago—might be incorporated there!
As always, Tony, insightful and inspiring thoughts to contemplate! Thank you,
Donna

Thank you, dear Tony, for highlighting the benefits of mindful earing. It helps us to appreciate what we see, smell and taste more and more. Food was never meant to be fast and without appreciation. And Thich Nhat Hanh’s quote is so rich of meaning and trurh. Let’s keep on being grateful and cherish what we drink and eat. Namaste 🤓🙏🏻