Mindful Eating

This food is the gift of the whole universe

Eating a meal mindfully is a meditative practice. Looking deeply into the food, we realize that many elements, such as the rain, sunshine, earth, air and love, have all come together to form this wonderful meal. In fact, through this food we see that the entire universe is supporting our existence.

We should take our time as we eat, chewing each mouthful at least 30 times, until the food becomes liquefied. This aids the digestive process. Let us enjoy every bite of our food and the presence of our friends and family members around us. Let us establish ourselves in the present moment, eating in such a way that solidity, joy and peace be possible during the time of eating. Eating in silence, the food becomes real with our mindfulness and we are fully aware of its nourishment.

Upon finishing our meal, we take a few moments to notice that we have finished, our bowl is now empty and our hunger is satisfied. Gratitude fills us as we realize how fortunate we are to have had this nourishing food to eat, supporting our lives.