Mindful eating: for presence
It wasn’t too long ago we heard of ancestors offering gratitude and prayer to their meals and food.
In modern world, we may feel the immense gratitude for our fave Starbucks latte, but do we take a moment to offer thanks?
Deeper than just a thank you for our meals and food, an intention offers a state of presence.
When we find presence, we become present in the very moment. This is a magical place to be. With presence, comes stillness and we can tune into the body deeper. Our body, the house of the senses allows us to feel our experiences. When we mindfully eat, we can smell, taste, see, feel, and hear everything in the experience.
This stillness offers the state of gratitude with love and joy not far behind. When we intentionally choose to be in this state; we can also appreciate our bodies and their functions on a new level. The connection back to the body is what makes our mental state feel at ease. We can also witness our habits with eating; and the foods we choose and their affect on our mind and body
So what are some tips for mindful eating?
Taking a few breaths before eating. Inhale and exhale deeply into the body. You may close your eyes or simply just concentrate your awareness into the belly area.
Give thanks! Mentally or out loud, adding a mantra that feels aligned for you.
Slow the pace. Chew the food fully and allow your mouth break down the enzymes to properly digestion.
Take 100 steps after your meal. This is an Ayurvedic tip to help your digestion.
Use mudra. Mudras are hand gestures that work on moving prana through the energy body. If you have issues digesting or experience gas, bloating or indigestion taking samana mudra (bring all finger tips together breathing for 30 seconds) after you eat.
Taking any or all of these steps can bridge the connection back to the body, bringing you in the state of now.
What you focus on grows, so finding gratitude for the simplest, yet large part of our days, can help us feel more content, at peace and ease in the chaos of the modern world!
Let us know your thoughts, and Happy Thanksgiving to our fellow Canadians!
