Greetings friends!
When I was in my corporate career, my days were made up of rushing from one meeting to another. I’d often eat at my desk just to catch a breath (yes, I’m an introvert and need my alone time to regroup). While wolfing down my lunch, I’d either be checking e-mail or preparing for my next meeting. Actually not catching a breath. I prided myself for being a super multi-tasker. Is this you?
A great way to actually catch a breath in the middle of a hectic day is to become present as we eat. A ritual a friend of mine does prior to starting a meal is to bow her head and feel and express gratitude for the meal. She grew up in a household where there often wasn’t enough to eat among eight siblings. Expressing gratitude helps her remember not to take a full meal for granted. I love this ritual because we can use it to come to presence, connect with our body, and turn on all our senses as we eat.
Mindful eating lowers stress. It also helps us make conscious choices about whether we are hungry, what we eat, when we stop, resulting in better health and even weight loss. We get to examine our relationship with food and transform it.
This week’s practice is to eat one meal a day mindfully. Turn off devices and be ready to savor the experience of at least one meal a day. If you’re with others, invite them into this experience. Taking a deep breath, you can choose to express gratitude for the meal in front of you. Start by connecting with your body. How hungry are you? Taking another deep breath notice what emotions are present, accepting what’s here. Now look at the colors of the meal on your plate. Take in the aroma. Savor the first bite. Experience how it feels in your mouth. Is it crunchy or smooth? Is there a sound as you eat it? How does the texture change as you chew. Experience the flavor. You can choose to put the fork down between bites as a way of pausing and reconnecting with your body. Notice when you feel full. See if you want to stop eating then. Once your meal is done, take a few moments to take in the impact of this savoring experience.
Wishing you a mindful week!
P.S. One-Minute Mindfulness are short reads that give you a practice a week so you can experience being mindful in the activities you’re already doing. If you’d like to learn and create mindfulness habits with teammates and friends, please share this link to sign up.
P.P.S. I would love for you to share your experience or questions from this practice in the comments below.
