MINDFUL EATING

All this talk about being mindful during yoga or now intensati have you ever stopped to think about being mindful while you eat? Sadly I must admit that I come from a family of inhalers with our food and I have to say I see with one of my children that I've passed this trait on. So often we are rushing through dinner to get to an activity or back to the television or to homework and we don't take the time to enjoy each others company or the food in front of us.
So often we eat mindlessly, stuffing food into our mouths while working on the computer, watching TV or driving in the car. Too often our food is gone before we knew we even ate to begin with. While you are in the midst of enjoying the holiday season and all the wonderful food in front of you try to remember that the pleasure of eating lies in slowing down and fully experiencing all of the elements of food. Take some time to explore a bit more with your food and start to take notice and you will be amazed on how much better it can taste, how much more enjoyable it can be and even how much less you might be eating because you've taken the time to enjoy each bite. This may seem like a silly exercise but try it with your family next time you are all at the dinner table. Just the discussion and exercise alone with certainly make for a different dinner experience and maybe atleast for one meal make you all a bit more mindful of the food on your plate.

Things to explore:
Sight, Smell, Touch, Tast, Texture, Swallow, Breath, Silence.
Look at your food and then maybe bring it to your nose and experience the scent of what you are about to eat. Touch what you are going to eat and then try to experience the moment it touches your lips, tongue, teeth, etc...Begin to chew the food slowly this time, more chews than you've ever have. Chewing leads to smoother digestion. Become aware of the taste, it is juicy or sour or sweet. As you continue to chew notice the consistency and texture of the food. Take a few extra chews before you swallow the food and then take a breath. Bring the same quality of breath that you gave to the rest of the process and then sit for minute and think about what you just ate.

What comes from this is a better understanding of yourself I think and your relationship to food. Not only that but the realization of just how good (or even bad) the food really is and what it meant to you to be able to eat it. Don't forget just how much time you put into getting this food on the table either. Enjoy it all and let it be amazing!