Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life

Breathing in, I know that I am angry. Breathing out, I know that I must take care of my anger. Breathing in, I know that anger is still here. Breathing out, I know that anger is in me and I know that mindfulness is in me also. Breathing in, I know that anger is an unpleasant feeling. Breathing out, I know that this feeling has been born and will di

Most books about nutrition and diet stress the calorie content of foods, saturated fats, trans fats, carbohydrates, portion size, and the balance between energy intake and energy expended. This book is different. This book is not only about what to eat. This book also teaches how to eat.

When practiced to its fullest, mindful eating turns a simple meal into a spiritual experience, giving us a deep appreciation of all that went into the meal’s creation as well a deep understanding of the relationship between the food on our table, our own health, and our planet’s health.

The First Noble Truth is that all of us have suffering in our lives. None of us can escape from it. The Second Noble Truth is that we can identify the causes of our suffering. The Third Noble Truth is that we can put an end to our suffering and that healing is possible. Finally, the Fourth Noble Truth is that there are paths to free us from sufferi

If you are eating with others, steer mealtime conversations toward the food: acknowledge the local farmer who grew your lettuce and tomatoes, thank the person who prepared the salad; or talk about other topics that help nourish your gratitude and connection to your food and each other. Refrain from hashing over work or the latest atrocities in the

Practicing mindfulness can help us avoid the external cues that trap us, avoid mindless eating, and focus in on the practices that keep us healthy.

The Five Contemplations 1. This food is the gift of the whole universe: the earth, the sky, numerous living beings, and much hard, loving work. 2. May we eat with mindfulness and gratitude so as to be worthy to receive it. 3. May we recognize and transform our unwholesome mental formations, especially our greed, and learn to eat with moderation. 4.

at the empty plates in front of us that we were eager to fill with the scrumptious food that Chef Sati had assembled in the middle of the table. He gently exclaimed, “It’s so wonderful for us to be together, and I am so grateful we can share this dinner because in many other parts of the world, our empty plates might remain empty for a long time. E

In all the practice centers in the tradition of Plum Village (Thich Nhat Hanh’s monastery in France), whenever the phone rings or the clock chimes in the dining hall, people stop everything they are doing and breathe