Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life

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

consciously, releasing all thinking and any tension.

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.

May I be peaceful, happy, and light in body and spirit. May I be safe and free from injury. May I be free from anger, afflictions, fear, and anxiety. May I learn to look at myself with the eyes of understanding and love. May I be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in myself. May I learn to identify and see the sources of ang

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

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

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.

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