We are a few days into the new year and I’m wondering how you are doing with your resolutions? Did you make any? Joined a gym and promised yourself to go three times a week? Promised yourself you would watch your diet? If you did, and you find yourself failing to keep your promises, perhaps modify your resolution. Simply add a few words to your promises: that you will put into practice your resolution with love, mindfulness and gratitude. In this way, the energy will bless and support your goal.
For example, as you prepare food for a meal, do so with an attitude of mindfulness and appreciation instead of in a distracted or hurried frame of mind. Years ago, a Buddhist chef of a vegetarian restaurant told me that if any of his staff arrived at work in a foul mood, they were sent home. He said that their negative energy is imparted into the food that’s being prepared, and that is then imparted to the dining guests when they partake in their meal. If the chef is angry, customers eat that anger. If customers eat anger, they will become angry. If they are anguished, customers eat that anguish and become anguished themselves. Or frustrated, or sad, or….
Buddhist monks have long recognized the meditative benefit of preparing food mindfully and prayerfully. Contemplate the origin of the food and give thanks for the farmers, the soil, weather conditions, rivers, fields, forests, wildlife (such as bees), the grocers, and the almighty seed. This practice of contemplation is thought to increase the energy and nutritional value of the food we put in our body. If we can see the connection between our food and the abundance of nature and the universe together with those who grew and gathered the food, we will never eat alone again.
The best way to appreciate food of course is to enjoy a meal with friends or family or a community. We’ve just been through the holiday season where we celebrated social bonding and communion with those we love. We appreciated the food and the opportunity to be together and therefore strengthened our bonds of love and understanding. We cooked with pleasure (hopefully) and gave thanks (hopefully) and prayed for those less fortunate and hopefully committed an act of kindness for them.
So before you take your next bite into 2017, remember to eat slowly, chewing your food with gratitude, allowing your body to be fully nourished in the meditative moment. Prepare, eat and share your food mindfully. Mindfulness in everything you do is a resolution you cannot fail at.