Eating Meditation Practice | Spiritual Healing While Eating

Eating Meditation Practice | Spiritual Healing While Eating

Eating meditation practice involves being completely in present and aware while one is having their food. It also involves eating a nutritious food. Though the latter comes naturally once one follows this meditation practice. Nutritious food are those which has gone through minimum amount of processing and is close to its natural state.

Meditation Practice While Eating

We are generally very unaware of what we eat, how we eat and when we eat. Majority of diseases and problems are caused by our lack of awareness in this part. This is because the proper digestion of food is very essential for all the nutrients to get properly absorbed by the blood and utilised by our body with minimum effort. Tension, stress, adds to the digestion problems and leads to further complications.

The Process of Eating Meditation Practice

You have to stay focused and observe everything that enters your mouth (We are talking about food here). For example while you are having your meal, execute every single step mindfully. when you hold the food, feel its shape, texture, color, temperature etc. At the time of chewing feel different tastes from time to time, if its too hot, if its is cold, if it is salty, if its bland, etc. Do not judge and give comment as in " Oh God, this food is salty etc, just accept everything as it is. Then chew the food properly, mindfully, till the time that morsel of food is almost in liquid state. The great Mahatma Gandhi had once said, Eat your water, and drink your food ". Follow this principle. Do not take your food in a hurry because if we swallow the food without chewing it properly then it may cause several digestive problems and which may distract our mind. Mind and body both are interrelated. Never eat when you are thirsty and never drink when you are hungry. Respect your body and it will give you wonderful results.

At the end of the eating meditation thank the creator or the maker to get the wonderful food at your plate at the time when you hungry. Examples of the positive affirmations or thanks that you can give are-

Thank the farmer who has worked so hard so that you get the best of vegetables, fruits etc.

Thank the chef, your husband, wife, mom, etc who prepared the food for you so that you would not remain hungry.

Thank the transport people who got those vegetables to the city from the villages. etc

You can thank all the people who has helped the food to get to your table.

This meditation can be started with a single item of food such as a fruit, soup, salad etc. Once you are used to it you can extend this meditation to whatever you eat ( which would be the ultimate goal of this meditation practice or exercise). It is advisable not to read newspaper or book, or watch TV, or excessive talking, while you are eating.

One thing to note here is that you don't have to follow a strict bodybuilding diet plan in your routine. But see to it that you include nutritious food in your daily diet which can be easily digested such as fruit, vegetables, grains, and protein. Determine the amount of food intake based upon your metabolism. However, it may change in certain stage if you are in any mental stress such as insecurity, anxiety, and force of habit.

My personal experience :- If you follow this meditation practice regularly you would automatically get an aversion to junk food like fried food, refined foods like pizza, burger, soft drinks etc . Once you are completely aware, your body would just not accept any junk food. It is a matter of fact. And once this happens you can know that you are in the right path and you are progressing on your spiritual effectively. This has happened with me. After following this mediation practice I have stopped drinking colas, etc. In fact even when I desire to drink sometimes, I cannot drink beyond few sips. It tastes horrible.

Foods one can avoid :- Meat, Fish, Eggs, Chilly, fried, refined flour, tinned food, synthetic flavours, foods in which preservatives are used, foods which are stale, alcoholic beverages, wines, excess of salt, soft-drinks ( coca cola, Pepsi etc).

Foods one should eat :- Fresh fruits, vegetables, boiled vegetables, soups, fresh bread (made of whole wheat and other grains), nuts (not in excess), corn, milk, fruit juices, anything which is close to its natural state and which undergoes minimum of processing.