Step 1: Arriving at Food
We realize that we are in the presence of food, and that we have careful work ahead. We become aware that food has come into our personal space. This may sound simple, but is actually more difficult than you might think. Food is so abundant in our society that we can eat and not even know that we’ve made a choice to eat. Before you begin eating, become silent for 30 seconds and take a close look at the food, noticing the colors, shapes and arrangement of the food. Bring your face close to the food and enjoy the aromas and imagine eating each food attentively and on purpose.
Step 2: Awakening
Means we pay attention to all aspects of the food. We learn to appreciate all aspects of the food that we’ve long forgotten or have taken for granted. When we awaken, we notice the sensations of the food, such as taste, change of flavors, texture and aromas. At this time we can also look deeper to appreciate the effort, resources and sacrifices within each food as well.
Awakening Exercise (Five Bite Encounter)
- Bite #1: Pick up one bite and look at it before you eat it. Notice its shape, colors, shadings and curls. Now, eat this bite with simple mindfulness. Take your time and be aware of each chew. Make this bite a Basic Mindful Bite.
- Bite #2: You’re going to notice the flavor of this bite as you eat it. Put it in your mouth and chew it slowly and thoroughly. Pay attention to the tastes you experience. Keep chewing until it’s completely chewed up, and then swallow. Stop. Notice the aftertaste. Enjoy the bite!
- Bite #3: With the next bite, you’re going to notice textures. Pick up the third bite and look at it. Then, put it in your mouth, but don’t chew right away. Move your tongue around the bite and notice its edges, roughness, softness, etc. Then, begin chewing and pay attention to how the texture changes. Chew slowly and thoroughly, and then swallow.
- Bite #4: Chewing creates noises, and with the next bite, you’ll pay special attention to the sounds of eating. Put the bite in your mouth and begin chewing. Listen carefully to every chew. Hear the sound of the chewing and how that sound changes over time. Even when the bite is thoroughly chewed, there is still some sound. Swallow after you have completely chewed the bite.
- Bite# 5: In every food there is a little suffering. Some plant or animal had to expend energy and possibly give its life so you could have food. With this fifth bite think about the plant/animal and eat it with gratitude, thankful to the plant/animal for its life. Chew slowly, completely and quietly. Swallow when you are done.
If you want more bites, please help yourself, but with each bite continue to use the techniques that you have learned. The goal here is to enjoy each bite of whatever food you want to use- and be fully in the moment. By awakening to food, you allow yourself to eat any food. But you establish a new way of eating it- with care and attention. Over time, you may find that you’re eating much less of the food, but that you’re enjoying it far more than you ever did before.
Step 3: Tuning In
Tuning in is paying attention to our own bodies as we eat. We notice the movement of muscles, limbs, lips, teeth and tongue. It’s when we tune in to our level of hunger. We are in touch with our need for food and we know when to stop eating. Any time that you want to bring more mindfulness to your eating, you can use this technique to tune into yourself, bringing your mind fully on the act of eating.
Practice: How Many Chews?
This practice requires you to become aware of how many chews it takes for you to chew your food completely. You can use this activity with any food that must be chewed up.
- Take a normal bite of food. Begin to count the chews as you chew it up. If you can, make this bite a basic mindful bite. Be sure that the food is completely chewed up before you stop counting. Whatever number you came up with is your baseline number of chews. With any bite of food at any time, you can use this baseline number as your general goal for the number of chews to use.
- Next, take a bite of the same food, but make it smaller than the normal bite. Again, count the chews and make this a mindful bite. Did the smaller amount of food reduce the number of chews needed?
- Now, take a normal bite, but this time, chew it twice as fast as normal, counting the chews. Did the increased speed make any difference in how many chews are needed?
- Now, take a normal bite but this time, chew it twice as slow as normal, counting the chews. Did the decreased speed make any difference in how many chews are needed?
Step 4: Service
Service including being aware of all the activities that surround food and eating. From setting the table to putting away the last piece of clean silverware. Service to food provides endless opportunities to be attentive to our lives. When we adopt a careful, deliberate way of behaving with any action involving food , we help ourselves stay in the moment and heighten the degree by which we honor food.
Practice: Putting away the Dishes
After the dishes have been washed, the job of putting away dishes has to be done. This is noble work, important work. Approach the task not as an obligation but as a wonderful opportunity to dwell in the present and to honor yet another aspect related to eating. Don’t put away the dishes just to get on to something else. Rather, put away the dishes to put away the dishes, fully aware of each moment. You can use the same approach to any task having to do with kitchen work, such as setting the table, clearing the table, loading the dishwasher or even washing the dishes.
As you empty the dish drainer or dishwashing machine, take each item one at a time.
- Keep your mind fully on the item, its use, its characteristics, its feel.
- Put each item away slowly, carefully. Place it in the cupboard or in the drawer so carefully you make no sound. (This takes practice and patience!) Be aware of your muscles and your movements. Feel the weight of each item and sense how your body interacts with it. Sense that you’re doing sacred work here.
- If some of the dishes are still wet or damp, dry them slowly and thoroughly with a towel. Savor each moment as you prepare the items for putting away.
- If your mind wanders to other thoughts, simply bring it back onto the task at hand.
- Continue this way until all the dishes are put away.