More often than not, we hear elders say to youngsters not to talk while eating. Though our first reaction for such an admonishment would be a sigh or irritation, the intent behind their saying is good.
Let’s see the reasons here. Our ancestors have enjoyed good health and have lived long enough to urge us to focus on our food while eating. The food we eat becomes us. So eating was like a meditation and was done in silence.
The new term for this is ‘mindful eating’ coined by doctors from the West who have found amazing benefits of doing so. Being focused and aware of what we put in our mouth and eating mindfully – in right spirit, right thinking, right mindset and right quantity is mindful eating. Conscious of each morsel of food we have with its rich distinct attributes such as the taste, texture, color, shape, portion size and aroma helps us understand food in its purest form and even extend gratitude to God and the farmer who grew it. The food thus eaten slowly also helps us become aware of our satiety levels and know when to stop eating when we burp! By practicing this way of eating, we help maintain our body that is the temple to our soul, find its purpose in life and help it live effortlessly without any obstacles.
So the next time you have your meal, try following mindful eating and see the difference yourself.
Share your experiences with me!
Keywords – gratitude, mindful eating