Eating with attention
Not a diet: a way of being present with a meal. Many traditions give thanks and eat slowly.
Buddhist monasteries, Christian graces, Jewish blessings, Sikh langar, Indigenous thanksgivings to the land: many cultures pause before eating. The point is not rules. It is noticing that this food, this hand and this moment are not separate.
Try it with one mouthful
- Look at the food for a breath. Where did it come from? Who grew it, carried it, cooked it?
- Take one mouthful slowly. Notice taste, texture and temperature as they change.
- Notice the urge to rush on to the next bite, without judging it.
- Carry on eating however you like.
If eating is a hard area for you, be gentle. Beat (beateatingdisorders.org.uk) offers UK support for eating disorders.
Try a practice
Sources and further reading
Credit: Inspired by mindful-eating practice in the Plum Village tradition and by graces across many faiths, in our own words.