.
Today, I would like to discuss
mindful eating.
Sometimes,
especially nowadays,
people have a lot of cravings
for food.
If we do not bring
mindfulness awareness
to how we eat,
then sometimes
our diet could be
a big problem
for our health
and that might affect our mind.
I would like to
discuss that a little bit.
There are three important aspects to this,
which are called “view,”
“meditation,” and “application.”
The view is basic knowledge
from the intellectual aspect.
Most people know
what healthy food is
and that if we eat healthy food,
it is good for our health.
We should also study
how much we should eat
and at what time.
How much, what time,
and what kind of food —
bring awareness to that.
Nowadays, you can look this up on Google.
I do not have to teach you about the view aspect.
The problem sometimes is that
if you have a habit of eating junk food,
there is a craving for it.
Craving is the habit.
Craving stays in
the subconscious mind.
Normally we are not aware of that.
It is hidden.
When that craving comes, we cannot control it.
We will grab and eat junk food.
We will eat food that
we should not eat.
When a craving comes, then what happens?
That craving becomes
a big problem.
We do not know
when the craving will come,
and when the craving becomes stronger
we get out of control.
Here, meditation is very important.
Bring awareness
to your food.
Bring the view into everyday life.
Especially when you feel
this craving to eat junk food,
be with that craving.
At first you may have to learn
basic meditation.
Do breathing meditation for at least
21 days to 1 month.
Every day, do 5 min of breathing meditation.
Just be aware of the breath.
Then you can be aware of that craving.
When you become aware of the craving,
at the beginning it seems like it becomes bigger,
but eventually the craving will go away.
Or it will become a support for awareness,
just like the breath,
and then its power will lessen,
though you still feel the craving.
We will practice
mindful eating together for this meditation.
Please keep your spine loosely straight.
Not too tight, like this,
because then you cannot eat normally.
We are going to eat something.
I have
some nuts here.
How should we eat?
You have to eat slowly and,
especially, you need to chew.
Be aware of
the nuts.
Bring awareness to the food.
Now you will notice the taste.
A little bit salty.
Then you can chew.
The taste becomes a support for awareness.
You can bring
mindfulness to the taste.
There are a lot of different tastes now.
Salt,
butter,
a little bit of sweetness.
The tasting
organ is on the tongue,
on the tip of the tongue.
You can move
the food around
inside the mouth.
You will have saliva,
so mix the food with the saliva
and chew well.
Now there are a lot of tastes.
The taste at the front of the tongue
is different from the taste at the middle.
When you swallow, it is a different taste.
You can enjoy food,
thoroughly.
In a way,
you will
enjoy different tastes,
and the taste becomes support for meditation.
If your mind
and the taste are together,
the food becomes quite healthy.
It will actually help the body.
That is all.
This is what we call
“taste meditation.”
Every day, there is
“application,” the third aspect.
You can apply this during breakfast,
lunch, and dinner every day.
You will have at least three good sessions
of meditation,
and at the same time
the food will taste good.
Buy one,
get one free!
Thank you.