*Update: New food meditation tracks added.
I know what you’re thinking – ‘Meal meditation and mindfulness’? What on earth is that? Well, we’ve been forced to slow down and embrace mindfulness across all our consumption choices, including our food. We have also learned to greatly appreciate what we have in front of us and not take for granted that it will just be there, like we have become used to in the last few decades. This meal meditation and mindfulness for wellbeing only takes a few minutes. It is the perfect way for you to connect with the most intimate material of all – food.
How to practice a Meal Meditation:
For beginners: If you have never practiced a food meditation before, start small. Begin with a snack, perhaps some bite-sized pieces of fruit. All you need is a quiet room (or headphones in a not-so-quiet room) and to be present, in the moment. It’s an indulgent, sensual experience and makes an unforgettable connection with everyday food including bananas, oranges, grapes…
For seasoned meal meditators: From downward dog, move slowly into a handstand. Just kidding! Once you’re able to tackle the experience with a single item of food (like the fruit mentioned above), try this before you eat a meal, with your plate in front of you. You will be surprised by how much difference a small pause makes to the way we perceive our food. Thinking about the vast and complex processes that go in to each element that makes up what seems like a regular meal will surprise you.
How to incorporate a Meal Meditation into your lifestyle:
This doesn’t mean once you’re back at the office or on date night you need to stare at your plate for five minutes with headphones in. No, you will just be more aware, appreciative and celebratory about every morsel you have in front of you. And not only is it fun and make you feel slightly transformed every time you do it, but this conscientiousness can also help solve larger, more complex issues our global food systems face today. We collaborated with different artists to create a variety of options for you. Pick which ones feels right for you, or switch them up every time you meal meditate! Enjoy!
The Meal Meditation sessions are often featured as a part of Food For Thought, a series of conversations around food, our bodies and our minds. Here’s a link to a food meditation I hosted during The TRUE Lifestyle podcast series.
I absolutely love this! Food is such a passion…and I’m always grateful for the experiences I’ve had with (and without) food all over the world. For me, food is a combination and amalgamation of the ingredients and the elements around me. The natural, the better! And it’s best when prepared with love. Forever thankful and gratitude always!
Being mindful while eating is one of the higher forms of spirituality and meditating – I would recommend that everyone try it, and this course is a great way to start off with it. Loved and truly enjoyed my session with Jashan!
Omg, while I was reading this I also thought about the brief moment of prayer before eating. I haven’t been doing it as much in adulthood, but in retrospect, I think it really makes you appreciate the food, think of where it came from and how it is going to help your body.