Eating Rituals

[Gabe]

You are reading from "Creative Visualization" by Shakti Gawain...
(I highly recommend this book)

Eating Rituals

Many people have negative concepts relating to food. We are afraid the food we eat is going to make us fat, or make us sick (unhealthy). Yet we tend to compulsively continue eating the very foods we fear, thus creating inner stress and conflit, and eventually creating the feared effects - overweight and illenss.
Also, many people are very unconscious while they eat. We are so busy talking and thinking of other things, we fail to tune in to the delicious, satisfying taste and nutrition of our food.
Eating is a really magic ritual, an amazing process in which various forms of energy from the universe are transformed into the energy that forms our bodies. Whatever we are thinking and feeling at the time is part of the alchemy.
Here is a ritual to practice at least once a day if possible, no matter what you are eating.
Sit down with your food in front of you. Close your eyes for a moment, relax, and take a deep breath. Silently thank the universe for this food and thank all the beings who helped provide it, including the plants and animals and the people who grew it and prepared it for you.
Open your eyes and look at the food, really observe what it looks like. Observe how it smells. Slowly begin to eat it; really be aware of and enjoy the taste. As you are eating, talk to yourself silently in your mind, and tell yourself that this food is being transformed into life energy for your use. Tell yourself that your body is using everything that it needs, and easily eliminating anything that it doesn't need. Picture yourself becoming healthier and more beautiful as a result of eating the food. Do this regardless of any other previous concepts you may have of how good or bad the food is for you.
Eat slowly, stop when you feel satisfied, and take a moment or two after you finish to enjoy the pleasant warm glow that emanates from your stomach when it is satisfied and happy.

I think a huge part of eating problems of any kind stem from not being mindful of how, when and what we eat. I like this because it puts the focus on what we are doing and includes gratitude.