Jennifer May for The New York TimesA mindful meal at the Blue Cliff Monastery.
Readers have posted comments on Jeff Gordinier’s article on mindful eating, along with questions for Dr. Jan Chozen Bays, a pediatrician and meditation teacher in Oregon. Dr. Bays, the author of ”Mindful Eating: A Guide to Rediscovering a Healthy and Joyful Relationship with Food,” responded to a first batch of comments; post yours in the comments section below, or tweet us at @nytdining.
News Flash — Mindful eating has been practiced for thousands of years by Jews. Prayer of thanks depends on the contents of the food, with multiple requirements on preparation, etc. Not sure why it’s described here as Buddhist, per se. — philiphdc, Washington, D.C.
Yes, you are right. Mindful eating doesn’t belong to any religious tradition. The Jewish tradition of blessing the food and wine at Shabbat is a beautiful example of how to bring our awareness to what we are eating and who labored to bring it to us. It makes us aware that our food is a gift and eating it with awareness in a sacred activity.
Way boring. It is easy to make delicious food from the best, healthy ingredients,and including wine, So that there is a lot of talk, some yelling, and lots of fun. Those pictures do not look fun. Buddhists need to laugh, and yell a bit more. — Johnny D., Washington State
Healthy ingredients — yes! As Michael Pollan says, eat real food, not processed “food-like substances.” It’s actually very interesting, and even fun, to eat slowly and with full awareness. You don’t have to do it for the entire meal. At our monastery we eat in silence until seconds are passed, and then we talk. We do laugh quite a bit, too, but if you like yelling at the table, a monastery is not the place to find it.
I notice when I actually pay attention to my food, eating mindfully, I eat far less and feel satiated. I’m unlearning unhealthy eating habits, so this article is an affirmation. — Joe, Portland, Me.
Many people have discovered this, too, that when they eat mindfully, they become aware of satisfaction, which is different from being full — and definitely different from being stuffed! One young woman who attended a mindful eating retreat later told me that she lost 40 unwanted pounds just by checking in with her body as she ate, and stopping when her body “felt at peace.”
The Hindu scripture, Bhagavad-Gita, instructs its readers that food and meals are provided to enable us to achieve our purpose in life. Perhaps if we seek meaningful goals in our lives, we can let go of food to satisfy our needs, appetites and desires that cannot even be fulfilled with food anyway. — Dorothy, Rhode Island
This is so important. I often say “a hole in the heart cannot be filled with food.” But we persist in trying, eating when we are anxious, eating when we are sad, eating when we are lonely. If we learn to distinguish real cellular hunger from the hunger of the heart, we can choose when to eat to nourish our body, and when to do things to nourish our heart — like calling a friend, or taking the dog for a walk, or taking a hot bath.
It’s not a good idea to try to block or suppress your desire for a particular food. You will still want what you want, and when you finally give in you will be prone to overindulgence.
Mindful eating deals with appreciation and gratitude. Most of us live lives that are so fast paced that we fail to appreciate the simple pleasures in life. We get so caught up in the business of the day and everything passes us by so fast. Mindful eating is just paying attention to the experience. And when you pay attention you can tell when enough is enough. You won’t take more than you need and your body will be healthier and happier for it.
Mindful eating is a gateway meditation that might lead to such things and mindful interaction with others. Mindfulness of emotional states, and mindfulness of our responses to what we feel. If it is directed inwardly you will find nothing. But if you use meditation to help you feel and connect with others then you will discover a whole new world. — Benny Acosta, Wichita, Kan.
I couldn’t have said it better.
Mindful eating, or mindful any other activity, no harm in that. But it has nothing to do with Enlightenment, which is beyond concepts and activities. This is beautifully articulated in the Heart Sutra, a very short very famous and very beautiful Buddhist scripture you can find online or in bookshops. — Salieres, New Hampshire
Mindfulness is one of the seven factors of enlightenment. It leads to enlightenment and is also the natural result of enlightenment. You are correct, however, mindfulness by itself is not enlightenment. Insight into the true nature of reality — which is beyond concepts — is essential. Many Buddhist monasteries chant the Heart Sutra before meals.
As someone who cooks for a living, I witness the full spectrum of eating patterns. Special diet requests can generally fly out the window when anyone is faced with a fresh baked apple pie. I call it the apple pie test! How can a chef courteously and mindfully serve guests who “fudge” on their requests for special foods at a whim? Sustainability and rising food costs create demanding parameters, yet customers feel entitled to behave as if always right. No one wants to be the food police, yet what to do to provide delicious, plentiful right foods for all being served? — Rebeka, British Columbia
Your comment made me laugh. One monastery told me that on the first day of an event, the “special diet” line has 10 out of 50 people, the second day 3, and by the third day everyone has switched to the “apple pie” line. The monastery contemplated putting plastic food replicas out for the “special diet dishes” after the third day.
Some foods are designed by their manufacturers to combine a certain mouth feel, saltiness and sweetness that some of us find addicting. Are there any ways to block the body’s cravings for these types of food? I suppose I am thinking of the way that alcoholics use antabuse or drug addicts use methadone. — LKF, New York
[In reply to commenter above] One can try not so much to block it as to be fully aware of the consequences of eating it while in the midst of that activity. Much in the way smoking-cessation programs train participants to think about what, actually, they are getting out of that cigarette they are smoking. When I realized that I was getting nothing good from the cigarette, not even psychological comfort, I managed to taper off and eventually stop, no substitute drugs needed. If it works for a drug like nicotine, it could probably work for salt and sugar. The crunch is easily replaced with other, less harmful foods with similar mouth feel. Visualization of both positive and negative consequences might also help as part of the self-teaching process. — Suzanne F, Lower Manhattan
We crave salt and sweet because these were in short supply throughout our evolution. Kingdoms rose and fell based upon whether they had resources like salt mines or sugar cane plantations. Sugar gives us a quick energy burst, and even fetuses in the uterus will swallow more amniotic fluid if it is made sweeter. Salt is a necessary component of our blood, one that our bodies cannot manufacture. Famine was very common in our evolutionary history, and fat gave us a long-term fuel source, protection against lean times and possible starvation. Thus we crave these three, but now we have unlimited access to them! The processed food industry spends millions tinkering with the exact amounts of these three needed to keep us buying and eating. In mindful eating we don’t forbid any food, but often, when you eat a processed food mindfully, you may find that it actually doesn’t taste so good (try eating one Cheeto very slowly, letting it melt in your mouth). Or, you may find that just a few will satisfy. If I stop and eat mindfully, I can have a party with 12 chips, and I can make a small Ritter bar (white chocolate with hazelnuts) last a week. Yum!
Step2.
Organization Next, you should establish for yourself an organized office-space in your home that mirrors your setup, within reason, at the office. The underpinning meaning to Personal development is Personal development.
This has been hit and miss although I get how difficult it is to spend that type of money. It is significant to address personal development goals because we might want to have some more personal development goals at work examples. The consciousness or mood with which Jim acts makes all the difference; his specific actions are secondary. This can be letter writing, romance ideas that I'll research online for inspiration, and possibly a forum where site visitors can interact and share even more ideas! Any tool that will help you to be in the moment without any distractions will be the Most Powerful Personal Development Tool on Earth. Membership would be essential, and teaching, mentoring and personal contribution would be part of the makeup. Therefore when you intend to attract something into your life it is natural and normal for it to come to you. The majority of individuals would not take almost the same concern in reveling in its smells, flavors, and gentle taste even though it's the identical drink.
Mindful Eating: A Teacher Responds to Readers
Readers have posted comments on Jeff Gordinier’s article on mindful eating, along with questions for Dr. Jan Chozen Bays, a pediatrician and meditation teacher in Oregon. Dr. Bays, the author of ”Mindful Eating: A Guide to Rediscovering a Healthy and Joyful Relationship with Food,” responded to a first batch of comments; post yours in the comments section below, or tweet us at @nytdining.
News Flash — Mindful eating has been practiced for thousands of years by Jews. Prayer of thanks depends on the contents of the food, with multiple requirements on preparation, etc. Not sure why it’s described here as Buddhist, per se. — philiphdc, Washington, D.C.
Yes, you are right. Mindful eating doesn’t belong to any religious tradition. The Jewish tradition of blessing the food and wine at Shabbat is a beautiful example of how to bring our awareness to what we are eating and who labored to bring it to us. It makes us aware that our food is a gift and eating it with awareness in a sacred activity.
Way boring. It is easy to make delicious food from the best, healthy ingredients,and including wine, So that there is a lot of talk, some yelling, and lots of fun. Those pictures do not look fun. Buddhists need to laugh, and yell a bit more. — Johnny D., Washington State
Healthy ingredients — yes! As Michael Pollan says, eat real food, not processed “food-like substances.” It’s actually very interesting, and even fun, to eat slowly and with full awareness. You don’t have to do it for the entire meal. At our monastery we eat in silence until seconds are passed, and then we talk. We do laugh quite a bit, too, but if you like yelling at the table, a monastery is not the place to find it.
I notice when I actually pay attention to my food, eating mindfully, I eat far less and feel satiated. I’m unlearning unhealthy eating habits, so this article is an affirmation. — Joe, Portland, Me.
Many people have discovered this, too, that when they eat mindfully, they become aware of satisfaction, which is different from being full — and definitely different from being stuffed! One young woman who attended a mindful eating retreat later told me that she lost 40 unwanted pounds just by checking in with her body as she ate, and stopping when her body “felt at peace.”
The Hindu scripture, Bhagavad-Gita, instructs its readers that food and meals are provided to enable us to achieve our purpose in life. Perhaps if we seek meaningful goals in our lives, we can let go of food to satisfy our needs, appetites and desires that cannot even be fulfilled with food anyway. — Dorothy, Rhode Island
This is so important. I often say “a hole in the heart cannot be filled with food.” But we persist in trying, eating when we are anxious, eating when we are sad, eating when we are lonely. If we learn to distinguish real cellular hunger from the hunger of the heart, we can choose when to eat to nourish our body, and when to do things to nourish our heart — like calling a friend, or taking the dog for a walk, or taking a hot bath.
It’s not a good idea to try to block or suppress your desire for a particular food. You will still want what you want, and when you finally give in you will be prone to overindulgence.
Mindful eating deals with appreciation and gratitude. Most of us live lives that are so fast paced that we fail to appreciate the simple pleasures in life. We get so caught up in the business of the day and everything passes us by so fast. Mindful eating is just paying attention to the experience. And when you pay attention you can tell when enough is enough. You won’t take more than you need and your body will be healthier and happier for it.
Mindful eating is a gateway meditation that might lead to such things and mindful interaction with others. Mindfulness of emotional states, and mindfulness of our responses to what we feel. If it is directed inwardly you will find nothing. But if you use meditation to help you feel and connect with others then you will discover a whole new world. — Benny Acosta, Wichita, Kan.
I couldn’t have said it better.
Mindful eating, or mindful any other activity, no harm in that. But it has nothing to do with Enlightenment, which is beyond concepts and activities. This is beautifully articulated in the Heart Sutra, a very short very famous and very beautiful Buddhist scripture you can find online or in bookshops. — Salieres, New Hampshire
Mindfulness is one of the seven factors of enlightenment. It leads to enlightenment and is also the natural result of enlightenment. You are correct, however, mindfulness by itself is not enlightenment. Insight into the true nature of reality — which is beyond concepts — is essential. Many Buddhist monasteries chant the Heart Sutra before meals.
As someone who cooks for a living, I witness the full spectrum of eating patterns. Special diet requests can generally fly out the window when anyone is faced with a fresh baked apple pie. I call it the apple pie test! How can a chef courteously and mindfully serve guests who “fudge” on their requests for special foods at a whim? Sustainability and rising food costs create demanding parameters, yet customers feel entitled to behave as if always right. No one wants to be the food police, yet what to do to provide delicious, plentiful right foods for all being served? — Rebeka, British Columbia
Your comment made me laugh. One monastery told me that on the first day of an event, the “special diet” line has 10 out of 50 people, the second day 3, and by the third day everyone has switched to the “apple pie” line. The monastery contemplated putting plastic food replicas out for the “special diet dishes” after the third day.
Some foods are designed by their manufacturers to combine a certain mouth feel, saltiness and sweetness that some of us find addicting. Are there any ways to block the body’s cravings for these types of food? I suppose I am thinking of the way that alcoholics use antabuse or drug addicts use methadone. — LKF, New York
[In reply to commenter above] One can try not so much to block it as to be fully aware of the consequences of eating it while in the midst of that activity. Much in the way smoking-cessation programs train participants to think about what, actually, they are getting out of that cigarette they are smoking. When I realized that I was getting nothing good from the cigarette, not even psychological comfort, I managed to taper off and eventually stop, no substitute drugs needed. If it works for a drug like nicotine, it could probably work for salt and sugar. The crunch is easily replaced with other, less harmful foods with similar mouth feel. Visualization of both positive and negative consequences might also help as part of the self-teaching process. — Suzanne F, Lower Manhattan
We crave salt and sweet because these were in short supply throughout our evolution. Kingdoms rose and fell based upon whether they had resources like salt mines or sugar cane plantations. Sugar gives us a quick energy burst, and even fetuses in the uterus will swallow more amniotic fluid if it is made sweeter. Salt is a necessary component of our blood, one that our bodies cannot manufacture. Famine was very common in our evolutionary history, and fat gave us a long-term fuel source, protection against lean times and possible starvation. Thus we crave these three, but now we have unlimited access to them! The processed food industry spends millions tinkering with the exact amounts of these three needed to keep us buying and eating. In mindful eating we don’t forbid any food, but often, when you eat a processed food mindfully, you may find that it actually doesn’t taste so good (try eating one Cheeto very slowly, letting it melt in your mouth). Or, you may find that just a few will satisfy. If I stop and eat mindfully, I can have a party with 12 chips, and I can make a small Ritter bar (white chocolate with hazelnuts) last a week. Yum!