Story Tools
It’s 11 a.m.; the house is still and I’m hungry. Normally I would have a snack while reading the paper, listening to some music, or checking my emails. But after a recent visit to Kripalu (www.kripalu.org), the center for yoga and health in Stockbridge, MA, I have discovered a new way of eating: consciously. It doesn’t mean I’m falling asleep in my soup, rather that I’m paying attention to the moment, to the task at hand, to the sights, smells, and textures of eating before I even lift my fork. And I have found that when I take the time to notice what’s on my plate, really experience it with every sense, wondrous things happen . . .
“We so often eat amongst the business and rubble of our habitual lives,” says Aruni Nan Futuronsky, program advisor for the Healthy Living and Integrative Weight Loss programs as well as a faculty member of the Institute of Integrated Healing at Kripalu. “We push away the clutter and then put our plates down amongst it.” Indeed, most of us eat in such a state of disconnect to the signals of our bodies, we so often don’t realize that maybe it’s really thirst that needs quenching. Conscious eating starts even before you take a bite, before you put the meal on the plate. Before you take the food out of the pantry . . . ask yourself, what are you really hungry for? Maybe it’s attention, perhaps a hug, some good conversation, a creative outlet, or even a healthy walk.”
A glass of lime seltzer, an orange, and a handful of almonds sit in front of me. I stick my finger in the liquid and watch the tiny bubbles collect on my finger like little children crowding around a new puppy. The first sip reveals the tangy, limey scent and a little tingle on my tongue and lips as the bubbles ricochet down my throat like silver balls in a pinball machine. I pause and put the cup down, seeing the orange on my plate. My mouth waters without even touching it, thoughts running through my head of each section, pregnant with juice, and the little pulpy sacs just waiting to burst over my teeth. I notice the different variations of color on the skin, feel the pebbly texture with my fingers. I remember a moment eating an orange with my daughter last year—she was studying plant biology at the time, and as we were nibbling she remarked, “Did you know you are eating plant ovaries?” Suddenly eating becomes erotic. I rub my fingers along the flesh, seductively squeeze the fruit, then slowly peel the skin off and put little pieces of fruit in my mouth, savoring the texture before I bite in. As I chew, there is an immediate tiny explosion of juice that completely changes the quality and intensity of the flavor. I breathe a little deeper, allowing my breath to enhance the aroma and tactile sensations . . .
“It’s a metaphor for life,” Futuronsky continues, “to be there for the deliciousness, to savor the bite . . . it’s a profound way to think. We begin to slow down, to eat, to chew, and we get so much more satisfaction from the meal—it’s the gift of taste and texture.” Once we begin to slow down and notice what’s in front of us, we start to become connected to the process of eating as enjoyment. There is nothing more intimate than our connection with food; it becomes us.
The little pile of almonds is next. I pick one up, inhaling its sweet, nutty scent. It looks like a tiny peach pit—barky texture, pointy end. I take a second one and notice that the nuts are completely different, with ridges and lines along their surface like fingerprints, no two ever alike. With the first bite, the skin peels off on my teeth to reveal the creamy white interior. It’s crunchy in my mouth—without the newspaper and music to distract me I observe that the crunch is louder than I expected. I eat a few almonds this way and notice it’s enough . . .
“If we don’t eat consciously, taking the time to taste and enjoy our food, we miss out on the intrinsic satisfaction,” says nutritionist Bonnie Witler, of Weigh to Health, in Plainview (www.weightohealthinc.com).“This often leads to overeating because the food is just “there” and we may mindlessly take even more. This mindless eating leads to weight gain.” Food is right at hand; instead of just piling it onto our plates, and even worse, into our mouths, take the time to pick it up, smell it, feel it, taste it. Think about not just what you eat, but how you eat. Go slowly, chew more, move things around in your mouth so you can feel and experience all sensations.
“Being conscious brings the scattered threads of attention to what you are doing at that moment,” says Suzanne Cardinal, director of Into This World yoga teacher training (www.intothisworld.net). “Eating in this way draws the attention inward.” Cardinal runs workshops on Teaching Meditative Techniques for yoga teachers and includes a segment on conscious eating within her program. “It is in the actual experience of conscious eating—in the moment-by-moment depth of presence with each sensation of what is being taken in—that integration takes place between what we take in and what we become,” Cardinal says. “There is a direct relationship among the quality of what we take in, how we feel, and what we ultimately put out into the world.”
I linger, looking at my plate, orange peel next to almonds, and I breathe, waiting for my body to tell me whether I want more, or maybe something else. Chocolate . . .
The process of conscious consumption resonates with Linda Villano, the co-owner and co-founder of Manhasset-based SerendipiTea (www.serendipitea.com), an importer, wholesaler, and retailer of loose-leaf tea, which, unlike typical bagged tea, features whole leaves. “The preparation and drinking of loose-leaf tea simply and beautifully embodies the idea of slowing down, breathing consciously, and stepping out of the madness, even if just for a few minutes,” says Villano, who is currently writing a tea-centered book based on the idea of tuning in to the process. She likens this process of preparation and imbibing to a mini-meditation. “Those few moments of waiting for the tea to steep offer an opportunity to be still, to stop the chatter in our head for a brief moment, and relax our body,” says Villano. “Taking several tea time-outs a day not only adds to our physical health but our mental health as well.”
Allow this rising consciousness at the table to stay with you all day. Instead of multitasking, focus on the activity at hand. “When you do two things at once, eating being one of them, you are often not aware of how much or even what goes into your mouth,” says registered dietician Staci Leavitt Kobren, of Staci Leavitt Mind and Body, in Plainview (www.stacileavittmindandbody.com). She suggests trying these simple changes: Don’t snack while driving; put your fork down during serious conversations; stay away from the big bucket of popcorn at the movies.
Taking small first steps is important. “It’s an incremental ladder of actions,” Futuronsky suggests. “When you are trying to do the whole deal, the radical change, it’s a setup for failure. Instead, practice conscious eating during just one meal a week.” Like yoga or meditation, conscious eating is a practice—it’s not like you get it and you’re finished. “That’s the Western understanding of learning. Notice when the mind starts to wander. That’s the time to return,” she continues. “Food becomes the focal point of meditation. Remember that wandering is not bad or wrong; notice when the mind is wandering and practice coming back; come back to taste. That is a gift.”
At Kripalu, guests can find the meditative moments during required silent breakfasts. “Silent dining gets rid of all the distractions so you can begin the practice of focusing, of being there,” Futuronsky concludes. “It’s a profound metaphor for life: to be there for the deliciousness, to savor the bite. We begin to slow down, to notice the eating and the chewing and we get so much more satisfaction. It’s the gift of taste, flavor, and texture.”
I unwrap a Lindt truffle, extra-dark 60 percent cocoa. My mouth is watering and I can sense the richness, the smoothness, the depth, before it even approaches my palate. Slowly it goes into my mouth and I feel the chocolate melting with the heat of my breath. My hand greedily begins to reach for another one, but I tell myself to breathe, relax, and savor the sensations of now. I turn the candy over with my tongue; coat my mouth with its bittersweet succulence. Without chewing I simply let it dissolve all over my tongue, my teeth, my palate, and the insides of my cheeks. My senses are alive. Then with a lofty swallow, it’s gone. I sit back completely satisfied
Ways to raise your Consciousness
CD:
Life-Works with Aruni Nan Futuronsky is a compilation of guided meditations that harness the mind to focus in the moment. Choose from meditations that will guide you while Waking, Eating, Walking, Healing, and Releasing. Order from kripalu.org
Books:
Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings (Riverhead, 1998), by Edward Espe Brown, is a wonderful collection of recipes and reflections of a Zen Buddhist. The recipes are simple but it’s the reflections that resonate. Great inspiration for creating your own meals and recipes. Order from amazon.com
If the Buddha Came to Dinner (Hyperion, 2004), by nutritionist Hale Sofia Schatz with Shira Shaiman, teaches readers to listen to their body, individual needs, and inner wisdom. Balancing emotional, spiritual, and physical needs is vital to our life force, and Schatz and Shaiman address all three. Order from www.amazon.com
Events:
Slow Food Nation: The first annual exposition includes a film festival, taste workshops, interactive events and more. Held at Fort Mason and City Hall, in San Francisco, CA, on Labor Day weekend, August 29 through September 1, this four-day celebratory event is geared to providing experiences for participants that will transform their perception of food, engaging them in Slow food USA’s work to create a food system that produces healthy and delicious products that are ecologically sustainable, with fair labor practices. Visit www.slowfoodnation.org for more information.
Foods:
A meal doesn’t have to be elaborate or complicated to be completely satisfying to all the senses. Try combining the simplest, freshest, mostly organic ingredients and you’ll start to find that your need for complex recipes diminishes. Try this easy-to-prepare main course and then be inspired to create your own meals, no recipes required.
Pan-seared Lemon Sole with Fresh Oregano and Thyme
Serves 2
1 pound wild-caught lemon sole
2 teaspoons grapeseed oil (or experiment with other high-heat oils such as avocado, almond, or apricot kernel)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon organic fresh thyme
1 tablespoon organic fresh oregano, chopped
Celtic sea salt and/or freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Rinse fish and pat dry. Notice texture of fish, its translucence, and the feel of it in your hands. Heat a sauté pan to medium-high heat and swirl oil in pan. Sauté garlic for about 30 seconds. Inhale the enticing scent. Place fish in pan and sear for about 2 minutes; flip carefully to the other side and take a pinch of thyme and oregano. Rub the herbs between your fingertips, noticing the texture and scent; then sprinkle on top of the fish, covering it completely with herbs. Inhale the fragrant, earthy aroma from your fingers. Sear fish for an additional 2 minutes or until opaque and cooked through. Season with sea salt and pepper if desired. Serve with fresh steamed string beans and a side of lentils and roasted onions.
