Mindful Eating – How to Think More and Eat Less

I have chosen this topic to publish or post first partly because the article was handed to me and partly because eating and consumption in general is such a large part of our daily activities. Whether we are aware of this consumption or not is, for me, what the article is drawing attention to. Of course it ‘sensationalises’ the activity of the raisin exercise and it misses the point entirely regarding food and conscience, but it raises the important questions around conscious behaviours and choices and unconscious habits.

The responses beneath the article are of special interest too, not least because of the reaction it stirs up in certain individuals, almost as if they are being challenged or threatened in some way. The ‘I haven’t got time to sit and  stare at my food’ response and the ‘ stop staring/eating and get on with work’ jibe gets to the heart of what the article is highlighting: that we can perhaps afford to ‘stop and smell the roses once in a while’, to slow down perhaps, replenish our stores before our next adventure or task.

This can be a breath, a minute of mindful awareness, walking mindfully, working mindfully and indeed, eating with a greater mindful awareness.

The problem of any article about mindfulness is that it is written and then read. Mindfulness can only be experienced: by doing. Allow mindfulness to work for you, explore its realms of possibilities for yourself and allow your experiences of living more mindfully to enhance your life moment to moment in whatever way works for you.

I am currently holding Mindfulness classes on Thursday evenings and Friday mornings. These classes are opportunities to explore how mindfulness can work for you, to discover the various practices and principles and if you then choose to take a more formal mindfulness training course.

I have been practicing mindfulness formally for over a year and will be taking my practitioner training later this year.

I hope you enjoy the article.

Simon

Mindful Eating – How to Think More and Eat Less