Mindful in love. This is the energy I invite you to take with you into meal time today, this week, forever.. this is Today's invitation, Day 5 of our 7 Days of Digestion Tips with Ayurveda Invitation. Day 5 of 7 days of Invitations to Aid and Optimize Digestion. If you have been following along and notice anything please let us know how it's going for you. The comments have already started getting a bit spicy! The word on the street is that people don't know how to eat and people are sick of it! Let's get educated::: let's stand together, let's allow our bodies to be healthy and our beings to thrive.
Today, we focus on the art of mindful eating, a practice that strengthens digestion, nurtures the body, and fosters a deeper connection with your food and self. What's that saying? Wherever you are, be there:::
Today’s Invitation: Eat with Awareness
Choose one meal today to eat mindfully, free from distractions. Allow this meal to become a meditation in gratitude, presence, and nourishment.
Here’s how to make the most of it:
Set the Scene: Create a calm, inviting space for your meal. Do this however feels good to you, you could even light a candle or play soft music if it feels soothing. I like to just sit and relax wherever I am. I don't turn it into a big production, I just allow myself the space to chill and follow my meal with 15 minutes or so of relaxing on my left side where possible as this is said to aid digestion and give you more energy afterwards.
Begin with Gratitude: Pause and give thanks for the food, your life, get yourself into or consciously praise your state of joy and gratitude.
Engage the Senses: Observe the colors and presentation of your food. Smell its aroma, feel its texture, and savor its taste.
Chew Slowly and Thoroughly: This not only aids digestion but allows your body to recognize satiety, preventing overeating.
Stay Present: Avoid distractions like phones or TV. Let this time be solely for you and your meal. I gave up TV.. uuu maybe 20 years ago now. still have the phone tho.. Presence.. give your energy source your presence.
The Ayurvedic Perspective on Mindful Eating
The Ayurvedic perspective has led me to conclude that digestion of everything is critical to how live our lives. It's so important because what we are able to digest is what creates our tissues and what we eat today and how we process (or digest) it determines how healthy we will be. Well, a part of it anyways. The mind and the body are both very powerful so even if you eat like crap there is a chance you will also still be healthy. That being said we can facilitate the process and support ourselves and the people around us by giving ourselves a fighting chance. How do we do this? The food we consume is infused with energy that sustains our body, mind, and spirit. Eating with awareness engages all the senses: sight, smell, taste, touch, sound, and feeling to optimize digestion and align with the natural rhythms of life.
When we eat mindlessly, while scrolling on our phones, rushing through a meal, chatting or thinking unproductive thoughts or even eating in a bad mood we lessen the opportunity to connect with this sacred process and give our bodies a stomach to stand on. Mindful eating honors ourselves, our food, balances our doshas, and enhances our digestive fire (agni).
Yoga and Proper Use of the Senses for Digestion
Yoga Poses to Aid Digestion: Gentle twists (like seated spinal twist), child’s pose, and cat stretch can stimulate the digestive organs and promote relaxation. I'm sure there are many more. I like to use Agnisara Dhauti, I find it particularly effective. Really stimulates the colon and also digestion and even relaxes my lower back.
Use of the Senses:
Sight (Fire): Surround yourself with calming, harmonious colors and avoid overstimulating visuals, such as bright lights or chaotic imagery, especially before meals. Look at natural beauty, including the beauty within, such as a serene landscape, to bring balance.
Taste (Water): Focus on the flavors and textures of your food. Include all six Ayurvedic tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent in your meals to achieve balance. Eat in a peaceful environment to savor each bite fully.
Smell (Earth): Use natural aromas like herbs, spices, or essential oils to stimulate your appetite or soothe your mind. Scents such as basil, ginger, or lavender can complement digestion and relaxation.
Touch (Air): Practice mindful eating: notice the textures of your food as you hold it or chew. Additionally, soothing practices like a gentle self-massage with warm oil before meals can ground the body.
Hearing (Ether): Create a calm auditory environment as much as you can. Earplugs help sometimes. If you can have some quiet during meals that's great. If not that's ok, create as much as you can. Some other ways are by listening to soft, soothing music or eating in silence. Avoid loud or jarring noises that can disrupt focus and digestion.
The Energy of Food and Intention
The energy we bring to our food matters. Studies, like those by Dr. Masaru Emoto, show how positive words and thoughts can influence the molecular structure of water. As our bodies are mostly water, imagine how gratitude and loving intention can enhance the quality of our food and its impact on our health.
Ayurveda also emphasizes the power of love and mindfulness in cooking and eating. When we prepare food with care and consume it with awareness, we align ourselves with the natural world, fostering balance and harmony.
Still curious? Play with it, feel it, most of all be open to feeling even better than you ever have before. Please share your favourite mantras, recipes, and practices with us.
Recipes to Inspire Mindful Eating
Soothing Kitchari Bowl
Ingredients: Basmati rice, mung dal, ghee, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and seasonal vegetables.
Instructions: Cook rice and dal with spices and ghee. Add vegetables like zucchini or carrots for a hearty, nourishing meal.
Warming Ginger-Turmeric Tea
Ingredients: Fresh ginger slices, turmeric powder, a pinch of black pepper, and warm water.
Instructions: Simmer ingredients for 5 minutes. Sip slowly after meals to aid digestion.
The Science Behind Mindful Eating
Reduces Stress: Eating mindfully lowers cortisol levels, which can hinder digestion.
Enhances Nutrient Absorption: Chewing thoroughly and eating slowly allows your body to better assimilate nutrients.
Supports a Healthy Gut: Mindfulness during meals fosters a positive gut-brain connection, reducing bloating and discomfort.
A Mantra for Mindful Eating
As I reflect on today’s theme of Eating with Awareness, this mantra beautifully captures the essence of nourishment:
Om Madhuram Paani MadhuramTranslation
“The food is sweet, the water is sweet, and the moment is sweet.”
This mantra invites us to approach our meals with reverence and joy, seeing the sweetness in the act of nourishing our bodies. It reminds us that food, water, and the time we take to eat are sacred gifts deserving our full attention.
When we eat with awareness, we honor the effort and energy that went into growing, preparing, and presenting our meal. This practice enhances digestion, uplifts the spirit, and brings a sense of harmony to our entire being.
Let this mantra guide you today as you savour your food, nourish your body and Soul, and connect with the sweetness, the richness, of life.
Your journey toward mindful eating is an act of self-love and self-respect. 🌿
Your Digestive Wellness Journey
Eating with awareness is more than just a habit, it’s a form of self-care and self-respect. It's practicing Pratyahara- proper use of the senses. By slowing down, engaging your senses, and embracing gratitude, you can transform mealtime into a nourishing time of day that supports your physical and emotional well-being. Take the time to set yourself up for success, in this case being digestive health & wealth which ultimately can be stepping stones to any kind of success you have in sight.
Would you like to deepen this practice? 🌿 Book a Custom Ayurvedic Consultation to create a personalized wellness plan that aligns with your unique needs.
🌿 Ayurvedic Consultations🌿 Custom Retreats🌿 Yoga & Wellness Classes🌿 Physical Therapy
~*~ We are the magic and the medicine. ~*~
Stay tuned for Day 6: Save the Liver, where we explore how to lighten your liver’s load and boost digestion naturally.
Gracefully your partner on the Path,
Karla
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