Mindful eating is a joyful practice, and even more so with friends. It's another way to take meditation off the cushion and into daily life. We begin by breathing and smiling with our friends. How fortunate we are to gather in an atmosphere of friendship and understanding! This is an important practice to develop at home. Then, we look deeply into our food. Think about this: our food contains earth, sky, rain, compost, energies of the farm and the cook, and much more. But, it also contains much suffering. There are many in this world who go hungry because of our abundance. This is interbeing. When I see the world through my dinner plate, I am filled with gratitude at my great fortune and filled with compassion for those without nourishing food, friends and family.
In some Buddhist traditions, meditation is ended by offering the merit of the practice to the benefit of all beings. That is, the seeds of compassion, love and understanding are watered, so that we may live in a way that brings joy and relieves suffering. Practice eating meditation for a while, and see what compassion bubbles up in you.
We will gather on Monday November 30th at 5:30 pm at Cafe Seed, 2932 Cherry St. We are ordering off their delicious vegan menu. RSVP here.
