Eat, Drink and Be Mindful

Did you enjoy your morning fix of caffeine this morning? What were you doing while sipping your beverage? Most of us read newspaper, check our phone or rush from activity to another while drinking morning tea or coffee. That is the lifestyle for most of us living in big cities. 

Mindful eating or drinking is a practise that allows us to tune in to the body’s needs and be thoughtful about how we nourish ourselves.  This is done by fully appreciating the food’s flavours and textures and being in the moment while eating. You can think of it as meditation in motion.

When we present ourselves fully to an action, we open ourselves up to a deeper level of enjoyment and nourishment.

There is no special ceremony to perform to do a mindful eating meditation. In fact, in the book, Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life, well-known Vietnamese Buddhist teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, explains how we can use a simple apple to practise a mindful eating meditation. He suggests sitting quietly, without any distractions such as browsing the Internet or watching the TV. We should give our complete attention to the apple, because by “…being focused and slowing down [it] will allow you to truly savour all the qualities the apple offers: its sweetness, aroma, freshness, juiciness, and crispness.”

It allows us to fully enjoy each part of the eating experience. It is a technique that requires us to be completely aware of the movements and sensations we experience when we eat or drink. 

You can also use the technique where you use the acronym STOP to help you through moments of fear and weakness. “S” stands for simply that: stop. “T” stands for "take three deep breaths." “O” stands for “observe." “P” stands for “proceed," in a way that supports you and those around you. You’ll use this acronym to understand where the craving is coming from and what it means. What thoughts are going through your head right now? What is your craving telling you? What do you imagine will happen if you act on the craving? Breathe deeply and allow yourself to discover what you truly need.

To begin with start with one tea time or even better one meal and see how you feel. Take a moment, to just look at your food, savour and smell. Become fascinated by it and enjoy the sensations it creates in your body. Enjoy the curiosity of the child and be grateful for all the efforts gone in to getting this food on your plate.

Tips for mindful eating:

• Eat/Drink more slowly and don't rush your meals.


• Chew thoroughly.


• Eliminate distractions by turning off the TV and putting down your phone.


• Eat in silence.


• Focus on how the food makes you feel.


• Stop eating when you feel a little full.


• Ask yourself why you're eating. Are you actually hungry? Is it healthy? Is it emotional?

Observe and enjoy every aspect, serve each other and mindfully receive energy through these small tasks during the day.

Let's be present one bite at a time.

Creative Visualization

Visualization is the art of using mental images and affirmations to transform and greatly improve health, career, prosperity, relationships and every area of your life.

We always attract into our lives whatever we think about most, believe most strongly, expect on the deepest level, and imagine most vividly.

Picture this:

At your workplace, you are constantly getting into arguments and disagreements with your boss. It is clear that this is not benefitting to both and these differences need to be addressed.

Now either you can think about it all day (and night) and expect no increment or promotion this year OR

you can plan a meeting to sort out differences through fruitful conversation and end up being best team.

Which one would you choose?

Obviously the second solution, the win-win situation for all. But most of the time we choose the first option and give it the energy of lack, limitation, problem and unconsciously choose and create what we don't want.

Shakti Gawain (30 September 1948 to 11 November 2018) the author of Creative Visualization has popularised this technique to make positive ideas and concepts a total reality.

To pay a tribute to her we did a "peaceful place" visualization today at the regular Monday meditation session.

The purpose is to relax your mind, reduce stress and find a place of peace within. This place is an imaginary area that you can visualise to help calm and relax your mind whenever needed.

Begin by finding a comfortable position and relax by focusing for the next few moments only on your breathing. Allow your breathing to center you and reach the meditative state.

Now create a image in your mind of a peaceful place.

Where is the place? Indoor...…...or outdoor? Small......or large??

Now picture some more details about this place. Who's with you? Are you alone? or you have company? Are there other people or animals/birds?

Imagine more details, involve all your senses. Feel the smell this place offers. Connect to that smell.

Focus on the relaxing sounds around you and connect to that music or sound.

Feel the touch, it could be a gentle breeze, water or surface you are on.

Bring your attention to the colours and sights around you. Connect to all these things which makes this place special for you.

Now picture yourself, a calm vibrant being enjoying and rejuvenating in this peaceful place.

Bring yourself back to the present moment when you are ready. Keep the feeling of calm and peace with you in everyday life.

My Participants have experienced an euphoric feeling and constant smile on the face using this visualisation technique.

Creative Visualization is the magic in truest and highest meaning of the word. It involves understanding and aligning yourself with the natural principles that govern the workings of the Universe, learning and using these principles in the most conscious and creative ways.

It should be noted that this technique cannot be used to "control" the behaviour of others or cause them to do something against their will. Its effect is to dissolve our internal barriers to natural harmony and self realization, allowing everyone to manifest in their most positive aspect.

Related Readings Meditation https://reachhenna.blogspot.com/2018/11/breath-as-anchor.html

Loving Yourself https://reachhenna.blogspot.com/2018/08/love-yourself.html

Breath as Anchor

Breath is the essence of life, yet breathing seems so simple.

It can be a powerful tool to align our thoughts and bring our mind to a peaceful meditative state. In particular, controlled breathing—purposeful and focused breathing that anchors you to the here and now—can help prevent you from feeling overwhelmed or anxious.

Ships and boats in the harbour need to be anchored at the shore else they would drift away if a storm were to occur at night. 

Focused breathing is like an anchor in the midst of an emotional storm, the anchor won’t get rid of the storm, but it will hold you steady until it passes.

 Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh gives an example of this in Peace is Every Step (1991)
"During the past few years I have avoided tiring myself and losing my breath. I must take care of my body, treat it with respect as a musician does his instrument."

We practice this at our group meditation sessions and some of the participants have experienced heightened awareness of both external and internal sounds. They have become more mindful of their emotions and are able to quickly achieve the balance in day to day life.

This can be done anytime, anywhere as no special equipment's are required.  Research shows that a few minutes of mindfulness practice results in increased productivity. 

With continuous practice we can become aware when our mind wanders and where it wanders to. We get clarity on our thoughts. What are we feeling excited, passionate, stressed, upset about, or interested in? 

 The breath becomes your anchor to which you return in order to stabilize your thoughts and sail smoothly once again in the ocean of life.

Clearing Clutter

"As I unclutter my life, I free myself to answer the calling of my soul." - Dr Wayne Dyer

What happens when we clear the clutter from our house? 

We make more space, we feel the new energy and we create a room for more new things to come in our life.

But just as physical home get dusty and crowded with junk, so does our emotional home.

 A regular emotional declutter helps to prepare you for new, fresh and joyful experiences in your life.

What to Declutter ?

Negative thoughts (self and others)
Negative habits (Procrastination, too much phone/tv, eating habits)
Negative beliefs (relationships, career, parenting)
Negative Experiences (past)
Fears
Frustrations


How to Declutter?

Emotional decluttering on a regular basis can bring a massive change in the way you look at yourself and everything around you. And making a conscious effort to declutter emotionally on a regular basis will make the energy allowing you to rejoice in the present. 

One of the ways to do that is Meditation.


Sit comfortably or lie down. Allow your mind and body to center and be in a meditative state. (check the link for more information)

https://reachhenna.blogspot.com/2018/01/meditate-how-when-and-why.html Done

Visualise breathing in divine energy to clear the space within. Breathing out all that is not needed.
Breathe in peace, breathe out emotional clutter.

Allow yourself to see past the things that have hurt or disappointed you and visualize them as steppingstones and lessons to be learned from.

Let go of your frustration. Allow forgiveness. This is a must if you want live in the present and not the past.

Affirm : "I let go of all that is not needed and I invite new energy to fill this space."
Do this for few moments and sit in silence.

Hug yourself for being so brave!!

Each one has of us have emotional clutter. It's natural. The important thing is to recognize and declutter your emotional baggage so that it doesn't prevent you from seeing and taking the opportunities that are right in front of us. 

So if you want to hit the refresh button in your life, try giving emotional decluttering a shot this season. You could experience a boost of positivity in your life, and it might not only help you move past hurtful experiences but create more joyful experiences too.

Awakening with smile

A smile is a facial expression formed primarily by flexing the muscles at the sides of the mouth. It is believed it takes about 42 muscles to smile. Now when we smile, the brain gets the message and three things happen:

*Happiness - Brain releases happiness generating chemicals into our system in response.
*Mood Elevation - holding the smile, or thinking pleasant thoughts will cause calming, mood enhancing reactions in our body.
*It's Contagious - When we smile at someone, they mostly smile back. Now do this at your own cost unless you want to provoke an interesting reaction!

Meditation Technique:

*Sitting comfortably or lying down.

*Close your eyes. Take few deep breaths through your nose and breathe out through your mouth.

*Center yourself by establishing a natural rhythm of your breath.

*You can also do mantra chant(OM) for establishing an altered state of consciousness.

*Bring to your mind, a person or an incident which made you really happy. It could be a joyful or silly moment. It could be a person who's presence has filled your life with love and happiness. Think of it and notice the natural smile on your face. Feel the sensation of this smile on your mind, eyes, cheeks, heart and other parts of your body.

*Pause and notice the feeling.

*Allow it to spread within, so that each cell of your body is smiling with this feeling.

*Allow it to spread to everyone and everything around you.

*Express gratitude for this beautiful experience, be thankful for the happiness that you have experienced and given out through your thoughts.

*Slowly return your consciousness by rubbing your hands, touching your face and looking at your palms as you open your eyes.

Stretch, Smile and be in the state of awareness as you go about your day. Notice the happiness this meditation brings to you and others around you.

This practice can be done regularly until we become mindful about it. When we’re mindful of positive traits and behaviours in others, we feel more supported, and that leads to us feeling more able to support others in return. This practice will be with you even when you are interacting with others or being alone.

Keep Smiling and Happy Meditating.

Gratitude Day

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

The single most powerful emotion to set everything right in one’s life, no matter what the circumstances, is Gratitude.

Gratitude is the panacea to negativity. It is not possible to be grateful unless you accept that someone has done something for you. We also associate gratitude for a gift or benefit received.

Today I invite you to consider a much broader definition of gratitude.

What qualities you have that makes your life better and happier?

What qualities have helped you reach where you are today?

What qualities you feel others notice about you?

This can be a deep introspection in working towards what gives you joy but be grateful for all that you have.

Few of the qualities which we explored during our meditation sessions was: 

Passion

Willpower 

Patience 

Committed

Courage

Confidence 

Responsible 

Loving

Kind 

Honest

Learner

Hard working 

Integrity 

This practice brings immense emotional strength. If you are emotionally strong, you would be successful in life. 

Expressing gratitude teaches us to value what all we have in our lives.

Now Isn’t that a wonderful start towards a happy life?