8 A Letter from the Earth on Mindful Eating

Dear One,

Do you realize that the food you eat is a gift from me to you? Every morsel, every bite is such a miracle supporting your existence.

Slow down and appreciate the miracle, please. You humans are forgetting to take time for the important things these days. You rush, rush, rush, for what? Stop.

For eons, my people have honored food with many rituals, giving thanks, sitting together, reclining even, around the table, savoring the offerings of Earth. Now, you package my offerings with preservatives and grab bites on the go and you forget to observe the sacred experience of a meal.

Slow down. Stop, if you will, every time you eat, Dear One. Eat slowly. Savor each bite. Acknowledge flavors, textures and the joy.

Give thanks not only for the meal, but for each person who brings it to your table. The farmer, the rancher, those who toil in the sun, the packagers, the transporters, the store employees, the shopper. Give thanks for each plant, each animal offering its life for you.

Consider the miracle of the digestion process that turns these offerings of Earth into fuel for your life. Quite amazing, isn’t it, Dear One?

So slow down. Eat mindfully. Be thankful. Be aware of the miracles overflowing from the earth to your table becoming your body now. Your life will take on a whole new quality. Your spirit will soar. You will realize, once again, how very much I love you.

 Your friend, Gaia.

This is an excerpt from Awakening: A Contemplative Primer on Learning to Sit. (Higher Ground Books and Media, 2020)