Mindful Eating: How to do it and why

In about two months we'll enter holiday feast mode. There's usually no amount of exercise that can prepare us for or offset the thousands of calories that await our mouthwatering enjoyment. Some of us have better discipline than others, but if our guard is going to go down, this would likely be when. Aside from holiday eating though, stress eating, overeating, binge eating, unhealthy eating, etc., are real issues that most of us deal with from time to time, if not all the time. Applying mindfulness to food consumption is a strategy that ensures a healthier you if practiced diligently.

Mindful eating is something you can start today, if only when eating a snack. By the time you reach Thanksgiving, you'll be better equipped to handle the temptations. Eating meals mindfully, and even preparing food mindfully can come later, with practice. Does it mean you should never eat a doughnut, or drink soda, or have candy? No, that's not the goal. The goal is to pay attention, and allow the mind (again, over time and with practice) to re-calibrate its ideas about food consumption. You may still pick up a doughnut or a candy bar, but you may not do it as much or consume it as fast. You pace yourself, you understand when you've had enough from the subtle cues your body gives you, if you're paying attention. 

How to eat mindfully:

Step 1) Be sure to eat in a quiet place. No TV, computer, or other electronic device near by. There will be plenty of distraction to deal with, why add to it.

Step 2) Take a moment to appreciate all the people and forces of nature that brought this food to you. Everything from the farmers to the packagers, to the truck drivers, and cashiers at the grocery store. The sun, the rain, you name it.  

Step 3) Engage the senses. I like to play a little game here. I'll close my eyes and pretend that I have no idea what I'm about to eat. I'll then smell and, if appropriate, feel the food for clues, noting my observations. I'm not advocating anyone reach in their soup and decipher a bean from a carrot.

Step 4) Eat! Once the food enters your mouth chew SLOWLY. Really make each chew count. Notice where on the tongue you sense certain tastes. Notice the temperature and texture of the food. Ask yourself if the food is healthy for you and when you've had enough. This is something you'll get better at noticing over time.

Step 5) When it comes time to go down the chute, try to follow it for as long as you can.

Step 6) Enjoy! Be grateful!

Remember, if you do this only with snacks or a couple meals a week you're making great progress. It will change your habits over time for the better.

Oh, and I suppose it wouldn't hurt to practice this when the Halloween candy shows up next month!

Pic of the week: The heart leaf

THE MINDFUL GALLERY'S PIC OF THE WEEK

The heart leaf

The mindful anchor in this photo: A leaf in the shape of a heart

(What is a mindful anchor? When we practice mindfulness it is all about having an anchor, noticing when we stray from it, coming back to it, and doing so over and over again. This is oftentimes the breath in sitting meditation, but it can be nearly any point of focus that allows us to find stillness and peace) 

I must have passed these leaves several times before I actually noticed them. How can that be? These leaves are fairly big and wrap around the fence on my back porch. The day I took this I was paying attention, that's why I saw it. Seems like it's not a big deal, but when I take the time to slow down and notice, certain things will show themselves that were unavailable to me because I was too busy thinking about where I was going and what needed to be done. The brain can only be doing so much at once. I believe it also stuck out because I was in need of seeing it, as a reminder. I have a strong affinity for nature and sometimes undervalue the healing potential it has. Taking moments to observe it in both its beauty and it's demise is an important part of mindfulness, and of being human. So the next time you're out for a walk, consider paying attention to what you're seeing and notice what reveals itself, what you're drawn to, and reflect on why it's meaningful to you.   

Mindful Reiki Sessions: Healing With Awareness

As a Reiki practitioner, I always practice mindfulness during a session with a client. What that means is, I am as present. I use my breath and the touch of my hands on the body as my anchor. When thoughts arise that have nothing to do with the healing interaction going on, I notice them, and come back to Reiki. I probably do that a hundred times in a session. Why is this so important? Well, let me first tell you that it's not something we as Reiki students are taught to do (usually). The idea is that once someone has been attuned to Reiki, and once the hands go on the body, Reiki is there no matter what. Now, that may or may not be true. I have no scientific way to prove it. I do know that intuitively, it would seem that if I were thinking about work, sinking into bad feelings, caught up in fantasy, going through my to do list etc, as I give Reiki, the quality of that Reiki session would be compromised. When I make an intention to be with the client as much as I possibly can, the healing potential that Reiki has is magnified. Why? Common sense would say that it's because I'm working to constantly remove any blockage between myself and the client. Think of thoughts overtaking the mind as a clogged drain and water as Reiki. Some water can pass through a clogged drain, but not much. Mindfulness is like drano. It acknowledges the clog, and by noticing it and taking steps to let it go, the drain becomes free-flowing again. Reiki works the same way.

Now, imagine if the client was practicing mindfulness as well. How much greater might the healing experience be?

Beginning this month I am offering Mindful Reiki Sessions. These sessions are meant to guide the client through a mindfulness meditation (focusing on the breath and the body) while giving Reiki. What we find when we pay attention in this way is that there can be pockets of emotions stored in the body that need awareness to be released. If someone were to come in feeling very anxious, for example, it is possible that in a guided mindfulness session they would be able to discern where in the body it's stored on their own. The addition of Reiki assists in letting go of that energy, along with awareness. There is often such a disconnect between mind and body, that by paying attention to the body during the healing process, you're building a bridge of awareness and communication. If you can imagine and are willing to attempt befriending that which is causing you emotional or physical pain, this is probably for you. 

Christine Eaton, RMP

Would you like to take Reiki to the next level? These sessions are available Saturday mornings at the Cummings Center in Beverly, MA. I offer a sliding scale for both 30 and 60min sessions.

If you're a Reiki practitioner who is interested in a 4-wk Mindful Reiki course to be held in Beverly, MA, please contact me.

You can contact me at christine@themindfulgallery.com or 508-934-6040 for more information or to book the table. 

Much Love. 

Mindfulness Studies Weekly Reflection

This was the first week spent in my mindfulness studies graduate program at Lesley University. My class, Mindfulness Theory, Practice, and Science is off to a powerful start. As it's online, I've met several kindred souls from across the US and Canada. I've never experienced an online class before, and was a bit apprehensive about it. Would I feel like I could connect with these people? Would the dialog flow and be engaging? Well, YES! While I'm still navigating the discussion board threads and how to keep track, I'm head over heals for my classmates, professor and of course, the content. Having practiced mindfulness in various ways for a few years now, it feels spectacular to be in this setting, with these folks who are as passionate (at least) as I am. This week we practiced the body scan, mindful eating, and reflected on a Poem by Rumi called The Guest House. That poem essentially defines mindfulness. Another on point definition was shared with us by Christina Feldman - Mindfulness is the willingness and capacity to be equally present with all events and experiences with discernment, curiosity, and kindness. 

I'm in for a great ride.

Pic of the Week: Pumpkin, our cat

THE MINDFUL GALLERY'S PIC OF THE WEEK

Mindfulness in the eyes of Pumpkin

The mindful anchor in this photo: The cutest face I see nearly every day! Pumpkin, our cat.

(What is a mindful anchor? When we practice mindfulness it is all about having an anchor, noticing when we stray from it, coming back to it, and doing so over and over again. This is oftentimes the breath in sitting meditation, but it can be nearly any point of focus that allows us to find stillness and peace)     

And Now…onto Pumpkin (and pets in general)

Pets have a fantastic way of bringing your focus to them. Have you ever noticed that when you come home and see your pets, hardly any other thoughts bust in take you away from those few moments? I mean, LOOK at that face!! Animals are very good at being present, and they are great teachers for us. There is a great graphic novel called Guardians of Being by Eckhart Tolle that is a simply told story about how are pets help us be mindful. So the next time your with your pet or another's, take note of how you feel when you're with them and relish those moments with gratitude.

The Body Scan: What do helium balloons have to do with it?

When learning about mindfulness, one of the first things you come across is the body scan, not to be confused with muscle relaxation. While relaxation is inevitable with the body scan, its primary point is to bring awareness to body, body part by body part. Some scans are three minutes, others are 40 minutes or longer depending on how part-icular you get  (see what I did there:). Here is a link to a twenty minute scan that I really like because it also includes gratitude.

Kernal of Wisdom Mindfulness Meditation

I'm guessing that most of us, though I can really only speak for myself and others I've sat with during meditation, spend a lot of time during the day out of our body. No, not in an astral out of body experience kind of way, but rather running around in our mind either in the past or present. If you imagine that your head is like a helium balloon that goes higher and higher throughout the day, you can either choose to bring it back down to the ground and anchor it, or it will just lose helium and sink to the earth looking very sad as it whimpers down a side street or gets caught in a tree. Have you ever just felt as though you were so emotionally and/or mentally stressed that your body also felt like a sad, whimpering balloon with no air left? If you want to be the balloon that stays anchored to the party table with a flashy little anchor weight to stay grounded, then give this body scan a whirl. Do it once and you'll think "ok, that was nice", do it twice and think "wow I never noticed how tight my hamstrings are, I better stretch!", do it three times and you start to recognize that you don't swear as much in the car anymore, do it at least four times a week and you'll change your body, your mind, and your life to some degree. Insight is key, and every mindfulness practice gives you more than your thoughts alone can.

Pic of the Week: The mighty, mindful Niagara

The Mindful Gallery's Pic of the Week

 

"The Mighty, Mindful Niagara"

The mindful anchor in this photo: You guessed it! The Niagara Falls.

(What is a mindful anchor? When we practice mindfulness it is all about having an anchor, noticing when we stray from it, coming back to it, and doing so over and over again. This is oftentimes the breath in sitting meditation, but it can be nearly any point of focus that allows us to find stillness and peace)     

And Now….About the Mighty, Mindful Niagara

Have you ever been to Niagara Falls? Most of the time the answer I get to that question is, "Yes, but a very long time ago!". I've been there several times this past year in preparation for my wedding. The longer I spent there, the more I realized it to be a display of the relationship between chaos and peace, and how mindfulness is a bridge between both.  As you face the Falls they grab your attention like a hot torch (only not painful!). The roaring waterfall produces misty clouds and often rainbows. Across the street are towering hotels, casinos, numerous fast food joints and a museum for just about any silly thing you can think of. One side is chaotic, and the other, peaceful. While there is plenty in Niagara Falls to distract from the actual Falls themselves, they remain THE focal point. They will draw you in no matter what. So if you’re looking for a mindful vacation destination, you’ve got a great one here! And be sure to drop by Journey Behind The Falls, where this photo was taken. It’s quite breathtaking.