Rituals to Eat By

Whether or not your celebrating Thanksgiving this week, it's always a good time to give thanks, and to acknowledge the blessing of body and soul nourishing food in our lives.

Below is a step by step plan for bringing a sacred dimension to your eating encounters. Whether you're preparing a meal or reaching for a quick snack, these rituals will encourage mindful presence in your dance with food. Choose the step(s) that are appropriate for the occasion.

It fills my heart to have these rituals in my life and I hope you experience the same heart expanding joy and fulfillment. Connecting spiritually through food is a celebration of life that nourishes, uplifts and amplifies the potency of this sacred medicine we call food.

Rituals for sacred preparation, serving and consuming of food.

1. Gather your recipe ingredients. Bless all the food with a prayer like, “Thank you creator for this bounty. May we be conscious and reverent of all the energy, wisdom and love that has contributed to bring this nourishment to our home”.

2. Sensually Connect with each plant food item. Smell, touch and visually admire the unique blessings of each. (Fruits, herbs and veggies)

3. If including animal protein, say a prayer to thank the animal for giving its life, like, “thank you for the bird, fish, cattle that has given its sacred life so that we can be nourished".

4. As you add each ingredient to the dish, say a prayer like "_________is a healing and nourishing medicine. I gratefully receive it's blessings”.

5. Before cooking or dehydrating, consciously thank the element of fire for it's generous healing power.

6. When serving, gather with friends and family to bless the food and the occasion of gathering with loved ones with a prayer like, “Bless the hands that prepared this meal. Bless the food before us, bless the friends beside us and bless the love between us. May all beings be nourished.”

7. Before your first mouthful, energize the food. Hands on either side (more discreet) or above your dish, open palms facing the food, go inward with eyes closed, gently bowing head forward, and consciously send healing light and love from your heart to the food so that it may bring healing energy back to your body.

Thank you for being in my life. May each day bring you blessings and abundant excuses to give thanks over and over.

Love,

Leela