Zen practice is radically inclusive; all elements of daily life are a part of practice. This includes our relationship to food: how we eat, what we eat, when and why we eat. Despite engaging in eating throughout the day, it often remains opaque and uninvestigated in our daily life. In a country wracked with obesity, malnutrition, and an endless hunger for more, what does it look like to eat wisely? As food is so closely linked to craving, to emotions, and to well-being, if we are to fully wake up, we must include our relationship to food.
In the first class in this series we studied the eight types of hunger as discussed by Jan Chozen Bays, author of the book Mindful Eating. These types of hunger describe why we eat.
In the coming class, we will explore how we eat, learning practices for doing so mindfully and wisely.
During the session we will do some mindful eating together, so please bring a food item in a quantity sufficient to have 3 or 4 bites.
If you would like to listen to part 1 of this series, you can find it here.