Mindful Cooking
Maybe you find cooking stressful, maybe you find cooking a chore or maybe it’s a hurried, last minute thought.
But maybe it doesn’t have to be. Maybe with a little thought and practice it could be a relaxing and even fun activity. By bringing in some awareness into the meal process it can be a restorative, nurturing and all-round nourishing experience.
Even if you just start with one meal a week where you can stay present and mindful while enjoying each step from choosing the produce, preparing the kitchen, prepping the ingredients, releasing, realising and relishing each step and being accepting of the outcome. If the food doesn’t turn out as you expected, then let that expectation go and appreciate what you’ve ended up with instead. It’s all good – unless it turned to carbon in which case keep an eye out for my next Simple Plant based Cookery Workshop, June 14th, 10- 1pm!!
Take your time – get all the ingredients and spices out ahead of starting to help you feel prepared
Don’t be afraid of getting creative – What is the worst that can happen, and if that happens, how bad can it really be?
If you can imagine it then just try it
Start in your comfort zone, then push a little by adding one new spice or a different ingredient instead of the usual default choice. Try it you might like it
Focus in on your senses – How do the veggies feel, listen in to the water boiling or the sizzling with each new addition to the pan, notice the changing color of the ingredients as they cook, how does it all smell? Feel into the anticipation in your body for the coming nourishment.
I always add my love when I’m cooking, it’s the most important ingredient. One of the ways I do this is to sing a mantra as I work, sometimes aloud but often to myself and the food. This not only helps cultivate my mind but also the food . . . . if you fancy giving it a go but don’t know where to start then here is one of my favorites to use
Om Mani Padme Hum
The meaning of Om Mani Padme Hung by His Holiness the Dalai Lama https://tnp.org/the-meaning-of-om-mani-padme-hum/
Posted in Wellness and mindfulness by Acorn Wellness
