Day Two: Movement

The seemingly simple act of eating sets in motion a symphony of movement. Because we have been accustomed to eating as a matter of habit, we long ago stopped attending to the nuances. But they are there, just as they have always been.

As infants, learning the mechanics of eating took time and was a challenge. As we age, or suffer certain ailments or diseases, the challenge returns.

One of the foundations of mindfulness practice is to appreciate the impermanence of all of life, and this includes the state of our health and functioning. It can be a powerful exercise to slow down the process of eating so that we become keenly aware of the small and large movements involved in eating.

Today, as I ate dinner, I became aware of my desire to reach for the spoon. From where did this desire spring? Slowly, I lifted my hand and reached out for the spoon. I observed just how my fingers began to form in anticipation of touching the stem of the spoon. Then, I felt the weight of the spoon -- how heavy it was -- as I lifted my hand and brought the spoon to my mouth.

Then, how marvelous that my mouth began to open as I brought the food into my mouth and deposited it on my tongue, which responded to the touch of the spoon and then the warm food. My jaw then kicked into gear, automatically, and I slowed the process, moving my jaw up and down chewing the food with deliberation.

My body told me when I was ready, and, as if mediated by a power beyond myself, I began to swallow the food. Just then, my hand began to retract from my mouth with the empty spoon (was the spoon lighter or was that just my imagination?) and I reached over to return to spoon to the table.

Breathing deeply, I observed the thought arise in my mind to take another bite, giving birth to the impulse to reach again for the spoon.

Have fun trying to slow down the process, even if for just a bite here and there. You will find the experience tends to awaken present moment awareness.