Recovering from “Mental Stress” Just by Taking 30 minutes to Eat? -Mindful Zen Eating Meditation-
The “Eating Meditation” that calms and fills the mind
Here’s what some of the “Zen Eating Meditation” participants said.
“My mind naturally calmed down and I was able to focus on myself.”
“I have been feeling tired because I couldn’t rest my head staying at home, but I felt relaxed and fulfilled by Zen Eating.
‘Just by eating, you can rest and relax your mind’
Have you ever experienced these types of things?
If you feel mentally and emotionally exhausted, just try taking 30 minutes to eat a meal
We are now facing anxiety about the future and the stress of not being able to meet friends and family.
Some of you may be feeling emotionally drained by the tension of the day.
In such cases, the most recommended method of recovery from fatigue, which can be easily done at home, is “eating meditation”.
This “eating meditation” is just eating for 30 minutes.
That’s all you need to recover from “mind fatigue” and reduce “stress”.
Can you say what you ate for all three meals yesterday? If you can’t answer the question, it is a sign to read this article to be more mindful.
Everyone eats three times a day or more.
This time, which we tend to spend multitasking, is actually the best time to recover from fatigue. Just by changing the way you eat and the mindset while eating, you can let your brain rest and recover from fatigue while eating.
Let’s practice the eating techniques and I will help you calm your mind.
The imagination of the feeling of eating for the first time reduces fatigue.
There is something about food that we were able to enjoy when we were kids and we are not able to enjoy today.
Fresh eyes.
That feeling of innocence and freshness is lost as we encounter more things that occupy our minds and distract us from the simple things in life.
First of all, try to eat the food as if it is your first time eating it.
When you were a child, you used to enjoy the feeling of mashing rice in your hands and stare at the streaks of carrots, right?
On the other hand, you may have been trained to not play with food by your parents as it is a sign of being uncivilized.
As we learn our table manners, we have forgotten to enjoy our meals with our bodies and minds.
But don’t worry. There is no one to scold you as an adult anymore!
Now is the time to remember the “playfulness” while eating again.
As you enjoy your innocence, you will suddenly find yourself forgetting your anxiety and mental fatigue.
As you play with food with all five senses, you may start to feel a fresh sensation in the aroma, temperature, and taste in the back of your throat.
Embrace yourself when you feel the same playfulness you had as a child.
That’s what it feels like to be in a mindful state.
Imagine the environment the food was cultivated in.
In addition, a way to increase the effectiveness of mindful zen eating meditation is to imagine the environment in which the food was grown.
Take rice, for example.
The image of rice growing in a spacious rice field, soaking up the sun and sometimes enduring the wind and rain, taking its time to grow.
Think of the farmers who lovingly harvest the rice and deliver it to us.
Even a single grain of rice has a story to tell about the relationship between nature and people. When you think about it, you naturally feel gratitude.
We Japanese say each grain of rice has eight gods.
Even if it is just a metaphor, it reminds us how precious every grain of rice is.
This way of thinking may change your attitude towards food radically.
While thinking about these things, see eating as a meditation in itself, and eat consciously.
Just by doing that, you will realize how delicious everything you are eating is even if you are eating the same food every day.
First, get lost in the experience.
Then you’ll feel the anxiety and mental fatigue “slipping away” from you.
When you are able to distance yourself from these feelings without being consumed by your thoughts and emotions, you will be able to deal with them better.
The image of being free from your worries can also create a positive feeling.
The following methods are also effective
- Observe the food with your eyes and nose, before eating
- Place the chopsticks and utensils back on the table after every bite while the food is in your mouth.
- Close your eyes (or half closed) and chew slowly.
- Sharpen the senses of your tongue and your mouth
- Appreciate the food from the bottom of your heart
- Take your time to let yourself be consumed in the simple task of eating.
You don’t have to follow them all.
Let’s start by being aware of the one thing you can do.
Conclusion
You can try “mindful zen eating meditation” to recover from your everyday fatigue.
It might be hard for you to make time for general meditation every day if you’re busy on a daily basis.
So as an alternative to meditation, try taking a little time to slow down and eat the same meals you normally do.
Then enjoy your meals in various “playful ways” as described in this article.
However, it is difficult to focus on eating meditation by yourself at the beginning.
In such cases, you can eat quietly with someone else online.
In fact, another thing that plays an important role in resting the brain and nourishing the mind is the dialogue where you share your feelings (to be heard, to hear others feelings).
Putting your inner self into words and having people listen to you helps you deepen the experience more.
You may feel differently than others, and you may have some things in common.
You can learn new perspectives from the words of people who feel differently than you.
By listening to others, you can be more aware of your deep impressions that you could not achieve by yourself.
If you can consistently eat with your “fresh eyes” and then interact with it, you’ll feel the benefits of eating meditation more consistently.
If you don’t really know how to practice them by yourself, I have online workshops where you can experience mindful zen eating meditation.
You can spend this time doing self-reflection after the practice by sharing your feelings with others and getting more in touch with your inner self.
Join us!
I am looking forward to seeing you!
What is Zen Eating?
Zen Eating is Mindful Eating Meditation inspired by Japanese Zen Buddhism.
Eating carefully, one bite at a time, with a guide, calms the mind, regulates your thoughts, and gives you a relaxing and positive feeling.
In the last four months, Zen Eating online had more than 500 guests from 30 countries.
It has also been adopted as a corporate team building and wellness program.
“We don’t pay attention to the meals in today’s busy world. Eating in a relaxed manner can give us a hint on how to enrich our daily lives”
I have received many comments like this.
I offer online workshops that are inspired by food and make you feel at peace.
Eating while sharpening the five senses makes everyday meals feel richer.
I look forward to sharing time to rediscover the joy of eating and life with you!
Try listening to the free audio of Zen Eating
InsightTimer @Momo.zeneating
What will you do in a ZenEating workshop?
Learn to eat to enrich your life & access new ways of eating!
This is a perfect experience for you to enjoy every bite as you will learn to eat to enrich your life & access new ways of eating!
During this experience, I will take you on a 1-hour journey of eating meditation that will bring you peaceful and joyful energy.
First, we will meet online.
Then, this experience begins with an introduction to zen, including how to eat mindfully. I will guide you to induce relaxation through simple exercise and breathing techniques.
Next, we start eating in a relaxed state for 20 minutes. Mindful eating is one of the practices in Buddhism that is easy to implement in your own life. You may feel a connection with people, food, and nature. Eating together slowly in a calm and relaxed environment will leave you feeling more grounded.
Finally, we take a moment to share how we feel together. This is helpful for you to clear your mind, connect with others, and end the experience with a positive feeling.
Great for corporate teams and groups
Many companies applied this experience for team building and wellness activity. (Top IT Company from Silicon Valley U.S.A/ Consulting/ Venture Capital)
I accept groups up to 100! Contact me for more availability.
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▼Website and Contact
Profile
Momoe
ZEN EATING ORGANIZER and FACILITATOR from Tokyo, Japan
Developing and facilitating Zen Eating providing mindfulness practice through food inspired by Japanese Zen Buddhism.
This online program has applied for a team-building and wellness activity by Google, Accenture, along with other companies and conferences.
She has helped over 500 people from 30 countries to have a peaceful mind in 4 months despite the circumstances that this Covid19 Pandemic as her program activates your senses by eating in a meditative state.
She is a cultural salad bowl by herself from her varied experiences from living in Egypt and India, traveling over 30 countries, having a grandfather that is a mountain priest of Japanese traditional way of training one’s mind.
Worked for the wellness dept of a luxury resort hotel Hoshino and IT food company Cookpad.
Graduated from Chuo University, the Faculty of Policy Studies, and studied Zen and Japanese culture.
She is writing a book and dreaming to make a documentary video of Zen Eating.
