Oakville Zen Meditation
Mindful eating
We eat every day, but often we’re not really present while eating. It’s common to eat while standing at the counter, rushing through a snack, scrolling on our phones, watching TV, or eating without really noticing what’s in front of us. We follow endless food rules and are constantly told what, how much, and when to eat. At the same time, we are tempted by foods designed to keep us wanting more. Considering all these factors, it’s easy to see how eating has become rushed and automatic.
Mindful eating offers a gentle way back.
At its heart, mindful eating is about being present before, during, and after we eat. Many of the reflections in this talk come from Zen teacher and physician Jan Chozen Bays and her book Mindful Eating. She reminds us that how we eat can be just as important as what we eat.
A beautiful place to begin is with a pause, a moment to breathe and offer gratitude before taking the first bite. This small pause helps us arrive in the present moment.
We can also gently ask ourselves:
“Am I truly hungry right now?”
“Or am I reaching for food out of stress, boredom, fatigue, or habit?”
Sometimes we eat because our body needs nourishment. Other times, we are looking for comfort, distraction, or reward. When we notice this, we can pause and ask what we really need - perhaps a few deep breaths, a short walk, a conversation, or anything that truly fulfills our needs at that moment.
As we eat, we can turn off distractions and bring our attention to the simple experience of eating. We notice the colours, smells, textures, and flavours of our food. We chew slowly. We feel the breath moving in and out. It’s not always possible to be fully mindful during an entire meal, but we can still savour a few bites fully. Each bite can become an opportunity to really experience the food we are eating, rather than rushing through it.
Another helpful part of the practice is noticing our conditioning around food, habits learned in childhood that now run automatically. Clearing the plate, eating by the clock rather than hunger, snacking “just in case,” or eating while watching screens are some examples. Just noticing these patterns can already help loosen their grip.
There is a traditional Japanese practice of eating until you are about eighty percent full. The remaining twenty percent belongs to the doctor: a playful reminder that eating past what the body needs can create problems later.
With mindful eating, each meal becomes a quiet practice, a chance to slow down, bring full awareness to the body and mind, and truly nourish ourselves with care, presence, and gratitude.
