आहार शुद्धौ सत्त्व शुद्धिः
सत्त्व शुद्धौ ध्रुवा स्मृतिः
स्मृति लम्भे सर्व ग्रन्थीनांविप्र मोक्षः ||
āhāra-śuddhau sattva-śuddhiḥ
sattva-śuddhau dhruvāsmṛtiḥ
smṛtilambhe sarva-granthīnām
vipramokṣaḥ
If one eats pure food, one’s mind becomes pure. If the mind is pure, one’s memory becomes strong and steady. If the memory is good, one becomes free from all bondages.
Chandogya Upanishad 7.26
Pure food is not just good food, or organic food, or nutritious food – pure food is that which is eaten consciously, which is respected and given full attention – when you eat mindfully, all food, irrespective of the nutritional quotient…BECOMES NOURISHING.
If you are working from home, you have a wonderful opportunity. Three times a day, you can have food at your convenience, in your familiar surroundings, with people you choose to have food with, and NOT at a desk while typing out an email. The food is mostly home-cooked too..All the ingredients for a wonderful experience of eating, rather than a mundane task of feeding yourself.
Sit in a well-lit area – seeing your food is half the battle won.
That’s why Michelin chefs present food so beautifully – to appeal to you visually.
Smell your food – the various aromas that percolate around the plate, and your belly growls in anticipation (that’s your digestive juice ready and waiting for delicious meal)…we Indians eat with our hands, an ancient tradition that allows us to touch our food, thus engaging the senses – take a bite…wait – don’t gulp it down yet. Taste it, chew it…and chew it well. Slowly, for at least 32 times. As they say –
Drink your food, and chew your water…
Spend at least 15 minutes eating your food. With no distractions. No TV, no mobile, and no talk. Involve all your five senses in the experience. Eat deliberately – not automatically.
At first, it may seem boring – after all, you have been used to watching or reading something when ‘completing this task’ – but after some time, you will begin to taste food better. Much better. When you give your food the attention it deserves, you will feel healthier too. After all, this food is what will go on to BECOME YOU. And as far as I know, YOU are important enough to take priority over a random news article, or a client email.