Creating Space for Wisdom

"We are what we consume. If we look deeply into the items that we consume every day, we will come to know our own nature very well. We have to eat, drink, consume, but if we do it unmindfully, we may destroy our bodies and our consciousness, showing ingratitude toward our ancestors, our parents, and future generations.”

- Thich Nhat Hanh

In January we tend to turn our attention to what we are eating - both because we’ve finished a holiday season in which eating rich foods with family and friends is a cultural tradition, and also because the new year prompts us to examine how we aspire to live.  This coming week we’ll practice Mindful Eating:  slowing down a daily activity and engaging all of our senses in the present moment.  This is a wonderful way to be aware of the bounty in our lives, and we often find that we can cultivate more healthy eating habits by eating mindfully.

But Mindful Eating has much broader benefits, too.  It can help us be aware of and examine everything we consume:  what we eat, yes, but also what we drink, what we buy, what we watch on TV, the conversations we engage in…. even how we consume time.  By being aware of what we consume in its broadest sense we begin to examine what pulls us to these things, how they make us feel during and after we’ve consumed them, what effects this consumption has on ourselves, others, and the planet, and, ultimately, whether each thing that we consume nourishes or depletes us.

When we slow down and pay attention, daily activities become opportunities for choice, and we have a more complete understanding of benefits and drawbacks of possible actions.  We are creating space for Wisdom in our lives.

We hope that you will join us this week as we unbind activity from impulse.

May all beings everywhere without exception have access to what nourishes them, 

Your friends at CMP