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Transcript
I was introduced to the concept of mindful eating about a year ago by a good friend of mine. It’s helped me to appreciate the food I eat on a deeper level. I’ve come to realize that food is both nourishing, nourishing, and enjoyable. As with so many things, humans are capable of turning what for animals is just an energy source into an outlet for personal fulfillment.
Even if it is just for a moment, I’d like to invite you to give it a try some time.
It’s actually pretty easy.
The next time you sit down to eat, before you begin, take a moment to observe the plate in front of you. And be sure to use all your senses.
What does it look like? Are there any question colors or textures that catch your eye? What does it smell like? Anything
surprising?
What does it sound like? Hey, if you’re eating Frito’s, then it’s making some serious noise.
If I haven’t mentioned it already, this isn’t something you want to rush through. Now, when you take your first bite, what does it feel like in your mouth? Is it hot? Is it soft or hard? What does it taste like? Sweet, salty, sour? Can you isolate any particular flavors? Or spices? Is it
tough to chew? And what does it sound like when you do to it?
And how does all of this make you feel? Happy content. excited for the next bite? Any different?
Now, try this for your entire meal. You don’t have to do this every time you eat in order for mindful eating to have a positive effect on you. Perhaps you do it for a bite or two when you encounter a new dish or to see in a new way. That chicken dinner you’ve eaten every Thursday for as long as you can remember.
So why do I mention any of us?
Because mindful eating is to food what natural family planning is to birth control. Just as it is super easy to turn on autopilot on when you eat, it’s just as easy to do the same when you’re taking a pill each day or using a barrier method of contraception. NFP invites couples to be mindful about the way they approach the most intimate part of their relationship. Through the patterns of every cycle, couples are given the opportunity to think ponder and pray about their family planning intentions.
And you begin to realize that NFP isn’t just something that is approved by the church, but it’s actually something that can help couples to improve their spiritual life. And just as food can be more than just fuel, NFP helps couples to realize that their bodies are about more than just reproduction, but are actually capable expressing the profound spiritual realities of conjugal love.