Meaning-Centered Eating

Most eaters, when eating, search for either nutrition or comfort or leisure or health. Some, while eating, search for meaning. Mindfulness and meaningfulness go hand in hand: what is meaningful is typically approached with heightened attention, concentration and, therefore, with mindfulness. Explore the activity of eating as a daily opportunity for meaning. Infusing meaningfulness into eating is likely to increase the mindfulness of it as well. Aim to make a paradigm shift from mindless overeating to meaning-centered eatingnEating as an Expression of Valuesn nEating, while typically not a conscious part of one’s world-view, can be made more mindful through a re-alignment of eating values with a person’s overall world-view. Vegetarian and vegan traditions are good examples of an attempt to use the activity of eating as a vehicle for the expression of one’s ethics. Locavorism would be another example of the interplay between eating choices and community ethics.n nTo help you infuse meaningfulness into mindless eating, I encourage you to survey your life values. Set aside some time to meditate on the following questions. What is important to me? What do I stand for? What is life about? How do I see my purpose in life? What are my goals? What do I value? Write down your answers and brainstorm ways in which your eating can reflect your values. n nPavel Somov, Ph.D., author of EATING THE MOMENT: 141 Mindful Practices to Overcome Overeating One Meal at a Time (New Harbinger, 2008) www.eatingthemoment.com