Conscious Food

I bought a shirt the other day, using the left over holiday gift cards, at (somewhat ironically, I suppose) Gap. It says "What we collectively choose to buy or not to buy can change the face of this planet." In addition to the fact that it was only $5 and that it was the only one, hidden in a pile of t-shirts, I thought it was made especially for me.

The idea of conscious living is a new one to me. The life I am accustomed to is endurance living--just getting through the day and on to the next. Recently, I have been considering the way in which I live my life. How that makes a difference on my happiness as well as on the people and earth. How do my small actions and decisions affect the world on a greater scheme--the whole world and my personal world?
To live in state awareness is a challenge. It is unfamiliar and can sometimes lead to conclusions that I am not ready to confront. These thoughts and ideas have led me to question the issue of food. How my purchasing choices of food can allow me to express my own feelings and choose my impact on the world. And ask myself: How can I eat more consciously?

First: Cook. Cooking my food helps me to quite literally touch every item. I am not eating a cookie wrapped in brightly colored plastic, I am eating a cookie I made from butter, sugar, flour, eggs, (chocolate!) etc, etc. The other important aspect of cooking is it takes time to prepare the food, therefore the eater has greater appreciate for the food. There was time, effort and pride put into that meal--and the food tastes so much better, knowing that I was the one who created it.

Second: Think. To think about exactly what I am eating--this means not eating in front of the T.V. people--is a key concept to conscious eating. And QUESTION. Why I am eating, how it makes me feel, and where does it come from? The latter is one of the most important for me personally. Yes, I enjoy good food--but for me, (I do study International Relations, after all!) understanding the process of getting the food and the people involved. Not only thinking about what the food means to me, but what the food means for the people in the production process.

Third, Slow down. Eating slowly allows for more time to concentrate on the food. In other words, appreciate it. Not only do we eat less if we are more aware of what we are eating because we realize when we are full. And we are satisfied with the food we are eating without eating excessive amounts.

Try it. Slow down. Question. Appreciate.