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TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 11

centered eating.” Here are the basic of thought to the vibrancy of the However, once again, the point
instructions: present. of the gaps is primarily to get
you to notice and study your
Immediately after putting food in In other words, by inserting a
mind. An attitude of curiosity and
your mouth, put your utensil or gap you have the chance to notice
perseverance is really the most
eating object (i.e. your banana) your constantly-happening
important thing.
back on the table. Rest your hands reactivity and autopilot habits.
in your lap and do not remove A final note on both practices of
them until you have swallowed the You’ll notice all your little cravings, mindful eating
previous bite AND waited at least urges and impulses; like to have the
a few seconds (i.e. one breath). next bite, to hurry, to fidget, to get Over years of practicing mindful
away, or think about something more eating, I’ve found one other
And what exactly is the point of this? exciting. You’ll also start to notice component to be absolutely
your aversion to doing the practice essential: intention.
The primary purpose of
itself. You’ll likely notice some really
meditation is to notice and break If I just willy-nilly try and do a little
convincing thoughts & feelings that
free from our reactivity and mindful eating, it usually doesn’t
will try to tell you, “I understand the
autopilot living. last very long. However, if at the
point of this exercise, so now I don’t
beginning of the meal, I take a
With “gap-centered eating,” most have to do it anymore.”
moment of stillness, and make an
people find that their mind does not
The more deeply you can notice active decision to practice mindful
want to stay with this practice for
these habits, the more you have eating for the entire meal, then I
an entire meal.
the opportunity to break free pretty much always follow through
from them.
Instead, it wants to hurry. As on that decision.
soon as one bite has lost most its
As some part of you already knows, In other words, if you set your
flavor, it wants to experience the
the taste of freedom is joy and intention to do these things, then
next bite. Even more so, the mind
connection—much more delicious when all the mental reactivities
doesn’t want to stay present for
than a thousand & one ripe and autopilot tendencies inevitably
something as mundane as eating—it
strawberries! come up, you’ll have it in you to
wants to wander off into past, future keep re-directing back to your
and fantasy. Is that really all there is to do— intention, back to mindful eating.
just insert gaps?
And, what’s more is that these
Ultimately, mindful eating is just
habits of the mind are happening all If you like, you can also pay
as powerful as sitting meditation,
day long! attention to the sensory experience
walking mediation or any other
of eating, or to sounds, body
Rather than stay present with our form of meditation.
sensations or anything else—
life, our mind constantly seeks the
whatever helps you stay grounded Study your mind and set yourself
next pleasure or excitement, and
in the present, and keep inserting free! EH
prefers the numbed familiarity
one gap after another.