An invitation to a joyful and sustainable relationship with all aspects of eating, including gardening, food shopping, preparing, serving, and even cleaning up after a meal.
The second book in the bestselling Mindfulness Essentials series, a back-to-basics collection from world-renowned Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh that introduces everyone to the essentials of mindfulness practice.
These short meditations cover everything from eating with others and enjoying our food to connecting with the Earth. How to Eat is a welcome reminder that the benefits of mindful eating are both personal and global.
Thích Nhất Hạnh was a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet and peace activist who then lived in southwest France where he was in exile for many years. Born Nguyễn Xuân Bảo, Thích Nhất Hạnh joined a Zen (Vietnamese: Thiền) monastery at the age of 16, and studied Buddhism as a novitiate. Upon his ordination as a monk in 1949, he assumed the Dharma name Thích Nhất Hạnh. Thích is an honorary family name used by all Vietnamese monks and nuns, meaning that they are part of the Shakya (Shakyamuni Buddha) clan. He was often considered the most influential living figure in the lineage of Lâm Tế (Vietnamese Rinzai) Thiền, and perhaps also in Zen Buddhism as a whole.
This second book in the series tells us how to eat through the practice of mindfulness. The author teaches us how to eat what is necessary and prevent overeating and obesity. He thus guides us to become a healthier version of ourselves.
The topic equally important as what we eat is how to reduce food waste. Millions of people are dying of hunger and poverty worldwide. So we should be grateful for our food and show respect to it by not wasting it.
My favorite three lines from this book. “Don’t chew your worries, your fear, or your anger. If you chew your planning and your anxiety, it’s difficult to feel grateful for each piece of food. Just chew your food.”
“In this food I see clearly the presence of the entire universe supporting my existence.”
“Your body is not just yours. It is a gift and a responsibility.”
The author discusses some vital topics that will be useful for both the older and younger generation.
Number 2 in the Mindfulness Essentials series by Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, How to Eat hits westerners especially in a vulnerable spot: meal time.
See, we have lots on our minds, and eating doesn't change that much. As families, we often don't eat together. We eat FAST food. We eat in our cars, on our couches, while cooking or talking.
We eat too fast. We eat too much. We eat foods that don't exactly help our planet.
If simplicity and slowing down to focus are important concepts to remember while sitting, loving, walking, and relaxing (the other four "essentials"), they certainly bear watching in regards to our favorite pastime, eating.
As Hanh points out, there are TVs and then there are TVs in our minds. Both distract us while we eat our food.
Although he never uses the word, "scarf" is appropriate slanguage for the favorite way we eat our food. At least that's true of me. Yum-yum and it's gone! I'm "famished," after all (never mind, unlike a sizable chunk of the world's and my own country's population, I don't even know what "famished" means).
No, no, no. Rewind. Reset. Sit and take breaths before you eat that dish before you. Really look at it and smell it. Consider its history (world in which it grew, farmers who planted it, workers who harvested it, drivers who transported it). Be appreciative.
Take a bite and truly focus on the taste. Put your spoon down and eat it slowly before you go for another. Really know this food!
Hanh even touts the meditative wonders of dishwashing! (This I can appreciate. Often in life, I've found myself thinking deep thoughts while mowing the lawn or shoveling snow off the walk.)
Hanh recommends occasional silent meals, even when seated with your family or a group. He feels you are there for each other, smiling, eating slowly, eating in moderation, etc.
Hanh's FIVE CONTEMPLATIONS sum it up nicely:
1. This food is a gift of the Earth, the sky, numerous living beings, and much hard and loving work.
2. May we eat with mindfulness and gratitude so as to be worthy to receive this food.
3. May we recognize and transform unwholesome mental formation, especially our greed, and learn to eat with moderation.
4. May we keep our compassion alive by eating in such a way that reduces the suffering of living beings, stops contributing to climate change, and heals and preserves our precious planet.
5. We accept this food so that we may nurture our brotherhood and sisterhood, build our community, and nourish our ideal of serving all living beings.
Passei quase um ano de luto, perdida em devaneios, há mais ou menos um mês decidi que não queria mais isso e mudei minha vida drasticamente, voltei ao yoga que me reaproximou da meditação que me reaproximou do budismo que me reaproximou do vegetarianismo. Thich Nhat Hanh escreveu uma série de livrinhos rápidos sobre atenção plena e que eu ainda não tinha me embrenhado na primeira fase do meu budismo, esse A arte de comer é um deles e faz mesmo a gente ter uma nova relação com a comida.
Well, I continue to crush on Thich Nhat Hanh, have you seen him in his little woolly hat? cer-ute! This is a lovely little book, which you could pop in your pocket and then take out and read something inspiring whenever needed. It's all about mindfulness and mindful eating, it's about taking your time when you eat and appreciating your food. Also, 'Your body is not yours. It is a gift and a responsibility.' which made me feel a little guilty as my body likes wine and is a little chubby....
Một cuốn sách ngắn và mỏng, nhưng hàm chứa sức mạnh nội tại lớn lao.
“Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves – slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.”
“Each time you look at a tangerine, you can see deeply into it. You can see everything in the universe in one tangerine. When you peel it and smell it, it’s wonderful. You can take your time eating a tangerine and be very happy.”
“Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos — the trees, the clouds, everything.”
Thông qua cuốn sách nhỏ này, mình học được rằng trong hạt cơm dẻo thơm mình ăn mỗi ngày, có vẻ đẹp của nắng, gió và nước tưới tắm mỗi ngày; có giọt mồ hôi của một cộng đồng dân tộc và có sức góp của tổ tiên và dòng họ trong đó. Mỗi lần nâng bát cơm đầy, niềm hạnh phúc trong mình trỗi dậy sâu sắc.
Neat little book with lots of information on how to eat more mindfully. I found myself interested in Faibka's (a Litsy reader) posts from this book. While this is presented from a Zen perspective, I did take away many useful tidbits on how to eat in a more meaningful way. From grocery shopping to washing the dishes, Thich Nhat Hanh touches on every aspect of eating. It is a quick read. I give it 3 1/2 stars.
“Enjoy being part of the Earth and eat in such a way that allows you to be aware that each bite is deepening your connection to the planet.”
Musings on a vegetarian/vegan diet: “If you know that you’re living in a way that makes a future possible for your planet, you’ll have joy.”
This little book is full of little gems of wisdom and love. Reading Thich Nhat Han’s musings on the practice of mindful eating, cooking and connecting with others during a meal has filled my heart with joy. Thank you Thay, your presence was an incredible gift for this world.
This short little book can be knocked out in an hour or less, but that's not the proper way to read it! I read a few meditations at a time, set the book down, and then read a few more. Some of the verses/prayers towards the end I wrote down in my notes, but I am definitely considering picking up this gem for my personal library.
Like many of Nhat Hahn's works, this collection of meditations is short but powerful. Small books that we can open randomly to receive a reminder to appreciate what we have or to slow down are not nearly as well done and clear. I would keep a copy of this in the kitchen and advise it for anyone looking to incorporate mindfulness into small areas of their daily life.
Das Buch regt dazu an, achtsamer mit Lebensmitteln umzugehen und den gesamten Prozess des Essens mehr wertzuschätzen - vom Einkaufen bis zum Abwasch. Schließlich bedeutet Essen für uns ja auch viel mehr als einfach nur Nahrungsaufnahme; Essen ist ein Ausdruck von Gemeinschaft, Fürsorge, Kultur, Innehalten, Zufriedenheit und Freude und hat unsere volle Aufmerksamkeit verdient. Jedes Nahrungsmittel ist ein wertvolles Geschenk und selbst Tätigkeiten wie der Abwasch können aus einer anderen Perspektive betrachtet werden– als Möglichkeit, Dankbarkeit für das fließende Wasser, das Geschirr und das genossene Mahl zu empfinden. Das Buch erinnert daran, wie viel Arbeit & Geschichte in jedem einzelnen Lebensmittel steckt. An einem Brot oder auch nur einem Reiskorn sind viele Naturprozesse und Menschen beteiligt. Schön fand ich auch die Idee, ab und zu in Stille zu essen bzw. zu trinken und sich ohne Ablenkungen ausschließlich darauf zu konzentrieren. Statt Essen gierig und nebenbei runterzuschlingen, sollte man sich bewusst Zeit nehmen, um das Aussehen, den Geruch, die Konsistenz und den Geschmack wahrzunehmen. Auch erinnert das Buch daran, sich der Auswirkungen auf Umwelt und Arbeitsbedingungen beim Einkaufen bewusst zu werden. Jeder Einkauf ist ein Stimmzettel.
Gestört hat mich allerdings der Aufbau des Buchs, die Themen werden mehrfach hintereinander angesprochen, wodurch der Text stellenweise durcheinander und wiederholend wirkt. Die Anregungen sind im Alltag natürlich auch nicht immer umsetzbar, aber insgesamt ist „Einfach Essen” ein inspirierendes Buch.
„Sag mir, was und wo du isst, und ich sag dir, wer du bist."
“What shall I eat today?” is a very deep question.
Every minute can be a holy, sacred minute. Where do you seek the spiritual? You seek the spiritual in every ordinary thing that you do every day. Sweeping the floor, watering the vegetables, and washing the dishes become holy and sacred if mindfulness is there. With mindfulness and concentration, everything becomes spiritual.
When you eat in such a way that you can keep compassion alive in you, that is mindful eating.
May we find ways to live more simply in order to have more time and energy to change the system of injustice that exists in the world.
If I am incapable of washing dishes joyfully, if I want to finish them quickly so I can go and have dessert and a cup of tea, I will be equally incapable of doing these other things joyfully. With the cup in my hands, I will be thinking about what to do next, and the fragrance and flavor of the tea, together with the pleasure of drinking it, will be lost. I will always be dragged into the future, never able to live in the present moment. The time of dishwashing is as important as any other time.
I think this little book is a gem. One that everyone should read. The fast paced lives we all live has made us forget the fundamentals of being alive and just “being”. Breath is key. But eating is the fuel that nourishes every part of our being and too often we have forgotten to truely sit down, stay still and appreciate that in every grain on our plate, the whole universe is there. from the little seed, to the rains of the clouds, to just about everything on earth.
The cloud is always in my tea and im truely blessed to be able to drink it everyday.
I really enjoyed this book! Sometimes I find myself being distracted while eating, but it's definitely important to have moments of silence. Our nature is to turn on the TV or scroll on our the phones just to have some entertainment and while that may be beneficial in certain situations, it's good to be intentional about just being in the moment with the natural noises that are around you. So eat lunch at a park or sit alone at a restaurant and embrace the present moment.
Maybe my expectation was totally different when took this book, like how to hold spoon, fork, what to eat first. But this book is totally different, in the sense, it speaks about how we should approach/eat food in spiritual way.
We become aware of what to consume and what not to consume in order to keep our bodies, our minds, and the Earth healthy, and not to cause suffering for ourselves and for others. Mindful consumption is the way out of our difficulties, not just our personal difficulties, but also the way out of war, poverty, and climate crisis. The Earth requires now that we consume mindfully if we are to survive and thrive as a species.
this mindfulness series is outstanding. this one & How to Fight are my favorites. the illustrations are delightful & the short meditations are inspiring.
"Tell me what you eat and I will tell you who you are". The concept is very simple, but profound.
There are 3 things I love on this book: - The body is one of the most sensitive things. Stop rushing and planning to the future. All you need is truly present. Because when you eat in this way, not only are you physical nourished, You are also spritiually nourished. - Delicious food must be healthy food. Healthy is good, but healthy and not delicious isn't good either. You have to have both. - Washing dishes as if bathing a baby Buddha.
How to Eat is several dozen brief meditations on eating by Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh. Common threads include mindful eating, acknowledging those whose hard work made the food possible, gratitude, and the value of our own bodies. At 125 pages, these can be read in one sitting or savored individually.
My ex boyfriend with whom I was for 3 years, oh you exes, is one of the truly best people I know and who from lover, boyfriend, ex, became my best friend, is an emotional eater. When we met, he looked amazing and he still looks amazing; all tall and dark with unapologetically twisted and brutal sense of humour which still freezes me sometimes, but he knows that if he starts eating something and if he doesn’t start thinking consciously about his eating, he is not able to stop. It is not a drama issue, he is not overanalysing it and it is not making his life eating agony, or less sincere or full or he looks at food and craves; he simply accepted himself and this habit which started deep in his childhood.
So I bought him this book because he sometimes refuses to eat garbage with me and I love that he does that. After I gave it to him, I saw stars in his eyes, and I got a huge hug and a big thank you and I love you Jana. Not I love you lets go now and make babies, but, I love you, we suck together as a couple because we are cut from the same cloth; but I’m everyday grateful that we’ve met, and I love you for being here for me and I love having you in my life since you make things so much easier and man I would miss you not even knowing that I miss you if we weren’t being here for each other. I know dude, that’s why I bought you this book.
Here’s where I’m at with my mindfulness practice: I read this book while I ate my lunch at work. I know the practical reasons why mindfulness is important and what the benefits are, but the reality of practicing it is hard. Regardless, this was a sweet little volume with cute illustrations and some excellent thoughts on being present and mindful when you eat, when you cook, when you wash the dishes, and when you spend time with others at a meal.
Titled "How to Eat," this book might have been titled "How to Live." Thich Nhat Hanh's book helps the reader to focus on now--on the peach one is eating, on the beauty of its existence and ours. Peace and respect for our food, our earth and ourselves is essential. A gem that I will revisit, I'm sure.
Small collection of meditations on mindful eating. Resonated with me, to my surprise. Simple without being simplistic. By a Buddhist teacher, but almost entirely secular.
Favorite passage, from a page headed "Eating a String Bean": "Don't chew your worries, your suffering, or your projects. That's not good for your health. Just chew the string bean."