The Practice of Conscious Cooking
“The five elements in our foods nurture the five elements in our bodies. Put differently, the elements that nourish us are the same elements that are within us. When we recognize this integral connection – that we are sustained by the five elements of nature – we understand that each bite of food is a blessing from Mother Nature. This realization is the beginning of sadhana.”
– Maya Tiwari, The Path of Practice
Sadhana: a Sanskrit word whose root, sadh, means to reclaim that which is divine in us. Sadhana practices encompass all of our daily activities, working to reconnect the simple things we do daily with that which is divine in us: our power to heal, serve, rejoice, and uplift the spirit. Sadhana practice works to connect internal awareness to external rhythms and ultimately to our own inner wisdom.
One Sadhana practice that I have recently learned and been experimenting with is that of bringing consciousness to my cooking. Instead of rushing through the act of chopping vegetables, I am working to slow down and enter into the process – mindfully feeling, smelling, and being present to the experience. This, in and of itself, is healing. However, …