Small steps taken towards enhanced wellness can have big impact. Last Saturday, I had the opportunity to attend a half-day silent retreat where we used mindfulness techniques as an anchor to the present moment. This was done through a series of exercises that included walking, listening, observing and eating, the latter being the perfect precursor to celebrating Thanksgiving with friends and family a few days later.

Mindfulness, which is focusing awareness in the present moment, can be practiced throughout the day, not only during meditation sessions. Mindfulness practices have been closely studied and shown to reduce stress and increase overall happiness. Among the many ways to practice mindful eating is savoring, which is fully appreciating eating as an experience in its entirety.

Here’s how we explored the art of savoring with eating a handful of grapes:

Using all our senses we took the time to hold and feel the grapes, noticing the shapes, smelling the aromas and appreciating the uniqueness of each one.
Taking the first bite, we noted the burst of flavor, the texture in the mouth, how it felt to thoroughly chew and the moment we had an urge for another bite.
Feeling the food travel and settle in the stomach, reflecting on how it’s providing the body with nutrition and how such a practice might impact future food choices.

The meditation instructor also had us reflect on the journey of the food, including the farmland soil, seed, sprout, crop tending, harvesting, transportation, packaging process, the market, purchase and trip home.

That reflection reminded me of my favorite scene in the 2004 movie Sideways, where the main character, Miles, meets Maya, a woman who shares his passion for wine. In the scene, she explains how she likes to think of wine as a living thing and what was happening at the time it was bottled. Who picked the grapes? What were the weather conditions? How will it taste on the day that it’s opened? She imagines that wine has an evolving, complex life, including its peak and eventual decline. Her connection with its life arc adds to her enjoyment as she sips.

Reconnecting with our food source is a way to enhance our wellness by helping us recognize and touch the very spark of life. When mindful of the elements and the chain of hands from soil to shelf, it’s hard not to feel connected and grateful for the food we have and be thoughtful of our choices.

Journal Reflections: How might you practice the art of savoring? What happens when you slow down enough to embrace and appreciate your full experience? How might you take those insights and reflect them back out into the world?

Savoring