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Nourishing Ourselves with Mindfulness
The joy, the pleasure, the happiness of meditation as daily nourishment
Every moment of practice—sitting, walking, working, eating—must become a source of true joy, an art where mindfulness ensures that the activity nourishes both body and mind without generating suffering.
Four kinds of nourishment are identified in the sutra:
- Edible food: eating in mindfulness, avoiding toxins and poisons, cultivating lightness and freedom.
- Sense impressions: being aware of what we consume with our eyes, ears, mind, and in conversation, so as not to introduce violence or despair.
- Volition (desire): recognizing our deep aspiration to survive, distinguishing between toxic desires and wholesome aspirations (for example, the Buddha’s desire to relieve suffering).
- Consciousness: taking care of both individual and collective consciousness, refusing to consume the despair or violence present in the environment.
The Fifth Mindfulness Training
Consumption—whether it is food, sense impressions, or anything else—must be practiced in mindfulness, in order to preserve the planet, to transform suffering, and to nourish compassion.
