I would like to know how I can learn to eat in peace. A few years ago I was determined not to eat enough for my body and after that I couldn't help but eat too much during the time of buying, serving or eating food I feel very conflicted, very turbulent and I'd like to know how I can begin to learn to eat 90% of what I need in peace and in freedom

Please come. You shouldn't turn it off. You should not turn it off. You may like to come and stay with us in Plum Village. In Plum Village, each monk has a bowl. And they know how to serve. In principle, they should take only the amount of food that they need. The bowl is called the vessel for appropriate measure.

And the five contemplations should be done before you serve and not after you serve. The king Prasannajit of Kushala used to eat a lot also. He's a friend of the Buddha. He's fat. So there was one time while visiting the Buddha at the Jeta Park, he walked to the Buddha's hut and he slept at the same time. He almost bumped into the Buddha.

The Buddha advised him to eat in moderation. And the king was accompanied by someone. So the Buddha had the king promise that this attendant will take care so that the amount of food that the king eat will be appropriate. And because the king was an admirer of the Buddha, a good friend of the Buddha, so he made the promise that from that day on he would eat in moderation. And that the attendant will offer him, bring him the amount of food that is good for his health. So you might need an attendant like the king.

The novices, when they receive the ten precepts, they know that they should not eat outside of the meal with the sangha. In Plum Village, we used to have fasting retreats. And there are many ways of fasting. There's one easy way of fasting. You eat while fasting. But just one dry slice of bread. And you chew that piece of bread, one tiny piece of bread, until it becomes water, liquid. It becomes liquid and tastes wonderful.

And this is a good practice because if we chew our food carefully 30 times or 50 times, we will feel that we don't have to eat a lot. And our body will tell us when we should stop. We can listen to our body.

Our body knows And this answer is for everyone, including the monastics. You have to practice the precepts, the mindfulness trainings well on eating. And when you eat, you focus your attention on the piece of carrot, the piece of bread you eat. And you receive it as an ambassador of the cosmos.

And every morsel of food is a chance to practice. And you can be peaceful and happy during the time of eating. In our tradition, we take time to eat. And during lunch, we touch the food deeply and we also touch the sangha deeply. Although the practice of the sangha is not perfect, but to eat with the sangha can be very helpful.