Today's blog is Part Two of a three-part "Spiritual Toolbox" series on simple, practical meditation exercises.
Have you heard about Sinkies? Sinkies are people who eat right over their sinks, especially when they're eating messy, dripping kinds of food. There's even an organization called Sinkie International -- "The International Association of People Who Dine Over the Kitchen Sink." This group, founded in 1991, "encourages casual dining at the kitchen sink and elsewhere." They acknowledge that many Americans eat quickly, on the run.
Ever since I learned about Sinkies, I've wondered how to include the kitchen sink, and the kitchen counter, as tools for conscious and conscientious living. Today's blog provides suggestions for two ways to allow everything, including the kitchen sink, to be an invitation to notice and be thankful for our lives and the nourishment we are given through the world around us.
Lighting a Candle is Meditation
Over the years I've found that lighting a candle in the kitchen immediately changes the sense of the room. It also changes the process of food preparation, no matter how short that time might be. Perhaps this is because we associate candles with hospitality. Meals are always about hospitality -- even when we're eating alone, it's important to be hospitable to ourselves!
To try this, first choose a candle for your kitchen. Do this intentionally. It might be a votive, or a taper in a favorite candlestick. Then, light the candle and place it where you can see it on your counter.
Notice what happens as you make preparations and cook your meal -- or even as you eat over your sink. Let the presence of the candle help you be more attentive to what you are doing.
Something else you may want to try -- whether you are cooking a full meal or eating on the run -- is to notice what you are eating and be mindful of how it became possible for you to have this nourishment. Years ago I learned to do this from Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh when he came to our town and talked about cutting carrots as a meditation. This has become so important to me that I don't own a food processor. I really enjoy this meditative process!
Cutting Carrots is Meditation
(adapted from a talk by Thich Nhat Hanh)
As you cut your carrots today
Imagine . . .
the farmer who planted the seeds . . .
the sun and the rain . . .
the workers who picked them from the ground . . .
the driver who brought the carrots to market . . .
the person who sold them to you . . .
the beauty of these carrots . . .
the people who will eat these carrots . . .
your hopes for each one of them . . .
And then be thankful for the world that is supporting you through these carrots!