Feeling Emotions: truth well said
Being human includes feeling, acting and mostly notably thinking in ways that distinguish us from other animals. Emotions are the sensed recognition of the fundamental humanness. The range of emotional and psychological experiences that we encounter in the course of...
“Stay . . . just a little bit longer”
The lyrics in my title comes from a song Jackson Browne launched in the 70’s, the decade I was born. And it is one of the core practices of mindfulness and mindful eating called “surfing the wave” or in ME-CL “surfing the crave”. Despite endlessly...
Awareness of Satisfaction – A Way to Healing
Recently, I was craving chicken salad. I haven’t had it in many years, and I was visiting a diner that I remember made it deliciously from scratch. As I was eating my mouth wasn’t loving the taste, my mind was saying, “This isn’t what I remember”, yet I kept...
Food Justice. Looking deeply with mindful and compassionate eyes
A just food system is one in which people produce, distribute and eat foods without being affected by systemic inequality based on race, class, ability or gender. Through the lenses of mindfulness and compassion, we are able to see clearly that injustice takes place...
Young girls experiencing food and eating through the senses
A couple of months ago, I had the opportunity to give a workshop based on socioemotional skills and mindfulness for young girls, aged 12 to 15; the theme was self-love and self-care. Some of the topics we addressed were the interaction between thoughts, emotions,...
What my grandson is teaching “Gramoune” about eating
He calls me " Gramoune." In the Creole language this means Gran Human. He makes me discover a new role in education, being concerned, committed but also without any pressure, with full confidence that he will become a good man. Do you know the poem "You will be a man,...
The present moment is the only moment you can take care of yourself
Spanish version here I love watching my kids play because when I look at them I remind myself that they naturally inhabit the present moment and inspire me to follow them. It will probably resonate with you if I tell you that we lose that innate ability as we grow up...
El momento presente es el único momento en el que te puedes cuidar
Me encanta observar a mis hijos jugar porque cuando les miro me recuerdo a mí misma que ellos habitan el momento presente de forma natural y me sirve de inspiración para seguirles. Probablemente te resonará si te digo que esa cualidad innata la vamos perdiendo a...
It’s not about me, it’s about them: The curious teacher
"It's not about you, it's about them." This is one of the most important attitudes I have learned in my mentoring process with Char over the past years and the mantra I recite to myself before entering the class or starting up a mentoring sessión. “In class, it is not...
How I eat is how I do life
I was out to dinner one evening with friends when the conversation turned to politics. Many a good meal has been spoiled by this turn of topics. I even know of one meal in a 4-star restaurant that ended in a food fight. No dessert for those folks, just their coats and...