Chew To Process

The assimilation of food, ideas and concepts.

Photo by Christopher Sardegna on Unsplash

There is a parallel meaning in how we take and assimilate an idea, advice, compliment, or rule and the way we eat. When the psyche and the physical function are processed in coherence, it is rare for a person to eat and digest differently from how they assimilate a concept. Learning to eat to create balance from the inside out requires an awareness that starts in the brain and is understood in the stomach, our third brain.

Mindful Eating

Mindful eating is a practice that involves paying full attention to the experience of eating and drinking, both inside and outside the body. It requires being fully present and engaging all your senses to savor and truly enjoy your food. In my journey with mindful eating, I have discovered the profound benefits of chewing food slowly.

Next time you eat, observe how you eat. Are you rapidly taking each bite? Do you order a delicious dessert even if you are no longer hungry? Or do you eat according to your appetite, considering whether the food is good or bad for you? Note whether it's easy or difficult for you to eat mindfully.

Photo by Pablo Merchán Montes on Unsplash

When you take the first bite, do you find yourself automatically thinking, fantasizing, or talking? Are you truly tasting your food? How do you bite and chew? Are you chewing harshly, or are you taking quick bites? Have you used your molars to break down each bite until it is liquefied? If you often finish eating without feeling satisfied or suffer from indigestion, consider avoiding hard-to-digest foods or continuing to eat mindlessly. Reflect on whether there's a parallel between how you handle food and how you process ideas, advice, opinions, and rules. Awareness of your eating habits can lead to spontaneous changes in other areas of your life.

Several decades ago, when I was indoctrinated in the Taoist path, my teacher OmNi told me at dinner to chew each bite one hundred times, making each mouthful into water before swallowing. Proper eating enables the bones, tissues, and organs of the body to remain strong and healthy. Even though there are an exceptions, the way food is intellectually assimilated maintains a relationship with howhow it nourishes the body.

For example, children explore food with all their senses, stopping when full. I played with food a lot as a child, creating frustration among my parents. Sometimes, parents force children to eat more than they want, conditioning them to ignore their natural cues and blocking mindful eating. This can lead to a "rigid" digestive system that doesn't process food well, leaving one unsatisfied and prone to overeating. A rigid digestive system cannot interact with food to obtain the molecules needed to nourish the body at the cellular level, so it takes in anything and assimilates little.

Connecting with yourself and deepening your awareness of bodily sensations makes you less likely to neglect chewing and savoring your food. The most intense experience is perceiving your mouth and esophagus as an extension of your stomach, like an elephant's trunk exploring its surroundings and bringing in only what it needs. Eating becomes a pleasure, and taste brings satisfaction, much like how children experience it.

Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving till the right action arises by itself? – Tao Te Ching, Chapter 15

Mindful Decision-Making

Just as chewing your food slowly can improve your digestion, taking your time to make crucial decisions can lead to better outcomes. In a fast-paced world, there's often pressure to make quick decisions. However, rushing can lead to choices that we regret or do not align with our values and long-term goals.

The same is true for ideas, concepts, and rules. How can you be satisfied with what you learn if you don't break it down, critically examine it, and feel how it resonates within you?

For instance, when receiving a compliment, you might refuse it, accept it as is, or scrutinize it to see if it's genuine, considering the positive and negative aspects and underlying motives.

Some people are adept at carefully analyzing any information they receive, while others might mindlessly accept any concept without critical examination. Becoming mindful of how you taste and chew food can lead to psychological and intellectual changes. Over time, it becomes challenging to take in ideas, concepts, and theories without fully processing them. This is a personal experience you need to live to understand.

By taking the time to thoroughly "chew over" a decision, an idea or concept you allow yourself to gather all necessary information, consider various perspectives, and weigh the potential consequences. This process of careful deliberation is akin to the mindful chewing of food—it ensures that your decisions are well-thought-out and digestible.

In my experience, approaching decisions with this mindful, deliberate attitude reduces anxiety and increases confidence in your choices. It has provided me the mental clarity needed to make decisions aligned with my true self, just as mindful eating helps align my eating habits with my body's needs. The wisdom from the Taoist path, imparted by OmNi, extends beyond eating; it becomes a way of approaching life with patience, awareness, and intentionality.

Transformation and healing of your digestive system begin when you find the necessary energy to let go of co-dependent situations that no longer serve you.

---

Thank you for reading “Chew To Process.” At the present moment all of my newsletters are free. Like, subscribe and share The Art of Flow if you see value in what I write. It means a lot to me and the work I am putting out.

In gratitude,

Yoli