Hello,
And welcome to the fourth day of Spring Break.
I'm Aileen,
Your guide,
As you journey through your five senses,
Deepening your connection with your body and the earth,
Cultivating a sense of awe,
Of wonder,
Of belonging,
And of deep,
Nourishing,
And deserved rest.
Take a moment now to get comfortable,
Sitting or laying down,
Whichever you prefer,
Somewhere you won't be disturbed.
And take a few moments to just arrive.
Feel your body supported by your chair or the surface you're laying on,
And bring your attention to your breathing.
Notice your breath flowing in and out of your lungs,
And allow your body to soften into this gentle rhythm.
I'm so glad you could join me.
Imagine yourself in a garden,
Surrounded by nature.
This garden could be somewhere in the landscape you have been visualizing all week,
Or it could be somewhere new,
Either real or imagined.
Wherever your garden is,
Take a moment to look around and notice what is growing here.
Today,
We will be exploring with our sense of taste.
If you haven't imagined veggies or herbs in your garden,
You may wish to add some now,
Though it's not necessary.
They don't need to be in neat rows for you to include them.
Wander through your garden now,
And taste anything you feel called to.
Perhaps you pull a carrot and crunch into it,
Noticing its juicy sweetness.
Perhaps you pop a mint leaf in your mouth,
Slowly chewing.
Maybe you sample a violet,
Experiencing its floral perfume as a flavor on your tongue.
Spend some time exploring.
Even if your mind has wandered,
Bring it back to your garden.
Continue to explore with your taste buds.
Maybe you notice some dandelions growing along the border of your garden,
And sample their bitter leaves.
Perhaps you pop a Saskatoon berry into your mouth,
Savoring its sweetness.
Continue to explore for a little longer through your sense of taste.
And now,
Bring yourself gently back into your body and the room,
Softening your attention.
The link between food and well-being has been studied a lot in terms of how healthy,
Nutritious foods are better for our brains,
Guts,
And overall health.
However,
The experience of flavor and its effect on our well-being is less well-studied.
I struggle to find anything relevant in my research for this meditation.
We do know that foods that are in season are higher in nutritional value and actually do taste better.
It is not always possible or practical to eat local and in season,
But I would encourage you to consider how you can shift your eating even a little bit in this direction.
Eating seasonally is a powerful way to develop a stronger connection to your place,
The place you live,
The earth you walk upon every day.
In addition,
I'd encourage you to practice eating slowly and savoring your food.
This can be a mindfulness practice and can help bring you into the present moment and calm your mind and body.
It has the added bonus of helping you recognize when you are full and if not overindulging in sweets and treats,
Which,
While enjoyable in the moment,
Actually have a negative impact on our sense of well-being.
I hope you had fun exploring your garden through your taste buds today.
Take time to notice all the different flavors that you experience as you move through your day.
And I look forward to journeying with you again tomorrow as we travel at last into the lavish sense of touch.
