The World You See When You "Eat With Your Eyes Closed"
Good morning.
Today's topic is: The world you see when you "eat with your eyes closed."
You cannot actually close your eyes while eating, but I mean gently closing your eyelids to calm your mind.
I want you to spend your time with a relaxed feeling.
That is the thought behind using the word "eyes."
We truly live our daily lives helped by the information that enters through our eyes.
But it is also true that because so much information comes in, it is hard to concentrate.
So, please try gently closing your eyelids for just a moment.
What do you hear?
Perhaps a certain scene might suddenly come to mind.
When you temporarily shut down information from your eyes, you can notice sounds you weren't usually conscious of,
as well as changes in your body or discomfort, such as the sensation of having your eyelids closed.
What happens when you close your eyelids after eating...
Just the other day, for the first time in a while, I tried gently closing my eyelids after taking a bite of rice.
At first, it was the sensation of the rice grains hitting my tongue. They felt grainy at first, but as I chewed,
I noticed the grains getting smaller. I was enjoying the texture, thinking, "This one was a bit softer this time."
Then, naturally, I started to think, "What food does this texture resemble?"
I couldn't find the initial grainy feeling anymore, but as the grains were crushed, the sensation spreading in my mouth felt like pumpkin.
I thought I would chew a little more to confirm what kind of sensation it was.
I was more focused than usual.
"Texture" and "Heart" are connected
After I finished eating one rice ball, I tried thinking, "What kind of texture do I like?"
I realized that I like hard or crispy textures.
Then I wondered, what are some hard or crispy textures?
"Ah! Potato chips or rice crackers!"
When I looked back at when I eat crispy and hard things, I realized
I was eating them when I wanted to calm down or suppress frustration.
After a day of various things at work, thinking "I'm so tired," during snack time after dinner,
when I was eating rice crackers with a crunching sound, I was able to focus on the crackers and the texture,
realizing, "I am eating this to calm down."
At that moment, by labeling it "rice cracker = calming," strangely enough,
Eating a rice cracker makes me calm.
I was able to think that, and the space in my heart occupied by vague anxiety actually started to shrink.
This time, by closing my eyes and eating a rice ball, I enjoyed the texture, which led me to think about my favorite texture and why I like it.
And I realized that there is still a part of me that tries to resolve anxiety and frustration by eating.
I spoke to the part of me that realized this, saying, "I see! So that's how it is."
When you focus on "here and now" and "myself," sometimes the bad or messy parts come out more than the good parts.
What to do "when you notice your current feelings"
At such times, instead of marking it with an X and saying "that's not good,"
try saying to yourself, "I see, so that's how it is."
Starting there is perfectly fine.
Today, when you take a bite of something, why not slowly close your eyes and observe "yourself"?
You might discover something unexpected.
=====================
An announcement.
Now accepting participants for a free workshop! We will be holding a free workshop in June. "Experience Mindfulness Eating: Things You Can Start Today" Details here ▶https://resast.jp/events/934350