Breakfast v Facebook
I have spoken before about the preparation of food (dirty Veg) and breakfast is no exception to this. For breakfast I prepare a combination of fresh fruit peeled, chopped and topped with yogurt and seeds. Weekends might involve eggs, spinach, veggie sausages and mushrooms. All of which are a great start to my day.
Part of my mindful practice is to sit and eat my breakfast at the table. Breakfast tends to be the one meal that I try to purposefully pay attention too. Though, I often find myself initially in conflict with checking my mobile and being caught in the Facebook net. Interesting that I chose to use the word net, as I find it totally appropriate that some things that catch my attention are part of a larger form of weave that being the World Wide Web. For others, the net may be in the guise of the TV or computer screen. In whatever form, it does draw attention away from the moment and in this case enjoying the first meal of the day.
Making a conscious choice.
Mindfulness is conscious awareness as to what is happening in the moment. It’s all about what you notice. First notice where your attention is and then consciously choose to stay with it or chose to respond differently. When I realised how long I had spent having breakfast, it dawned on me that it wasn’t a digestion issue. It was due to the mobile and I was engaging in auto pilot. Fingers busy scrolling, tapping. My mind wandering, searching and lost in thoughts, whilst my luscious meal sat neglected.
It took a conscious effort for me to leave the phone alone and bring my attention to eating. I now take in the colours, the textures, temperature and finally the taste. Variations of fruit bring flavours and joy to my taste buds. The texture of crunchy apples, soft segments of orange mixed with seeds. The creamy slightly sour yogurt all add to the dimensions of my experience. I have been engaging in this mindful morning meal for a while now and fortunately there is no longer any conflict. Experiencing eating my breakfast with no distractions is a great way to start my day.