Food and Friendship

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting some great people. I truly enjoyed our first tea party discussion group and I'm so grateful for what I learned and resonated with, with each of them. One of the things that came up was different forms of conscious living. We were speaking of meditation and I shared that I had recently learned of "eating meditation" where you consciously focus on each bite, the textures and flavors of what you are eating without distractions. I will admit I have only tried this a few times but I'm grateful for the experience it gives me. If I stop to think about how important food is to my health and survival then it only makes sense that I should be giving it due respect of my time and attention. I also try to bless all my food before I eat it. In sending loving energy into the food that will in turn love and nourish my body I feel a more active connection to that process. And it also makes me more aware of what I am putting into my body. Blessing a donut before I eat it doesn't feel as good as blessing fruit or a more well rounded omelet. I'm so grateful for this practice that makes me more aware of my actions. I'm grateful to let it go when I forget and I'm grateful to release judgement when I do choose to go ahead and eat something not as healthy. I'm grateful to recognize I am human but also grateful to not let that be an excuse to not be conscious of my choices. And I'm grateful for the new friends I met yesterday that had their own lessons, trials, and successes to share about living consciously. 
Today is National Make a Friend Day. What a beautiful day to celebrate! I am so grateful for the friendships I made yesterday. I am excited to see who I will meet today and the possible connections I may find with them. I'm grateful for a world full of possibilities and for so many wonderful and unique people to meet. 
How will you choose to celebrate today? What conscious choices are you making each day? Are your conscious choices about food, gratitude, or simply just waking and giving today another shot? Each of us are in different places and we may be walking different paths but we are all supported. May your food provide nourishment for your body and your friendships provide nourishment for your soul. Have a beautiful day!!!