I invited a dear friend of mine, Susan Guillory, to contribute a blog on mindful eating. Susan is a mover and shaker in the whole foods movement. In the 1970s, she co-founded Bread & Circus, a whole foods market chain in the Boston area with her former husband, Anthony Harnett. The Bread & Circus stores were later acquired by Whole Foods. In conjunction with the stores Susan taught healthy cooking for 22 years.

Lilian

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Thich Nhat Hanh says the way to lessen our fear is to wrap it tightly in compassionate arms and squeeze. But before we can embrace our fear, we have to meet it. Yes - consciously call our fear up from the depths of hiding, to say hello.

Fear often comes with companions; anxiety, resistance, excuses. That’s ok. We can accept them too.

‘Tis the season of gatherings and gifts. Amidst pervasive consumer propaganda and busy schedules, it’s easy to forget the most precious gift in the universe: our loving attention. Below I’ve excerpted a passage from Thay’s book, True Love, on the practice of spending quality time with loved ones. Shared smiles, warm hugs and honest conversations will remain with us always, long after stylish sweaters and interesting gadgets are discarded.