Contemplating Our Food

The Five Contemplations

  1. This food is the gift of the whole universe: the earth, the sky, numerous living beings, and much hard, loving work.
  2. May we eat with mindfulness and gratitude so as to be worthy to receive it.
  3. May we recognize and transform our unwholesome mental formations, especially our greed, and learn to eat with moderation.
  4. May we keep our compassion alive by eating in such a way that reduces the suffering of living beings, stops contributing to climate change, and heals and preserves our precious planet.
  5. We accept this food so that we may nurture our sister- hood and brotherhood, strengthen our community, and nourish our ideal of serving all living beings.
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Honoring the Food

We appreciate that the earth, the sky, the rain, and the sun made this food possible.

We thank those who have made this food available, especially the farmers, the drivers, the workers at the market, and the chefs.

We only put on our plate as much food as we can eat.

We chew the food slowly, so that we can savor.

We eat in a way that protects the environment, and minimizes climate change.

We eat to be healthy, to be happy, to be more present and productive.

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