By Aruna Ladva
It is now common knowledge that our thoughts or intentions can affect matter; see experiments conducted by the Japanese Professor Masaru Emoto on how he transforms water crystals. Likewise our thoughts in the form of vibrations, will affect the food we eat. Or, look at it from another standpoint; if we eat food that’s been prepared by an angry person… we may just wonder why we have indigestion at the end of the meal! Yet another good reason to return to good ol’ home cooking!
There is also something to be said about an old adage, ‘the family that eats together stays together’. In a world, where we have become too selfish, it is important to remind ourselves that mealtimes were a time for sharing and caring – not only families would eat together every day, but also communities. It was a time for creating bonding and harmony between brothers and tribes! Today however, it may be a quick ‘bite on the go’, or the temptation to eat quickly while watching TV! Food eaten without awareness or a sense of gratitude or appreciation will not nourish the body or the mind in the same way.
With the advent of the fast food industry, many of us have moved so far away from the touch and feel of preparing real food from scratch that we have also forgotten the taste of real food. We have become disconnected from nature, having forgotten that our bodies themselves are also part of nature. Processed food that is overloaded with additives, preservatives and artificial flavour enhancers, dulls our palates and deadens our senses – in every sense, physically and mentally!
Eating good, healthy and well-cooked food is a sign of self-regard. Eating ‘rubbish’ also speaks volumes about our levels of self-respect. Have we perhaps moved so far into our busy lives that we don’t even care to look at what we eat any more – its straight from the packet into the mouth? When we value our body, not in an arrogant way, but as a trustee of an important instrument given to us on loan, then we value ourselves. Not only that, but we will get a great deal more mileage out of this vehicle that I, the soul, use to get around in!
It’s time… to realize the power and effect thoughts have on matter. Cook with a happy and elated consciousness not because you have to or are simply in a rush to get it over with. The few extra moments you will take to put the love, care and attention to your meals will go a long way in helping you create a powerful state of mind. Your body too will thank you with good health. This gives a whole new meaning to the statement: ‘Wat’s cooking!’ Not only on the stove, but also in the pot of your mind!
It’s Time… by Aruna Ladva ©
www.arunaladva.org

Recap: ‘Cooking with consciousness’ is an interesting concept and well worth experimenting with. Especially if you are a meditator, you will notice a difference in your thoughts and awareness if you practice the mindful preparation and eating of food.
It begins in fact from the moment you go to buy your food. As you make your way to the supermarket, maintain a clear and focused mind – so as to select only the right ingredients, which will nourish and enrich your mind and body. Try to buy and use food items that are as close to nature as possible. Do not be pulled into the chocolate aisle or the pastry section! Continue to exercise self-talk that; I will only pick and choose the healthiest of ingredients!Once the food is prepared, cooked and served, it is a good idea to sit in silence with it for a few minutes and offer thanks to God, the Provider, Nourisher and Sustainer, before beginning to eat… thereby infusing it with even more positive energy!