Three Mile Lake, Ontario

Zen-cuisine practice is really not so much about what we do in the kitchen as it is about being observant. It’s about noticing what’s happening inside us as we work in the kitchen. To begin our zen-cuisine practice, we focus a small part of our attention on our inner self as we are cooking. With gentle persistence, we root our experience in the present moment. We open to all our senses, and notice how energy is moving through us. We pay attention to what is going on, and how we relate to these unfolding events. What thoughts arise, and what emotions do they trigger? How do we feel?  Are we conscious of the tension or relaxation in our body?  We place a part of our awareness on the rhythm of the life-giving breath flowing in and out as it sustains our being. Can we be totally present in this zen-cuisine experience as it is happening now? 

Three Mile Lake, Ontario

When we enter food preparation activities with mindfulness, we pay close attention to every moment, every movement of our being. Within this time and space, we manifest a constructive and positive presence in our kitchen.  Soon we begin to experience tiny incidents of stillness in the endless bustle of the mind. In these gaps, we touch life’s essence, the depth of true awareness of reality. With practice, our conscious presence is more stable, and increasingly available to us. As Eckhart Tolle says, “the light of your consciousness grows stronger,” with awareness, as we move toward understanding the all-encompassing nature of love.

Three Mile Lake, Ontario

Each time we center our being in love, we are grounding ourselves in present moment awareness. This shift into the Now encourages us to let go of our rigid identification with the thinking mind that likes to engage in ruminating about past events or possible future situations. Egoic thoughts of separation may still arise from time to time and catch us unaware.  They may cause brief discomfort, but we are alert to their appearance, and are no longer captivated by them. 

Three Mile Lake, Ontario

Instead of becoming fascinated, sidetracked, overwhelmed, or lost in thoughts and their ‘reality’, we rest in mindful awareness, observing their arising and passing.  Disidentifying from random, unbidden thoughts, we detach from the mind’s automatic thought processes.  With skillful means, once again, we consciously create a gap between  thoughts, and relax into it. In this gap, the present moment is alive with the boundless energy of possibilities. In this gap, zen-cuisine shines the light of consciousness on the abundant life unfolding in our kitchen. Happy cooking!