Wish You a Joyful Cooking

Preparing meals at home with busy schedules can be very difficult even though it is a hobby for someone. We know cooking is an art but we might not see it as a spiritual nourishment. Here are some ways to take cooking as a means of inspiration.

Gratitude before Cook 

We say thank you to the Lord before having food, but have you ever expressed gratitude before you cook?

We walk into the kitchen to prepare a meal. We should be thankful to have ingredients to cook with, like fresh vegetables which are a gift from the soil, the rain, the sun, and the workers all along the food production and distribution chain.

We have to appreciate the privilege of having a well-stocked kitchen with all the pots, pans, and utensils.

Say thanks for having two hands and we are standing on our two feet, there’s electricity and running water, and it feels pleasantly warm in the kitchen. Can it get any better than this?
Take a moment with me to pause and express gratitude for all that we have and that makes the experience of cooking a meal for ourselves and our loved ones possible.

Look Deeply into the Ingredients

The food that we eat connects us in the deepest possible way to the world around us. The living beings we consume for sustenance are made of cells that will be broken down and metabolized by our cells, becoming the building blocks of our blood, skin, muscles, bones, and every part of our body. The food carries its past and becomes our future.

Not every part of my food’s past is nice to look at but if we are to know ourselves we need to know where our food comes from. If what we see when we look deeply into the ingredients makes us uncomfortable, we can make some changes to what and how we eat, and work towards a better food future.

Involve Completely 

Say when you breathe in, I know I am breathing in. Breathing out, I know I am breathing out. Breathing in, I have arrived in the kitchen. Breathing out, I am at home in the kitchen.

Take just a moment to reconnect with the breath helps be fully present. Aside from being a spiritual practice that reconnects my spirit and my body, mindful presence helps me avoid spills and injuries.

Feel the things:

I see the shapes and colors of the vegetables, containers, and cooking tools.
I hear the sizzling of water droplets as they leave the flesh of the mushrooms and evaporate upon contact with the hot surface of my skillet. When the skillet goes quiet, it’s time to add another vegetable.

I can smell the spices. I notice the scent of caramelization and I learn to reduce the heat before my precious food burns.

I taste ingredients before, during, and after cooking them, becoming more familiar with their evolution from raw to cooked, bland to seasoned.

Being fully present as I cook means I’m more focused, less stressed, and enjoying the process more. Mindfulness makes it easier to learn and grow when I practice the important act of preparing food for myself and my loved ones.

Sharing Food is Sharing of Love 

Food is love. When it is cooked, you can call your loved ones at home to have it together. It is not just trying to fill their tummies and satisfy their hunger, it is the most intimate gift, being the food that you prepared with care, time, effort, concern, and creativity to nourish and build their bodies and yours.