Food can heal you

The silent retreats are a curious experience. At mealtime, there is no room for this soup is delicious, can you pass the salt, or oh, that sauce is really spicy. Although it may seem obvious, one must pay attention to the food. I remember my first time, I had a spinach soup with pieces of potato and a tiny brunoise of carrots in front of me. The instructions from my meditation guide were clear: everything must be observed: the shape of each vegetable, the whimsical distribution of ingredients on the plate. The scents were not spared. One had to concentrate on the notes of the cooked spinach, the aroma of thyme. And of course, once in the mouth, feel each ingredient, every combination achieved in the roasting of a spoonful. The experience was initiatory. A few days ago, I was able to repeat the excitement. This time it was at an ancestral medicine center where one had to eat with awareness. Ana, the chef, has been creating recipe combinations that she then prepares mindfully and serves for the pleasure of the visitors. Eva Solís, the Grandmother, is the founder of this space and the creator of the book 'Food that Heals.' As a biblical quote in Proverbs says, kind words are like honey: sweet to the soul, healthy for the body. For the Grandmother, plants, fruits, and everything that comes from the plant kingdom has the power to react to the energies we give them through intention.It may seem like the formulation of a magic spell – in fact, it probably is – but there is an art to turning the simplest ingredients into delicacies for the soul. Explained differently, the ritual is similar to what we do when we sing to or speak sweetly to a plant: it grows more and grows better. The Grandmother explains that words and intention transform a dish into a powerful medicine. Sauce to stimulate happiness? Pea soup to achieve stillness? Just like that. The prayer begins when cooking: gratitude is given to each ingredient of the recipe, as well as to the people involved with them – farmers, distributors, sellers – from the field to the moment of cooking them. In the end, the importance of offering a healing meal is that we can elevate the energetic vibration and the mood of our families. That said, we must be wise with our trusted vendor. The selection of ingredients in a dish that carries the intention to heal begins with the purchase of live foods and unprocessed products as raw materials. Then it is important to achieve the correct combinations. Here, the saying that everything fits in a jar if arranged properly does not apply. For the Grandmother – as Ayurvedic tradition also dictates – we must learn about the chemistry that awakens in foods when we combine them. Combining foods properly allows for better digestion, proper evacuation, and continuous detoxification. The opposite produces illness, says the Grandmother in her book.Laura Esquivel in 'Like Water for Chocolate' uses hyperboles to explain how the cook's feelings – the endearing Tita – are transferred to the dish and the diners: from quails with rose petals to a king cake. For the Grandmother, this is not an exaggeration: Those of us who cook must be aware of how we are when we are in front of the stove. If I am sad, angry, or in a hurry, that is what I will serve my family. For her, the vibration we have imparts an emotion to the dish, so it's better to be conscious when cooking. Then comes the conscious tasting. The Grandmother recommends being silent and blindfolded. To resume the use of our hands to make direct contact with the ingredients; to perceive their textures, shapes, sizes, and temperatures. Thus, with total attention, investigate with the nose and mouth the ingredients we have in front of us. Taste, enjoy, pause in that sweet moment. The meditative exercise will have an additional advantage: When tasting consciously, the satiety signal reaches the brain sooner, and therefore, we will require less food. The opposite happens when we eat while reading, chatting, or thinking about what we have to do. Finally, for your food to become a means to heal, purify, and renew you, the Grandmother recommends blessing and giving thanks for what ended up on a plate just for you. Those actions that seem insignificant are the pillars that support abundance, the balanced flow between giving and receiving. Eating this way, in total connection, will nourish more than just your physical body.