| Since the beginning of time one human social | | | | currently living with a friend who is very adept in |
| experience has stood out in facilitating | | | | the kitchen. He uses high quality ingredients and |
| communication and family bonding: the meal. | | | | professional techniques, but he also follows the |
| Since the beginning of time one aspect of human | | | | belief that what mood you are in, the amount of |
| social experience has stood out as the 'place to | | | | effort and awareness you give the cooking |
| be' for communication and family bonding: the | | | | process, and the love and gratitude that you feel |
| meal. In contemporary human life the evening | | | | for the ability to eat is imperative to making a |
| dinner is often the only place and time that a | | | | good meal. I have read in a famous Hari Krishna |
| family all sits down together. In tribal times (of | | | | cookbook as well as Taoist teachings how the |
| course there are still tribes today) the cooking of | | | | actual emotions that the cook feels when making |
| a slaughtered animal or cultivated vegetables | | | | a meal is transmitted into the food via chi energy. |
| brought the group together to share ideas and | | | | Feelings and food are both forms of energy. |
| feelings. Think about it these days; when you | | | | Native Americans believe that all thoughts and |
| want to take someone out for a romantic date, | | | | emotions are 'alive'. |
| meet business colleagues, get together with old | | | | You may have seen the recent film, 'What the |
| friends and acquaintances, we go out for a bite to | | | | bleep do we know?' Read about it at In this film |
| eat. What is it about sharing some food that puts | | | | world-renowned scientists discuss the idea that all |
| us in such a relaxed and communicable state? | | | | thoughts and emotions are actually physically |
| Could it simply be science, and the fact that if | | | | material in the sense that they are produced by |
| you are tense when you eat, the food doesn't | | | | chemicals and are transmitted in electrical forms. |
| digest as well? Or, could it have some | | | | Therefore, a happy chef truly spreads happiness |
| psychological basis having to do with the idea that | | | | by enjoying the preparation of a meal. |
| you are sharing some life-giving sustenance with | | | | So, next time you sit down to a meal with friends |
| your fellow species instead of warring over it? | | | | or family, or cook for guests, remember the |
| Subconsciously do we recognize the facts that | | | | significance of this often undervalued experience. |
| we will be able to live another day as well as sew | | | | For hundreds of thousands of years our distant |
| healthy seeds for future generations? | | | | relatives' whole way of social life was based |
| Think of all the problems in the world today. | | | | around the acquisition and sharing of food. It is |
| Maybe if we all got together for a feast we could | | | | often the main time to communicate to the ones |
| work out some practical solutions, say while | | | | you hold most dearly, so please don't take it for |
| sipping on coconut milk, or chewing on a loaf of | | | | granted or think that just because it is necessary |
| bread. The current (14th) Dalai Lama is quoted as | | | | for survival that there aren't any meaningful and |
| having said, "I sometimes think that the act of | | | | mysterious aspects to the experience. Relating to |
| bringing food is one of the basic roots of all | | | | each other is one of the most important |
| relationships." | | | | elements in a social creature's existence; the meal |
| There is also the idea of food as being a medium | | | | is a time and place for relationships to sprout and |
| for the transferal of emotional energy. I am | | | | grow. That's just some of the power of the meal. |