This is the seventh in a series of periodic reflections on the "ordinary things" that many of us do on a regular basis without much thought. During this pandemic, I am developing a need to "rage, rage" against hast and laziness and replace it with care and attention. My hope is to become personally more intentional about doing ordinary things with care and focused attention, while inspiring others to maybe do the same.
#7
"SAVOR"
When you "savor" something, you enjoy it so much that you want to make it last forever. With that in mind, "savor" carries a connotation of doing something slowly. If you "savor" that chocolate tart, then you eat it slowly, bit by bit, deliberately picking every last crumb off the plate. The word is often applied to eating, but you can "savor" any pleasurable experience, including things like winning a raffle or your moment in the spotlight.
Try savoring everything you do, every experience! There is no moment that cannot be savored — even those routine moments, even those times when you’re alone with nothing to do.
Savoring is about learning to live presently, to fully enjoy the gift of each moment, to give that moment the space and attention it deserves. It takes practice, but it’s a "delicious" practice.
As I have mentioned before, one of the things I like to do, especially when the weather is balmy or there is a gentle rain falling, is to get up early, right after the sun comes up, and go out on the deck with a cup of really good coffee and just sit there in the quiet and let the smells, breezes, bird chirping and rain falling on the pond in front of me wash over me. Talk about "savoring" the moment! I don't even like to get up early, but those "savoring" moments make it all worthwhile!
Savoring, a magical act, is usually applied to eating good food. Take a single square of dark chocolate and put it in your mouth, but don’t chew and swallow it. Let it sit there, as you savor it, noticing its earthy notes, hints of citrus, the richness of its texture as it melts in your mouth. You swallow it almost regretfully after letting it linger, fully appreciating the deliciousness of it, giving pause to think about the people who grew the beans, who roasted and ground them and hand-crafted them into this square of joy. One of the things I recommend during this pandemic that you use this extra time to savor food by "dining" instead of just "eating."
EATING
DINING
One of the problems that causes many people to be overweight is that they eat too much. A big reason people eat too much is that they eat large amounts of food, quickly. It’s tasty, so they eat it fast and then get some more!
During the pandemic, I’ve been trying to avoid eating in front of the TV and embrace sitting down to a "set" table and savoring my food. When I do this, I don’t just cram it down my throat, but I pause for each bite and I give it space. I savor it.
This means that I make it possible to really notice every taste of each bite, the texture of it, and give thought to where it came from, who made it, what went into it, and what it will do for my body.
It’s hard to overeat when you savor each bite, and take your time. In this way, you can also learn to enjoy healthier foods. You can also eat healthfully most of the time, and then enjoy a bit of birthday cake without overdoing it, because you just need a little bit in order to savor it.
When you savor things, you slow down. You pay close attention — the closer the attention, the more you’ll get out of the savoring. You won’t rush to the next thing, but stop and give some space to the activity. You won’t be worried about what you have to do later, because you are fully enjoying the present.
This is savoring, and it takes practice. You can do it right now, wherever you are: pause and look around you and savor this very moment. Even if it doesn’t seem to be special, because let’s face it you’ve done what you’re doing a thousand times, savor it anyway. Fully appreciate the gift you’ve been given.
This is a practice you can do several times a day — find a few rituals for savoring, like enjoying your morning coffee, or taking a bath, or reading to your child, or having a tea ritual in the mid-afternoon. The more you practice, the better you’ll get.
Savor everything you do, every experience. There is no moment that cannot be savored — even those routine moments, even those times when you’re alone with nothing to do.
Savoring is about learning to live presently, to fully enjoy the gift of each moment, to give that moment the space and attention it deserves. It takes practice, but it’s a delicious practice.
‘As you walk and eat and travel, be where you are.
Otherwise you will miss most of your life.’
Buddha
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