Served with love
Published: Wed, 07/17/13
I wrote a couple of days ago about the content of food and
obviously that is important. But preparation, serving and the
actual process of eating is very important too. It is the
obsession with speed and lack of time which creates the huge market
for 'fast food' and 'convenience meals'. Of course
there are occasions when a takeaway is nice and it can be enjoyed
as a meal. But once you get into the habit of only eating
convenience food as quickly as possible and while doing something
else such as watching tv then many of the benefits of eating are
lost.
As I stated a couple of days ago a lot of the nutritional benefits
of food are lost in processing. Indeed there may well be additives
which are actually harmful. So taking the time to prepare food
from basic ingredients will help ensure you get the most benefit
from it. Sitting down, giving thanks and eating the meal with
genuine appreciation will certainly help ensure that you digest
food properly. Eating with other people and intentionally sharing
the experience builds social bonds and strengthens family ties. Is
it impossible to turn off the TV for meal times? Think about the
connection between lack of social eating and the general alienation
of society. More people than ever are living alone, probably
subsisting on fast food meals. We may have access to better food
than ever but it is our responsibility to make use of it and share
the experience of good eating.
I like the quote in Stanza 52 of the Havamal which suggests the
value of sharing food and drink.
"Not very much need a man give, often you get praise for a
little;
with half a loaf and a tilted cup I've got myself a
companion."
One of the features of the Stav Camp is that you get fed communally
and this is a very important part of the experience. People
genuinely get to know each other by eating together, it enables me
to keep control of the timetable because participants don't
need to go shopping and cook their own food and it makes sure that
everyone has the energy and stamina to train for the duration of
the camp because they are getting well fed. It is also the best
way of learning the principles of Stav eating. A lot of the food
to be prepared at this year's camp will be fresh from a
vegetable garden that is very close by.
I am getting inquiries about the camp but there is still a place
unbooked at the moment. http://www.stavcamp.org/