A cornucopia of food that promotes zenHow Does Our Food Reflect Zen Living?

We have examined the ways that noise pollution can interfere with creating a Zen-like atmosphere in your home. We have also looked at creating a clutter-free space to eliminate stress and turning your home into an oasis. But how does food fall into creating a Zen-like environment?

The Culture of Food

From planting to harvesting – the food you eat should reflect the kind of life you want to live. Living a Zen life encompasses all aspects and facets of your life journey. The way you interact with others, your self-image, your living space, and your personal spiritual growth are all part of who you are and should reflect your taste and preferences. Even what you eat and how you serve it should reflect this personal balance. Every culture recognizes meal times as social events. Sharing food is a part of our culture – whether it’s a business lunch or a holiday meal, food is a huge part of life. Food is more than just what sustains us; it is a way to commune with each other and our environment.

Zen and Food

In order to get the most out of our food we have to take our time preparing meals. This is a great way to reflect on our day and work on living in the now. Living in the now means appreciating each moment, each breath, and every person who shares their time with us. And if you are having a meal alone it is a great time to commune with yourself! Zen is also about balance. We create balanced meals to get the most nutrients for our bodies. But this balance also helps to create chemical reactions in our brains – ones that help us feel more at peace with our surroundings. When we find ways to bring balance and harmony to our lives it actually can promote the production of serotonin! That’s the happiness chemical! In turn, by simply preparing our food well, we can feel less stressed and more at peace in the moment!

Bringing It All Together

We have written several articles about Zen living in the past few months. Some of the topics include:

These topics are all a part of developing a Zen-like home. Zen is a continuous journey of creating and recreating yourself and your environment. “No one escapes some degree of chaos for it is so ever prevalent; it is the human experience. This realization does not mean we can’t improve. It does mean we can accept our state of chaos, lighten up on ourselves, have fun, and work on improving…we are a work in progress. Enjoy the journey.” (David W. Earle)  

Applications & Resources

  • Read about Zen and how it can fit into your everyday life at Zen Begin
  • Enjoy your journey. Take time to appreciate how far you have already come
  • Create a life that brings you peace, balance, and harmony and don’t stress about perfection
iGOZEN is a philosophy and a way of life. It is about improving your life through simple means. It is about simple ingredients, simple solutions, and finding simplicity in your everyday life. It is the balance and harmony we apply to our lives that help us to feel a sense of satisfaction. Not from our deeds, but our peace of mind. We hope you find our articles and posts insightful and want to encourage you on your journey to not look for perfection, but rather look to find balance.