Healthy digestion stems not always from what we are eating, but from HOW we are eating. Ayurveda is a big advocate of making meals a type of meditation, meaning we should be eating sitting down, in a peaceful environment, and with a peaceful, present mind. A great way to establish this meditative state before each meal is, to begin with a prayer. This practice will quiet your mind, bring you to the present, and allow you space to offer gratitude. And believe it or not, cultivating a calm, aware, and grateful mind while eating is an amazing first step to healthy digestion, no matter what the food is in front of you.
For this simple and diverse practice, you can be of any religion or of no religion at all. You can use a structured prayer, or you can use your own words of devotion. It is not necessary, but I try to take this time to appreciate every being that has made it possible for me to be eating the fresh, healthy, and delicious food that I have been so blessed to receive. This includes the farmers, the animals, the plants, the food workers, the truck drivers, and even my livelihood. A lot goes into the food that is readily available to us and without rituals like this, we may instead take it for granted. Taking a moment to offer our thanks is a wonderful ritual to help us remember how truly blessed we are.
I personally enjoy saying my own words of gratitude in combination with an Ayurvedic meal prayer* I learned many years ago. It is an intimate and personal practice of mine, and although I sometimes include my 5-year-old son (I’m slowly trying to introduce Spirituality to him), I often perform this ritual in silence. And to be honest, some of my meal times can be a bit chaotic before sitting down and I am grateful that this practice always shifts my mind to slow down and be present.
*I have written this sacred Ayurvedic meal prayer below for anyone interested. This prayer was taught to me while studying with Dr. Vasant Lad many years ago and is intended to ignite Agni (for optimal digestion) and ward away any doshic imbalance that may be created through the food we eat.
If you have not already established a ritual of prayer and gratitude before your meals, I will offer you mine to use as an example. But as I said, there is no wrong way to pray. Just the act of saying thank you and blessing your food is enough to make any meal more healing, nourishing, and digestible. This is a great first step to eating with awareness and making meals your meditation!
Healing Ayurvedic Meal Prayer
Annam Brahma Raso Vishnu
Pakto Devo Maheshvarah
Evam Jñaktva Tu Yo Bhunkte
Anna Dosho Na Lipyate
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
The creative energy in the food is Brahma.
The nourishing energy in the body is Vishnu.
The transformation of food into pure Consciousness is Shiva.
If you know this, then any impurities in the food you eat will never become part of you.
Click here for a PDF copy of this prayer.
Healing Ayurvedic Meal Prayer (with pronunciation)
Annam Brahma Raso Vishnu
(an-nam • brah-ma • ra-sō • veesh-noo)
Pakto Devo Maheshvarah
(pak-tō • dā-vō • ma-hā-sva-rah)
Evam Jñaktva Tu Yo Bhunkte
(ā-vam • ga-nak-tva • too • yō • boonk-tā)
Anna Dosho Na Lipyate
(an-na • dō-shō • na • leep-ya-tā)
Click here for a PDF copy of this prayer.
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So as I come to sit, I begin with this beautiful prayer and end with a few words of gratitude of my own. It is generally something like this:
Dear Lord,
Thank you for blessing me with this healthy food in front of me. May it nourish me and give me strength, balance, and presence in my day. Thank you to every being that has come together to allow me the opportunity to eat fresh and delicious food. Please bless my food, bless my family, and bless me.
Amen. . . Sat Nam. . . Om Shanti. . . Or whatever I am feeling that day:)
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If this ritual may speak to you (in any shape it might take), let it flower in your heart, ignite your inner fire, and bring peace and awareness to your meals!
