Blessing and giving thanks for our food is a practice that has been present in many cultures for centuries. It is not just a religious ritual, but it has also been scientifically proven to have positive effects on our health and wellbeing.
One study published in the journal Psychological Science found that participants who expressed gratitude before meals had increased feelings of connectedness, satisfaction, and pleasure from their food compared to those who did not. Another study from the University of California, Davis, found that people who practiced mindful eating, including giving thanks before meals, were more likely to make healthier food choices and have a better relationship with food.
In addition to the psychological benefits, giving thanks for our food also has energetic benefits. Everything in the universe is made up of energy, including the food we eat. When we give thanks and bless our food, we are raising the vibrational frequency of the food, making it more nourishing and beneficial to our bodies.
Some common ways to bless your food include saying a prayer, expressing gratitude, or simply taking a moment to appreciate the food before you. You can also incorporate rituals like lighting a candle or setting the table with intention to further enhance the energetic benefits.
By incorporating the practice of giving thanks and blessing your food into your daily routine, you can not only improve your physical health but also cultivate a deeper connection to your food and the energy around you.
References:
Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377–389.
Dalen, J., Smith, B. W., Shelley, B. M., Sloan, A. L., Leahigh, L., & Begay, D. (2010). Pilot study: Mindful eating and living (MEAL): weight, eating behavior, and psychological outcomes associated with a mindfulness-based intervention for people with obesity. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 18(6), 260–264.
Pacherie, E. (2008). The phenomenology of joint action: Self-agency vs. joint-agency. In T. Metzinger (Ed.), Neural correlates of consciousness: Empirical and conceptual questions (pp. 343–357). MIT Press.
Schutte, N. S., Malouff, J. M., Thorsteinsson, E. B., Bhullar, N., & Rooke, S. E. (2007). A meta-analytic investigation of the relationship between mindfulness and anxiety. Personality and Individual Differences, 42(5), 855–865.
Call to Action:
If you are looking to cultivate a deeper connection to your food and overall wellness, consider working with a Holistic Health Coach like Amandala.Coach who can help guide you in incorporating practices like blessing and gratitude into your daily routine.
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