TASTE

“IF ONE KNOWS HOW TO EAT PROPERLY, ONE KNOWS HOW TO PRAY.”

GEORGE GURDJIEFF

After several weeks of focusing on ideas, principles and theory, we return this week to daily practice in the form exercises in Divided Attention

The purpose of the exercises is to act intentionally with an aim of Dividing Attention and Being Present more and more throughout our day. In the
beginning, its often helpful to start with small things and simple moments. Often these exercises may seem insigni cant, and perhaps don't seem to
address the 'big issues' of identi cation with our lives. However, each exercise, properly understood, is potentially confronting deeper underlying
identi cations in the form of Features (which in some religious traditions were called 'Vices') and exposing them through Self Observation

Take for example eating; most major religions and spiritual traditions have rules and rituals around food and dining. From the Mindful Vegetarianism
of the Buddhist, avoiding beef for the Hindus, the extensive Halal and Kosher laws that include avoiding pork for the Muslims and Jewish people, to
no meat on Fridays for the Catholics and fasting during Lent

From the Passover Seder, to Eid, to the Eucharist of the Catholic Mass, rituals around food abound in religions. Most of these probably came from a
Conscious and Esoteric sources. Yes, some of them may make sense nutritionally, even energetically, but many of these were originally intended to be
exercises to promote Self Remembering, not simply rules of 'good conduct' in a particular faith

Mr. Gurdjieff would often lead long and elaborate dinners which seemed designed to break through the False Personality and get to the Essence of
a person. These dinners required hours and hours of intentional labor to prepare (and clean up afterwards) where students were given speci c
instructions and internal exercises to make sure activities were not done in imagination

For today we will suggest some exercises in mindful intentional dining which needs to begin with Divided Attention, allow for Self Observation, and
if done properly, may produce the Presence of Self Remembering

The "Vices" or Features that this confronts in us is a type of Gluttony and Greed from the Instinctive Centre and Queen of Hearts. We counter this
with the Work Attitudes or "Virtues" of Patience and Temperance.

Remember not to judge yourself if you have dif culty with the exercise or about anything you observe. Remember, it is not "bad' to have Features;
we all have these features and they are the necessary denying force we need to awaken. Also remember that the ultimate virtue is your Presence.
fi
fi
fi
.

fi
.

fi
.

 OUR TEACHER HAS SAID THAT THE DINING TABLE IS A

TRADITIONAL PLACE FOR THE LOWER SELF TO GIVE ONE’S SELF
AWAY; AND BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A DELICATE AREA TO BE
PRESENT TO, WE HAVE THE MOST EXERCISES AND
SUGGESTIONS AROUND THE TABLE

QUESTION: WHAT IS THE SINGLE BEST THING FOR AWAKENING

TEACHER: BEING PRESENT WHILE EATING, BECAUSE IF ONE CAN

CONTROL THE LOWER SELF WHILE EATING, ONE CAN
CONTROL IT IN ALL OTHER AREAS.
.

 The lower self is an unconscious person we are carrying around who has bad habits, such as overeating, drinking, or smoking

Robert Burto

It is dif cult to speak to the belly, because it has no ears

Plutarc

The Devil has power over food that is taken without the remembrance of God.

Attar
fi
h

 DINING EXERCISES
SETTING THE FIRST BITE ASIDE INDICATES THAT
WE HAVE COME TO THE TABLE TO DINE WITH PRESENCE

ROBERT BURTO

REMEMBER, WHENEVER YOU ARE DINING,

TRY NOT TO BE THE ONE WHO FINISHES FIRST,
AND TRY NOT TO BE THE ONE WHO SPEAKS THE MOST

ROBERT BURTO

THE ART OF OUR NECESSITIES IS STRANGE

THAT CAN MAKE VILE THINGS PRECIOUS

SHAKESPEARE, KING LEAR

 

Any effort done without presence is waste of effort.

If you can focus on one bite of food with presence, that is a real effort

Robert Burto

One should at all times strive to make offerings,

at least offering the rst mouthful of one’s food when eating

Gampopa
n

fi

EATING SLOWLY IS THE KEY TO

EATING WITH PRESENCE.
USING TASTE IS ANOTHER ONE

ROBERT BURTON

BUT HOW MANY ARE THERE WHO

RUSH GREEDILY TO THEIR EATING
AND DRINKING, AND MAKE THEIR
WHOLE LIFE TO CONSIST IN THEM

ST. AUGUSTINE

 Please eat slowly

or else your instinctive will eat you.

Robert Burton

 THE LOWER SELF LIKES TO

ATTACK FOOD
TRY TO PLACE IT GENTLY IN
YOUR MOUTH INSTEAD.

ROBERT BURTON
“OH, BLESSED ARE THOSE FEW WHO
SIT AT THAT TABLE WHERE THE
BREAD OF ANGELS IS EATEN,
AND WRETCHED THOSE WHO CAN
FEED ONLY AS THE SHEEP

DANTE
.

 A FEW DINING EXERCISES

1. INTENTIONALLY PUT ASIDE YOUR FIRST BITE OF FOOD AND MAKE SURE NOT TO EAT IT
DURING THE MEAL.

2. BEFORE PUTTING A BITE OF FOOD INTO YOUR MOUTH, SAY THE WORD 'TASTE'. WHILE
CHEWING, MAINTAIN THE AWARENESS OF THE TASTE OF THE FOOD, TRY NOT TO ALLOW ANY
WORDS TO ENTER IN YOUR 'MIND'. CERTAINLY DO NOT TALK WHILE CHEWING

3. TAKE A SMALL SIP OF BEVERAGE BETWEEN BITES

4. TAKE SMALLER BITES. CHEW THE FOOD THOROUGHLY WITH YOUR MOUTH CLOSED.

5. IF EATING WITH YOUR HANDS, PUT THE FOOD DOWN AFTER EACH BITE. IF EATING WITH
UTENSILS PUT THE UTENSILS DOWN AFTER EACH BITE. DON'T PUT ANY FOOD ONTO THE
FORK OR INTO THE SPOON FOR THE NEXT BITE BEFORE YOU HAVE COMPLETED CHEWING.

6. DON'T EAT AND DO ANYTHING ELSE; DO NOT WALK, DRIVE A CAR, READ OR WATCH
ANYTHING WHILE EATING.

 DINING WITH THE LOWER SELF

The lower self is most agitated when you are eating with presence, as you are “eating out of its bowl,” taking from
its territory. So keep eating with presence

Robert Burto

If you do not eat with presence, then the lower self is eating you.

Robert Burto

Try to do everything well, whatever you do.

A realistic aim is to take one bite with presence

Robert Burton
n

"You must teach yourself how to eat less, but with discernment, insofar as your work allows.

The measure of temperance should be such that after lunch you want to pray.

St Silouhan the Athonite

"

“For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily,

eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not
discerning the Lord's body

St Paul 1 Corinthians 11:29

“He who has no manners has no knowledge; he

who has no patience has no Dean, and he who
has no piety has no nearness to Allah for him.”

Al-Hasan al-Basr

"Worship and constant remembrance of God

implies a certain degree of austerity and curbing
of bodily appetites.

Imam Al-Ghazali
i

"

 “One must eat to live and not live to eat.” Moliere

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DINING AND EATING.

DINING IS AN ART
YUAN ME

“EATING IS A NEED.KNOWING HOW TO EAT IS AN AR

LA ROCHEFOUCALUD 1613-1680
I

 For the sage

The sense of taste
Is more dif cult to control
Than all of the other senses;

If all the other senses are controlled

But the sense of taste is not controlled
Then the sage has not yet mastered the senses

From The Uddhava Gita, Hindu Texts



fi












.