Savor: Mindful Eating Dinner Workshop
By Alive and Well Women Team
We met Kelly at our February open house. She immediately struck us as a woman who shared our vision and passion. Kelly is a licensed counselor, body positive facilitator, wellness coach, and yoga instructor. She’s originally from New York City, but now living with her husband, Steve, in Los Angeles. Her passion is helping others to thrive, live their best life and find self-acceptance and peace. To learn more about Kelly and her many wonderful offerings, please visit her website: Little Piece of Om. Thanks to Kelly for offering to share her experience at the mindful eating workshop.
From Kelly:
We laughed, we cried, we ate delicious food and even performed in our very own drum circle. We gave ourselves extra love and care and took our time enjoying each other’s company. I don’t remember the last time I enjoyed a meal so much and left feeling so incredibly fulfilled – mind, body and soul. I was surrounded by this incredible community of women and felt connected and so understood. It was an incredible gift to be with them and listen to their beautiful stories!
The gifts that I received from participating in this mindful eating dinner will stay with me for a long time. I learned a very valuable skill in self-care that night. I learned that I am worth the time that it takes to slow down and properly enjoy a meal. I learned that so often, we celebrate around food and hardly ever take the time to enjoy it. I discovered that there is so much freedom that comes from feeding ourselves in the way that we need to be fed. This transcends beyond what we eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Our thoughts and actions surrounding the nourishment of our bodies is often reflected in how we nourish the rest of the self. If we rush through every meal and feel guilty after eating foods that aren’t “clean” or otherwise virtuous, chances are that our lives are sprinkled with unwarranted shame in areas that we may not even be aware of. We deserve to have our needs met and to be heard. We deserve connection with others. Evenings like this truly illustrate the healing powers of community and the fact that we are not alone.
This mindful eating dinner highlighted that there is no good or bad food. There is no need to rush though our mealtimes, our conversations, our lives. I think many of us often need to be reminded to slow down. To savor. To remember that pleasure is ok and something that we are supposed to experience in this life. There is so much joy that comes from being among wonderful company and having a beautiful meal together. When we actually ask ourselves what we are hungry for, we start to believe that we can fulfill our potential and live out our dreams. We do not need to wait for our bodies to change. We do not need to alter our appearance in any way. We simply need to hold space for one another and explore what we are seeking and what will nurture our souls. My nurtured soul is looking forward to sharing meals with loved ones in celebration and gratitude this season. Join me in rejoicing in our abundance as we slow down and savor our conversations, our beautiful experiences and each and every breath we take.
Our next event is our Mindful Eating Meetup on Monday, July 24 in Eagle Rock. Hope to see you there!
