Friday, November 14, 2014

Super Slow Food

Being gentle on resources sometimes doesn't even require resources. At least not additional ones to those you take for granted anyway. Take food as an example. While most people will say they love eating and enjoy it - especially when trying to justify being a little overweight - yet the majority is literally unable to eat a whole plate while obeying the following rule: after every bit take three deep breaths.

First of all you can't imagine how long it then takes in total and furthermore you will finds that you really will nervous after a while. One might argue that it is hunger that makes you feel uncomfortable eating slowly, but to me it seems that this is an illusion. We are trained to always keep going. We feel terrible when we shall truly rest for a while and not do anything. Funny enough almost everybody knows procrastination. So how come we can't even enjoy food without feeling restless? If you don't  believe me, try it.

It is because we think being lazy is bad. While there is certainly something to this in terms of how laziness affects self esteem - when it comes to sustainability, our constant hustling makes things much worse. For the solution of environmental problems it would be much more contributive to lean back from time to time. It is not only the sheer mass of humans on this planet, that causes global warming etc., but our need for consumption that got totally out of control.

Looking at it that way, eating slowly is not only gentle on resources as it makes you happy without having to spend additional money, but it helps saving the planet as well. Try the "three breath dinner" tonight and you'll be shocked how much you usually eat in a fraction of the time and amazed by the peace you feel afterwards. If you notice (as I did) the permanent urge to "do" something, be assured that whatever you do can't give you more that the present moment which you already have.

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