10 Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes from Savor on Mindfulness and Healthy Eating

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Excerpt: Read our 10 quotes from Savor by Thich Nhat Hanh and learn how to eat more mindfully in a world full of rush and distraction.

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Introduction: Eating Mindfully in a World of Rush and Distractions

When hunger strikes, usually our patience dwindles. We feel our stomach twist and turn and rumble and moan so that it may be filled again—and we respond by trying to get food to it as fast as possible. When we are finally able to get a meal, it isn’t long until it all vanishes from our plate—right before our eyes—and typically re-appears somewhere in the region of our stomach… How that happens exactly? Most of us don’t remember.

In his book, Savor, Thich Nhat Hanh discusses the importance of being mindful while eating (and while doing most anything in life) so that a person may attain a healthier weight and a more fulfilling lifestyle. One of the central practices he talks about is the idea of slowing down and being more present before, during, and after every meal.

When was the last time you really stopped and looked at the food that was right in front of you? And I don’t mean look at it like, “Oh! There is the orange juice; there is the apple; there is the salad;and there are the beans!”  No. I mean look at it like, “Wow. It is nothing short of a miracle that I was able to get all of these beautiful foods onto my plate.” I mean look at it with a true appreciation of just what had to happen in order for each of those foods to come into creation, to get harvested, processed, delivered,  prepared and presented—ultimately ending up on your plate at your convenience! …It really is nothing short of a miracle when you think about it.

…Still don’t see the miracle? Here’s An Apple Meditation to help.

When was the last time you ate a meal without anything else going on? No computer, no TV, no cell phone, no tablet, no walking, no driving, no biking—no nothing. Just you and your food. Attention undivided for the entire duration of a meal? When you’re preoccupied doing something else while eating you aren’t able to fully enjoy your meal. You miss the wonderful textures, tastes, smells, sights, and feelings that the food evokes—and you also tend to overeat.

You see, by focusing solely on the food you are able to bring your consciousness back to the idea that food, in its essence, is the fuel for sustained living and when you can show that kind of gratitude towards your food, your meal becomes a lot more pleasurable.

You just finished your meal. It was delicious. So now what do you do? Toss your dishes in the sink and rush off to whatever else is next? Well, not so fast! What Thich Nhat Hanh encourages readers to do is to solidify your thoughts on how that meal made you feel so that you can continue having mindful eating experiences and so that you are able to show gratitude once again for being able to fill your stomach. We must remember how many people live their lives not knowing when they’re going to eat next. The best time to meditate on these thoughts? While washing the dishes.

This approach to food has changed the way I look at eating. Savor is filled with wonderful thoughts and very practical approaches to changing your eating habits for the better. It comes highly recommended. In case you’re interested in hearing a little bit more, I have also included 10 of my favorite quotes from Savor that you can enjoy below! Enjoy :)

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The List: 10 Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes from Savor on Mindfulness and Healthy Eating

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“Your journey to a healthier weight is not a journey that you start and then give up. It is a journey that you are living every day for the rest of your life.”

Thich Nhat Hanh, Savor

“Enlightenment, peace, and joy will not be granted by someone else. The well is within us, And if we dig deeply in the present moment, The water will spring forth.”

Thich Nhat Hanh, Savor

“Sometimes we believe that happiness is not possible in the here and now, that we need a few more conditions to be happy. So we run toward the future to get the conditions we think are missing. But by doing so we sacrifice the present moment; we sacrifice true life.”

Thich Nhat Hanh, Savor

“The Buddha said, ‘Nothing can survive without food.’ This is a very simple and very deep truth. Love and hate are both living phenomena. If we do not nourish our love, it will die and may turn into hate. If we want love to last, we have to nurture it and give it food every day. Hate is the same; if we don’t feed it, it cannot survive.”

Thich Nhat Hanh, Savor

“Each minute we spend worrying about the future and regretting the past is a minute we miss in our appointment with life – a missed opportunity to engage life and to see that each moment gives us the chance to change for the better, to experience peace and joy.”

Thich Nhat Hanh, Savor

“As a population, if a large number of people make even small moves to eat less meat and more plant-based foods, the livestock industry will shrink. Over time, farmers will find other crops to support their livelihoods. Through such collective awakening we can make a difference in our world.”

Thich Nhat Hanh, Savor

“Recognize that it is not really possible to steadily help others when we ourselves are not in good physical, mental, or emotional state. We may be able to carry on for a while, but sooner or later we end up feeling depleted, discouraged, or weak. We cannot keep on giving when we are running on an empty tank. We need to be solid.”

Thich Nhat Hanh, Savor

“Being mindful does not mean that we just sit for hours on our meditation cushion in a retreat or monastery. There are many ways to practice mindfulness that can be fully integrated into our daily living. Besides conscious breathing, we can do walking meditation, sitting meditation, smiling, mindful listening, mindful speaking, and mindful working. We can practice concentration and looking deeply in all the activities of our daily life. Even while walking, we can practice stopping. We can walk in such a way that we arrive with each step – not walking just to get somewhere else. We can walk to enjoy each step.  If we practice stopping while attending to e-mails, surfing the web, attending meetings or appointments, folding the laundry, washing the dishes, or taking a shower, we are living deeply. If we do not practice this way, the days and months will fly by without our awareness, and we will lose many precious moments of our life. Stopping helps us live fully in the present.”

Thich Nhat Hanh, Savor

“When practiced to its fullest, mindful eating turns a simple meal into a spiritual experience, giving us a deep appreciation of all that went into the meal’s creation as well a deep understanding of the relationship between the food on our table, our own health, and our planet’s health.”

Thich Nhat Hanh, Savor

“Dealing with our overweight – or with any of our life’s difficulties, for that matter – is not a battle to be fought. Instead, we must learn how to make friends with our hardships and challenges. They are there to help us; they are natural opportunities for deeper understanding and transformation, brining us more joy and peace as we learn to work with them.”

Thich Nhat Hanh, Savor

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If you enjoyed these quotes from Savor by Thich Nhat Hanh, you can find more quotes, resources, and info from the book below:

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Your Challenge(s):

1)  Practice being more mindful while eating in a concrete way.  Begin every meal with an expression of gratitude.  Here’s an example from Savor, “It’s so wonderful for us to be together, and I am so grateful we can share this dinner because in many other parts of the world, our empty plates might remain empty for a long time. Eating is a very deep practice. Let’s learn to eat with compassion and understanding.”

2)  Try eating in a distraction free environment where you can focus exclusively on your food.  Meditate on the textures, tastes, smells, sights, and feelings that the food evokes.  Be completely present during the eating process.

3)  Try putting your fork down in between bites – and don’t pick it back up until you swallow what’s in your mouth.  Harder than it sounds.

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