Consciousness In The Kitchen – Cooking With Love

In today’s information age, we are continuously bombarded with details about the physical aspects of what we eat and the effects that different ingredients may or may not have on us, and naturally this is important. But in this heap of information, we tend to overlook one crucial factor: the consciousness (state of mind) of the person cooking and the effect that this will have upon the food, and thus also on those who eat it. A cook prepares food in a physical place, but also in a spiritual or inner space. And just as the physical surroundings are best kept clean and in order, so should be the state of mind of those in the kitchen. A simple and familiar example of this concept at work can be seen in the way that home cooking, especially that of one’s mother, holds a special place in our hearts. The love and care with which it is prepared sometimes gives us more joy than perhaps food eaten in a restaurant setting where food may be prepared with greater technical skills but where stress, arrogance and greed (in the restaurant environment) may flavour the dish of the day.

Having prepared food with attention (which we have explained over the last two days), the Brahma Kumaris’ practice is then to offer the freshly-prepared meal to the Supreme Soul (we call it offering “bhog” to the Supreme Father). Expressing gratitude in this way serves to increase the spiritual quality of the food and deepen the individual’s personal relationship with the Divine, while also creating a powerful, shared spiritual experience. On a very practical level, it will also help the body to prepare itself to receive and digest food. Of course, the last step is to eat, and this, too, is best done in a peaceful, unhurried and harmonious state of mind and environment: we are what we eat and also how we eat. The information which we have shared in this and the last two days messages does not pretend to be a complete guide to cooking with a spiritual touch, which would be beyond our scope. However, whether you are a new, aspiring or trained cook, we hope that the information, with its emphasis on the soul as well as the body, will bring an added dimension to your kitchen and dining table. Cooking, and eating, should be a joyful and significant experience. So cook and enjoy!