Feasting

If fasting is one side of the coin - feasting is the other.

In case you are thinking that people who are fasting are those who do not like eating, I can assure you: It is rather the opposite - when implementing fasting, eating becomes even more valuable. I can explicitly say that eating is wonderful, delicious, fun, and worth celebrating.

I know that it´s easy to eat and snack mindlessly in front of the TV, or while driving the car, or working, or during any other activity. I know because I did it.

But I also know that once eating becomes a rare event, mindless eating happens less often. Yes - one part is, of course, that snacking and eating in between meals does not happen at all, but also because of the wish to celebrate.

What I learned is that there is a specific joy in breaking a fast - in finally eating again. Your tastebuds are praising the food, and your mind is focused on each bite. As eating becomes rare, it wins value. Actually, it is pretty similar to the rules of the stock market: If a stock is rare, its price is rising.

So when becoming someone who fasts, you´re not becoming someone who denies food but who values it even more. Yes - you might eat less often but you will do it more mindfully. You´re basically becoming a gourmet.

I always wondered how "gourmets" can be satisfied with those tiny little portions they get per serving, but now I get it: It´s not about filling the stomach to go on, it is about joy and enjoying a rare specialty bite by bite. The satisfaction does not come from the feeling of being full but from the feeling of having experienced something extraordinary. Maybe one part of the joy is the fact that the joy is limited. Maybe.

The more I experience it myself, I feel that food is actually only one part of the feasting. The atmosphere and the staging are equally important as well as the preparation of the meal. Why not put the good dishes on the table, and add a beautiful white tablecloth and some candles?

I´d say it is worth a try spending some thoughts on making your meals look like a feast as if you are a gourmet or having guests you want to impress. And don´t worry: You can make it as easy as putting some herbs on top of the meal to make it look fancier. Just remember: You do it for yourself and your celebration of breaking a fast.

I believe this is something -at least- I forgot on the way: Feasting should again become something that´s being done more regularly. It´s not just Christmas or an anniversary that´s worth celebrating.

Let´s celebrate our meals more often and refrain from just eating to fill the stomach. Eat well - make it look fancy - and enjoy every single bite.