Lesson 05 Guided Contemplative Practice: Feeling Hunger was too spiritual for me and I strongly dislike the word “hunger” was used metaphorically; i.e. Einstein’s quote. Considering the gravity of malnutrition and hunger, I am dismayed we sit thinking about ourselves instead of ways to reduce food waste or increase access to food.
Regarding the seed and meat industry and our contemplative practice for module 9. I thought a lot about how I feel about the choices I make when I eat and why I chose to make them. Do I even care, or do I choose what to eat because I like it? Thinking about this module and then doing the contemplative… Read more »
I was a vegetarian for about seven years. I began eating meat again eight years ago. Recently, I have been contemplating my reasons, both for my original choice to not eat meat and my later choice to resume consumption. I can recall quite a few different reasons, none of which had much of an impact on me on their own…. Read more »
I’ve often considered my role in the process of climate change, both as an individual and in my work in the food industry over the years. I recently learned more about my ecological footprint using the Global Footprint Network’s footprint calculator (http://www.footprintcalculator.org/). The largest contributor to my footprint by far is air travel; my family lives on the East Coast… Read more »
Lesson eight’s contemplative practice really made me think a lot about my relationship to water and my water foot print. How big is my water footprint and is my water consumption a responsible one? While I understand that my water consumption consists of everyday essentials such as showering, flushing the toilet and washing dishes, what I did not consider is… Read more »
“Land Grabs” occur when affluent countries “invest” in land of developing countries to help ensure food security, jobs, and technological advancement. However, who actually benefits from these investment opportunities? Affluent countries who are invading the territory receive the benefits of land for agriculture, oil, development, and in some cases additional water. After the land is possessed, in many cases, local… Read more »
My favorite contemplative practice from the later half of the quarter was from week 9’s lesson about seeds. The presentation was informative, but also really opened my eyes to my own life and personal growth. Like seeds, we grow and thrive best when we are well nourished and cared for. In order for us to succeed and be healthy, we… Read more »
The far reaching impacts of climate change on our food security, economic stability, and social inequality is nothing less than overwhelming. Food industries across the globe will have to grapple with the multifaceted impacts of climate change. From the decreased yields seen in commercial fishing due to ocean acidification, to the increasing widespread draughts, there is a shift towards scarcity…. Read more »
In the Lesson 9 contemplative practice, I connected deeply with the analogy of human growth and see growth. Having a toddler, the experience of pregnancy, growing my own small seed, is still fresh in my mind. The similarities came up frequently during the course of this practice. Watching the Youtube video of the germinating seeds, I remember the obsessive tracking… Read more »
Meditation (guided or silent) has been part of my daily life for the past few years. I found meditation through yoga practice. The aim of my meditation practice thus far has been self-healing (physical and mental). The introduction of a contemplative practice as a pedagogic tool in this course was appealing. I had expected positive results, as I have been… Read more »