Hunger is a biological state that practically all humans experience in their lifetime, to varying degrees. In contemplating the experience of hunger, I was struck by the universality of the sensation. It is an issue that has persisted, unsolved and unchanged, throughout human history. On a global scale, an overwhelming range of complex forces and feedback loops are at work in… Read more »
By the third week of class I felt that I had gotten more out of the contemplative exercise than I had previously. I truly gained some insight into myself that was different than the weeks before. It was different because I didn’t want to acknowledge it. Coincidentally I worked for an German Chocolatier and when I was in high school. Before… Read more »
A contemplative practice that resonated with me was the exercise on hunger. My experience with hunger has always been associated with dieting or self-restriction for weight loss. My problem wasn’t the availability of food, it was the overabundance of it, and my own lack of discipline with eating. That deeply contrasts with the experience of hunger for most people in… Read more »
What do you do to relax or treat yourself after a long day? Perhaps you take a moment and revel in the luxury of chocolate. After all, studies have shown that chocolate has health benefits, among other things it is high in antioxidants and heart healthy. What is the harm in taking respite and mindlessly enjoying a piece of chocolate?… Read more »
During Week 3, when the Contemplative Practice on chocolate was done, I had a rough time. First, I was recovering from a bad cold and second, my grandfather had passed away the day before I did my contemplative practice, so my mood was anything buy joyful. One thing that I did notice when I did the practice though, is how… Read more »
My toddler son loves raisins. They’re in the local, organic, gluten-free granola he eats every morning. He often picks out every one with his index finger and thumb, savoring (inhaling) them with a huge smile on his face before begrudgingly eating the reminder of his oats once he’s exhausted the daily raisin supply. I keep a jar of organic California… Read more »
My post is in response to the Lesson 3 contemplative practice about chocolate and cocoa farms. I thought about how different the Hershey bar I had with me at home was made than the chocolate that was farmed on the Ivory Coast. We can simply buy chocolate for a few dollars at any store, and enjoy it while not having… Read more »
Between the IMF, the World Bank, and the WTO we begin the journey into acronym ladened globalization lead by the neoliberal policies of Bretton Woods. Although the intentions appeared to be in the best interest of the average person, with trade incentivizing countries to create ties rather than going to war. We began an era of subsidized and industrialized… Read more »
Oil runs through my veins. That’s what I think as I sit, cross-legged, listening to the contemplative practice on living systems from week two of our class. I’m returning to it a second time, four weeks later. Before, I reflected on ‘the far-flung resources’ that brought me my dinner. Today, I imagine dinner floating past on an inky, petroleum river…. Read more »