"MEDITATION CHAPTER 3"
SENSE OF TASTE
This chapter also will be rather short, as there is only so
much you can say about taste (at least the kind that is in your
mouth, which is what we are talking about.....hehehe).
The first meditation we are going to do is not really tasting,
but rather concentrating on something that we all take for
granted; swallowing. This is going to be very strange at first, I
know I have done it.
I have found that all body functions that are done without
conscious effort seem very strange when we observe them. Some
even become difficult to do, merely because we are thinking about
them. You will find this out especially when we get to the breath
exercises, but that is another chapter.
What we are going to do with this exercise is get in our
comfortable meditation position. Once you are in this position
merely concentrate on your swallowing. First concentrate on the
act of swallowing. Feel the whole process. Once you have
recognized the different aspects move on to the amount of times
you swallow in any given time frame.
Get detailed with this concentration. First of all recognize
where your tongue and teeth are when you swallow. Pay
attention to what happens to your mouth and all aspects of
swallowing, including the feeling of the saliva going down your
throat. Next concentrate on the number of times you swallow, say
in a minute. Remember not to make calculations or disseminate
the information, just note it and go on.
TASTE MEDITATION
Bet this meditation was a big surprise....NOT...hehehe.
Sorry, thought a little cosmic humor was in order. After all this is
supposed to be fun....eventually.
Okay, down to business. For this particular meditation you
are going to need to eat something that is very strong and will
have an aftertaste for quite some time. For instance anything with
strong garlic or onion should do. Another good thing is licorice,
orange, lemon, basically anything that has a very strong flavor.
You will want to do the first exercise eating something you
like. Take whatever it is with you to your meditation room and
eat it once you are in a comfortable position and ready to start
your meditation.
Actually start your meditation while you are chewing the
item. Pay attention to taste, texture and the amount of enjoyment
you are getting out of it. Once you have swallowed (don't go into
this meditation with food in your mouth, I don't want anyone
choking) concentrate on the taste that is remaining in your mouth.
If you have to move your tongue up and down, which causes
saliva, then do it. Do what you have to in order to maintain the
actual taste. When the taste is no longer there physically bring
back the flavor mentally, by concentrating on what it tasted like.
As you can see for this meditation it is good to eat something that
is familiar to you and easily memorable.
VARIATION
Do the same meditation but choose something you dislike.
Do not pick something that is going to make you gag or vomit.
Choose something that you simply dislike and concentrate on the
taste as you did with the other meditation.
The purpose for these two meditations are to get you in
touch with your senses. Many times we do not truly taste or
acknowledge what we put in our mouths. This will also help you
to learn to focus and concentrate.
VARIATION
The taste buds only acknowledge salty, bitter or sweet (at
least that is what the scientists tell us). When you do the above
meditation try it with all three (separately, of course).