Each of the formal meals at the monastery is conducted in a mere half hour. The time spent chanting before and after, serving the food, and cleaning up leaves little opportunity to eat.
No time to dawdle, no need to talk. Mealtime is about "just eating." But in the same way that "just sitting" involves more, such as correct posture, breathing, and concentration, "just eating" is about more than just eating. It is about gratitude, mindfulness, and bringing one's awareness to the big picture--where the food come from, why we're all here, and what out common purpose is.
---Myochi---
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