Growing up, we always said grace before dinner as a family. I remember getting yelled at if we dug in before it was said. Sometimes my sisters and I would get a bout of the giggles watching our parents bow their heads down in prayer, or we would make up our own “silly” versions to lighten the mood.
On days when I was feeling more “mature”, I thought of grace as a way to remind ourselves that there were starving people in the world. We were the lucky ones who had our “daily bread” and it was only right to show our gratitude.
As we got older and busier, family dinners became less frequent and grace somehow grew into a tradition reserved solely for the Holidays.
When dining with other families who still say grace at every meal, I feel nostalgic for what was once my own family tradition, and find comfort in reflecting on the meal I am about to receive. But as a Manhattan-ite who doesn’t have a family of my own to feed, (let alone a kitchen table) It never occurred to me to incorporate this ritual into my own meals.
However, after learning about the philosophy and study of Masaru Emoto, I feel motivated to bring grace back into my life, and in doing so may bring about more good than simply giving thanks.
Masuru Emoto is known for his claim that directing words or thoughts at water droplets before they are frozen will cause images of the resulting water crystals to be either "beautiful" or "ugly" depending upon whether the words or thoughts were positive or negative. Emoto claims this can be achieved through prayer, music or by attaching written words to a container of water.
So if we are made up of 70% of water, then couldn't it also be argued that positive or negative thinking alone could effect what's going on inside of our own bodies? And if the molecular structure of water can be changed, then couldn’t it also be said that the energy of food can be altered by positive or negative thoughts and words as well?
A man that I met in class this weekend who happens to be a spiritual coach, believes in Emoto’s claims whole heartedly. Even when out to dinner, he always takes a moment to put kind words into his food, and in doing so believes his meal will nourish him more.
These ideas all stem back to the law of attraction and the power of thought--Positivity breeds positivity, while negativity begets negativity.
Whether Emoto's experiments hold truth or are just a series of coincidence, and whether or not you believe in the law of attraction, I think saying grace or putting kind words into your food and drink before consuming allows a person to be present at meal time. Think of all the times we scarf down a meal. How much of those nutrients are we really absorbing? And think of all the meals we've taken for granted.
Now I'm not saying I'm about to start praying over my Bloody Mary and Eggs Benedict at Sunday brunch. I mean, let's be honest...that would make everyone uncomfortable. I think a simple toast would do in this situation, and come to think of it is a form of grace. Toasting is the acknowledgment that you are in the company of great people and are about to nourish yourself through food, drink, and the company of one another. So for those of us not ready to bow our heads in silence, perhaps making ourselves more present when it comes time for "clinking" is a good place to start...
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