conscious consumption 197
eats by natural rules, he lives well, eats well, and lets the
world live well.
The biggest emotion when I was a Slow Food trustee was
the meeting with Terra Madre, at Salone del Gusto in Torino,
a big earth mother in a big room where farmers brought the
seeds of their different lands, and there I understood that
the real essence is there, in a seed, where everything comes
to life and everything dies.Becoming conscious of our consumption and distinguishing it
from eating with a conventional, unconscious approach involves all
of our senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, and fi nally taste. When
Luisa described the smell and taste of the May strawberries her
grandfather had given her, I also saw, heard, and was touched by
her impressions. I was captured by her words that “ through a sen-
sory perception we surely make a mental process. ” I thought, And
also an emotional and a spiritual one. Hearing that her grandfather ’ s
garden was “ his only richness ” then led me to think how bankrupt
and poverty - stricken our “ conventionally grown ” and processed
food has become.
Truly being aware and connected to our food includes being
conscious of what qualities the food offers. We would all benefi t
from asking ourselves the following questions before we eat: Is this
food grown organically? Why am I eating? Am I physically hungry
or numbing an emotional upset with a favorite comfort food? When
am I eating? When the food is fresh and in season, or because it
is late and I am alone and lonely? Where am I eating? Am I eating
locally grown vegetables purchased from a farmer ’ s market friend
in a calm, conducive environment or those shipped an average of
twenty - fi ve hundred miles with devastating environmental conse-
quences, while I ’ m being distracted by the TV or sitting in a traffi c
jam? How am I eating? Am I conscious, mindful, and grateful for
all who have grown, harvested, delivered, and prepared the food
for me, or am I unconsciously stuffi ng down the day ’ s frustration,
as well as my meal?