Conscious Cooking Class
Conscious Cooking
Manjari, our culinary expert, led a concise yet insightful presentation on the principles of mindful cooking and eating. The core theme revolved around tailoring one's diet to align with their unique constitution, an essential concept in Ayurvedic cooking. Manjari emphasized not only what we eat but also how we cook and combine foods, highlighting the importance of avoiding combinations that could generate toxins within the body. She quoted the Vedas, stating that food should be prepared with precision, encompassing qualities such as timeliness, quality, taste, purity, and a deep sense of connection.
Drawing from the revered Bhagavad Gita, Manjari introduced the philosophy of "sattvic" food. Sattvic cooking centers on natural, pure, wholesome, and health-promoting ingredients, brimming with vital life force. Such a diet holds immense significance as it can elevate the mind, bolster bodily health, and rejuvenate the soul. By harmonizing the body's chemistry, sattvic cuisine can bring about strength, mental tranquility, perfect health, and longevity. These foods are typically fresh, wholesome, and prepared with a sense of devotion, often accompanied by prayers that express love and gratitude towards nature and divinity for providing these ingredients.
The focal point of this culinary journey was the Fenugreek flatbread, an Indian-style delicacy infused with an array of herbs and spices. Manjari emphasized that this recipe is "tridoshic," suitable for all constitutions. The selected herbs and spices served multiple purposes, from enhancing flavor to stimulating the digestive fire, improving digestibility, and countering any potential incompatible food combinations. She conducted a step-by-step demonstration, from kneading the dough to shaping and cooking the flatbreads on a skillet. This was followed by guided hands-on preparation by the participants.
Throughout the cooking process, a vital message was reiterated - the significance of maintaining a positive, grateful mindset. Emotions were acknowledged as having a direct impact on the food's quality. Participants were encouraged to cultivate a service-oriented attitude, recognizing that preparing food is a service, whether to others or for the well-being of their own body and mind. An additional layer of reflection was added, focusing on the interconnected web of relationships that exist in the food chain, from farmers and drivers to grocery stores and ultimately to the divine source. This perspective aimed to nurture a profound sense of gratitude.
In conclusion, this conscious cooking session transcended the act of preparing a meal. It embodies a holistic approach that respects individual constitutions, delves into ancient wisdom, and underscores the importance of love, gratitude, and mindfulness throughout the culinary journey. By embracing these principles, participants not only create delicious and nourishing food but also contribute to their well-being and foster a deeper connection with the act of cooking and eating. This holistic approach has the potential to inspire a broader revolution in how we perceive and engage with the culinary arts.
Attendee Quotes:
Quote 1: This Stanford program has helped to enhance and empower to be a human being. I mean a human being who is just coming out of compulsions to conscious living, conscious breathing, conscious eating. And It has enhanced my perception beyond my five senses. How does it enhance my perception ? It enhanced the perception of a better living and better understanding. This club is a place for human connection. It is not a religious program or anything like that but it connects to the core of spiritual aspects which has been diminished for 1000 years in Silicon Valley. I feel blessed to connect with this cub, which has made me a better human being. I am really thankful to all these volunteers who have dedicated their time. So I don’t need any medication but I need dedication to the process.
Quote 2 - I really enjoy these events. This is the 2nd time I have come to the Stanford Conscious Living event. It has taught me to disconnect from day-to-day life and connect with myself. We started singing together and releasing a lot of stress. And I also learned about how to eat, and what we eat affects us and our feelings in our day-to-day life. The cooking class was also very nice. We could cook ourselves and eat our food. I enjoyed the dinner that was made for this event.
Quote 3 I come here every Saturday as part of the Stanford Conscious Living Club activities. What I like most about this club is that you get a good dose of spiritual talks and get to network over the feast. The club makes me feel at home because I connect back to my culture, which I miss sometimes in the US. The food always makes me feel at home despite being in the US. The personal connection for me is that I always liked the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita but never had the opportunity to read in detail. So through these activities of Stanford Conscious Living, I get to familiarize myself with the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita. I thank the club for keeping us in touch with the roots and helping us not miss Indian food at Stanford.
Quote 4 - I really loved that they spoke about putting love and caring about food. The energy you put in the food, you will take in your body. That was a huge aha moment for me that I needed so that I could receive that love and care for my body. I can be a security guard to my body so that I keep a watch on what I put into my body and be more aware and make better choices.
Quote 5 - This is probably the 5th or 6th time I have come to a Stanford Conscious Living event. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to participate. People over here are so great, so warm. I have learned about conscious living, living better spiritual lives, whether it comes from our relationships to the way we deal with adversity and challenges to how we manage relationships. It also matters what food we eat.. Whether it is dosa or the roti that I made today/ I am so happy to participate in today’s event and meet great people and have a great song and dance.. Excellent delicious food. Many many thanks for putting this event together.
Quote 6 - Today’s event was such a wonderful gathering of like-minded people, seeking community and sharing such good food. I really enjoyed all the conversations. It was wonderful to learn more about different approaches to cooking. And how to prepare an extremely delicious recipe. I am so grateful for that. I met some old friends and met some new friends. So, It is such a wonderful gathering to bring together a community and share food and share stories. Thank you for doing this event.
Quote 7 - Very pleasantly surprised that the cooking class also offered a meditation session. I was so wonderful. I especially enjoyed the live music I was treated with. I was so stressed out through the midterms and it was so nice to experience what home felt like.
Quote 8 - Conscious Cooking surpassed my expectations. We started with mantra meditation, which was very peaceful and then we made delicious Fenugreek flat Greek bread. I met lovely people. It was a great opportunity to meet people interested in learning mediation and getting good vibes. Looking forward to many more such events.
Quote 9. Today was my first time at the Stanford Conscious Living event. It was really fun though. I have been interested in learning about some more vegetarian meals. I honestly did not know where to start and so this was a great introduction. Honestly, so great to meet everyone and have such really great delicious food..Very much appreciated. And look forward to coming to the next event.
Quote 10 One of the things I loved about was how nice and welcoming everyone was. I had the opportunity to make flat-bread, which was my first time ever doing that. Everybody was welcoming and the food was amazing.. I am going to sleep well tonight. Thank you so much for opening your door and helping us learn about your culture.
