Conscious Eating

As with exercise, you may already have a well‐established and healthy set of eating habits, in which case you may simply choose to experiment with bringing more mindfulness to your eating. ITP’s fourth core practice intention sounds simple: “I am conscious of everything I eat and drink.” There is no dietary advice here – no “good” foods and “bad” foods, rule, or restrictions – just a recommendation to be aware of everything that you are putting in your mouth. Well, there’s a little more to it, but that is the basic idea.

ITP honors the body as an amazing teacher and guide. Further, we believe that the body is capable of transformation in both ordinary and extraordinary ways. ITP includes several practices to enhance the health of the body, such as the ITP Kata, aerobic exercise, strength training, and conscious eating. The body is our foundation, our vehicle to express ourselves in the world, and it requires appropriate care to realize its fullest potential.

ITP Kansas group leader Cherri Harper has consistently focused on preventing osteoporosis, but when tests showed a sudden loss in bone density, she created an affirmation, “I care for others AND I care for myself.” Since then, she has increased her bone density twice in recent years. Here is her story.