DIY Blessing

Connection and gratitude are two things that we have found help ground us as we are traveling. One of the ways we like to express this is through daily rituals and blessings. A time that is popular in many traditions is a blessing before a meal. Mia loved this tradition as a way to slow down and tell our bodies to notice the beauty in being nourished, instead of the mindless eating we fall into when we’re trying to multi-task. She wanted a blessing that could be used amongst people regardless of religion or background. She took bits from Native American traditions, Shamanism, Buddhist prayers, quotes she liked, and the Christian prayer she learned as a kid to create a blessing of our own.

“In this food we see the entire universe supporting our existence.  We are thankful to the earth, the hands, the energy it took to bring this food to us.  May this food nourish us so we may nourish others. Aho” - Mia 

It’s fun to look down at the meal we just spent our time making and contemplate for a moment everything that went into this meal.  The soil, seeds, and water it took to grow the grains, fruits, and veggies. The care from the farmers in nurturing it. The drivers that transported it and all the steps in between delivering it to our plate.  Reflecting on that for a moment before the meal really helps us recognize how sacred sharing a meal together is and feel the interconnectedness of the world. It’s all a big cycle. We receive energy from the meal so we can give energy back to the world in our own way.  “Aho” is how we’ve chosen to end the blessing. It has Native American and Shamanism roots and can be used in an expression of ‘yes- I agree’ ‘I understand’ ‘I acknowledge’ and ‘thank you’.

This blessing has been a great way for us to slow down, savor the moment and give thanks to everything that goes into nourishing our bodies at mealtimes.  We encourage you to reflect and create a blessing that is meaningful to you and make it a part of your daily ritual. We’d love to hear what you come up with.

Blessings to you all! 👣 🐾