Washoku
The Art Of The Balanced Plate
I love remarking on beautiful things. I love finding beauty in all sorts of moments. Right now, between typing, I'm looking over at my ZZ plant and appreciating the way it tilts artfully, its leaves weaving shadows on the wall. When I allow myself to consume beauty with my attention, I feel enriched, not unlike eating a nourishing meal.
The present moment is always saturated with beautiful, sustaining bits. But it requires your own attention to take it in.
And this season reminds us to pay attention.
We are in the last stretch of Earth element time, the season governed by Stomach and Spleen energy. These organs digest and process more than our food. They also aid in processing how we digest our surroundings, our relationships, our experiences. This time of year, the sunlight dances a little more golden at late afternoon, drawing focus to swaying grasses and buzzing creatures. It's still warm enough to be outside here in Texas, but the peak heat has (mostly) passed, and mornings and evenings become something to savor.
Savoring. It seems no coincidence that Earth season is about all things digestion: of the present moment, of beauty, of nourishment in all its forms.
One of my dear friends, Leanne of Valentiful, is one of the earthiest people I know. Her life's work has used food as a vehicle for connection, change, beauty, and healing. She and her partner Charlie have been growing an urban garden in Clarksville, and when we go to their home for dinner, we get to step outside to pick produce for the meal. Couldn't be more connected to the earth in that moment. There is something so powerful about seeing our food in the ground, experiencing it there, pulling it from the earth. A sensory experience from start to finish, nourishment before the food has even passed our lips. Leanne and Charlie have built something remarkable with Valentiful, connecting their community with local farmers and chefs, offering seasonal recipes, and clearing the path toward living more consciously and more attuned to what sustains them.
She recently shared something with me that was too good not to share with you: the Japanese practice of Washoku. A centuries-old culinary art form that guides the way toward a beautiful, balanced meal, and also happens to be rooted in the same Five Elements framework we work with here in The Listening Movement.
Which means your next meal could be an experience in holistic healing, in presence, in Earth element wisdom. Let's get real Earthy!
And let me know how it goes.
x Kaita
