A Step-by-Step Guide to Baking Meditation

ChipMonk loves all things wellness. Healthy diet, exercise, yoga, meditation: these are all excellent tools to help us come back to our senses. But self-care doesn’t need take the form of a strict routine. In fact, sometimes the best way to quiet your mind is by doing what you love, and we love baking. So why not turn baking into it's own form of meditation?

“Baking?! But I thought meditation was all about sitting still and zening out.” Right you are! Many traditional meditation practices involve sitting or lying down and gently directing your mind towards a point of focus (like the sensation of your breath). But did you know there are also several tried-and-true forms of meditation that involve movement? For example, walking meditation turns the point of focus towards your steps, and yoga turns the point of focus towards the sensation of your body in different positions.

Notice the pattern? In order for something to qualify as ‘meditation’ it doesn’t really matter what you are doing so long as you have a consistent point of focus on which to redirect your mind when it inevitably wanders. So how can we turn in-home baking, into a true meditative practice?

Step 1: Make the Time

Just like any other form of meditation, baking meditation takes solitude. So set aside an hour or two where you know you won’t be disturbed. Leave your cell phone in another room, leave the TV and stereo turned off.

Step 2: Choose Your Recipe, Gather Your Ingredients

Cookies? Brownies? Whatever you’re craving, make sure you have a clear, concise, step-by-step recipe and all necessary ingredients before you begin your baking meditation. This will allow you to keep your point of focus on the bake.

Step 3: PreHeat the Oven

Once the oven is on, the meditation has officially begun. Now it’s time to let go of all your worldly concerns and focus on baking. We know this is easier said than done, and even the calmest minds wander, so never be hard on yourself. When you notice you thoughts, keep gently bringing your attention back into the kitchen. 

Step 4: Begin

Feel the weight of your mixing bowl. Listen to the sound as you gently place it on the counter and begin to combine your ingredients. Pay careful attention to each step in your recipe and appreciate the seemingly infinite number of events that led to you and all of these ingredients being here, today. Take your time. Remember, when the mind wanders, keep coming back to the bake. Here and now.

Step 5: Bake

Place your creation into the now preheated oven and set a timer according to your recipe, but the meditation doesn’t stop here! You can use this time for a more traditional sitting meditation. Or, if you’re like me and hate a messy kitchen, you can mindfully begin cleaning up. Wherever you go, keep gently nudging yourself back into the present moment.

Step 6: Taste

*beeeeeeeeeep*

 The meditation is almost over, but we’ve saved the best for last. Slide on those oven mitts and carefully place your bake on the counter. Once it has adequately cooled, it is time for the final step: mindful indulgence. Pick up your fork, and slowly take a bite. Be here and now as you taste the fruits of your labor. Feel the texture against your tongue. Experience the flavor.

And that’s it! When practiced mindfully, even baking a batch of cookies is a legitimate form of meditation. Of course, most dessert are packed with sugar and carbs that aren’t necessarily ideal for healthy living, but by substituting AlluMonk or your preferred all-natural low-calorie sweetener, you can dramatically reduce the sugar and carbs in just about any recipe. And if you are new to baking, instead of starting from scratch, you can also work with pre-made dry mixes to help keep things simple.  Whatever you choose to bake, remember to stay present, treat yourself kindly, and indulge mindfully.

 
Until next time!

-The ChipMonks

 Like this content? Then please remember to subscribe to our weekly newsletter for the latest ChipMonk Recipes, Products, and Updates. Thanks for reading!