When You Eat Without Awareness Does Food Have a Taste?

By Pavel G. Somov, Ph.D.

A koan is a kind of question used as a training device in the Buddhist tradition, designed to help the aspirant attain a degree of clarity. I’m sure you’ve come across these zany questions before (“What’s the sound of one hand clapping?” or “If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there, does it make a sound?”).

So, here’s an eating process koan for you to mediate on…

Does food have a taste when you eat mindlessly, without awareness, without paying attention to taste?

Below is the previous emotional eating koan that I have posed:

What is your mind full of when you feel empty?

What do you think?

Pavel Somov, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist and the author of "Eating the Moment" (New Harbinger, 2008), "Present Perfect" (NH, 2010), "The Lotus Effect" (NH, 2010), "Smoke Free Smoke Break" (2011), and "Reinventing the Meal" (2012). He is in private practice in Pittsburgh, PA. His book website is www.eatingthemoment.com

Marla Somova, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist in private practice and an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Counseling at Carlow University in Pittsburgh, PA. She is the co-author of "Smoke Free Smoke Break" (2011).

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Last reviewed: 9 Jul 2011

APA Reference
Somov, P. (2009). When You Eat Without Awareness Does Food Have a Taste?. Psych Central. Retrieved on May 18, 2013, from http://blogs.psychcentral.com/mindful-living/2009/08/when-you-eat-without-awareness-does-food-have-a-taste/