In the powerful voice of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we hear suffering and strength. This combination is so truly human, it reaches through time and space to tug on our common thread and touch our hearts.

Do you find yourself stuck somewhere between making healthful New Year's intentions and implementing them? Mindfulness practice can help bridge this gap. When we are aware, we can change long-ingrained patterns without condemning or depriving ourselves.

As days roll on in the northern hemisphere, we’ll soon be welcoming winter. Until the solstice on December 21st, sunlight will continue to wane, reminding us that even the earth and sun are ever-changing.

In darkened nights we may enjoy our less-dominant senses: the slushing swish of cars driving past, the smell of steeping tea or simmering soup. Invite the dimming of sight and the calm of cold. 

Let’s savor the stillness of early evenings, with thoughtful dinners and relaxation. We may share this time with loved ones, or choose to practice self-care.

Dear Savor Community,  

Let’s use this time, in the wake of Thanksgiving, to nurture the deep seeds of gratitude within us.  We can water these seeds each day, by pausing to notice and embrace the love that flows through to connect us all. Like making way for water to run, we carve out time and attention in our lives, so that we may fully accept the gifts of life.

Breathing in, I open my heart to receive love.

Breathing out, I smile with thanks.

In our first interview with Mondo Samu, we asked him how it feels to have lost 100lbs with mindful eating and living over the last year. He spoke of mental and physical agility and stamina + how mindfulness has improved his relationships. Here we dig a little deeper - he shares with us what tools and knowledge have been most helpful in this journey.

Members of the Nutrition department at the Harvard School of Public Health have been advising Google food service to ensure healthy choices since 2009. During this summer, Google executive chef and nutritionist Olivia Wu and I discussed the appropriate portion size for desserts. Since all Google meals are free and employees get unlimited servings, I commented that it’s important for Googlers to learn about mindful eating along with healthy portion sizes and the nutrition of their food.

Recently I attended Thay’s retreat at Blue Cliff Monastery.  It felt wonderful to be together with Thay and the mindfulness community once again.  An acute awareness flows through me in this space. I feel joyful, more awake and free from the stress and worries of everyday life. Every time I leave a retreat, I bring this level of steadiness home with me – it's like getting a mindfulness booster shot.

The Buddhist concept of interbeing – the inter-relatedness of all things – can sometimes seem abstract. But when you hear Michael Dimock, president of Roots of Change, talk about our food systems, you can see the world in an apple—and become inspired to work towards  a food system that’s as sustainable for the eater as it is for the farmer and the planet itself.

My Harvard colleagues and I recently developed the Healthy Eating Plate, a healthier, clearer version of USDA’s MyPlate.