Grace Wall Design Bedroom

10 Ways to Say Grace

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Saying blessings before meals is a way to enhance mindfulness while eating. It also encourages us to reflect on the effort that goes into not just cooking the meal but growing and harvesting the ingredients. Here are 10 graces to say before meals, drawing on cultures from around the world.

Humanist Benediction

This one is about valuing those around us, and the meal we're about to eat. It has no religious overtones; it's direct and to the point. "For this meal and those who made it, / And for those with whom we share it, / We are thankful."

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Adapted Native American Thanksgiving

This might be a good one to say before meals for thanksgiving dinner. "We give thanks for the living beings, the animals and plants, that gave themselves for this meal. And we give thanks for those who eat it with us."

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Christian Prayer

There are many Christian prayers to say before meals. Here's a short one: "Blessed is the Earth for providing this food, / Blessed is the Sun for nurturing its growth, / Blessed is the Wind for carrying the seeds, / And blessed is the Rain for watering them."

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Secular Prayer

A secular prayer can follow much the same template, just without the religious feel. Dropping the religious feel can make for a more inclusive grace, allowing each person to assign their own personal meaning to the prayer. Here's one: "Sun above and Earth below, / Our loving thanks to you we show."

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Thich Nhat Hanh Blessing

Vietnamese Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh is considered a master in the Zen tradition. Here is one of his simple pre-dinner blessings: "In this plate of food I see the entire universe supporting my existence."

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Sanskrit Blessing

This Sanskrit blessing recognizes the Hindu trinity, or Trimurti, of Brahma (creative energy), Vishnu (preservative energy) and Shiva (destructive energy). "The food is Brahma, its essence is Vishnu, and the eater is Shiva."

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Buddhist Gatha

Buddhism emphasizes compassion for all living things, and this verse, or gatha, is an expression of that. "For this food we extend gratitude to all beings who brought it to our table. And we vow to pass on our own gift to those in need."

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Mother Nature Prayer

Here's one for the hippies. "Beloved Mother Nature, benefactress of all, you are here on our table as food. Give us the strength and wisdom to help us share it with all of our brothers and sisters."

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Funny Prayer

Saying grace doesn't have to be a serious affair. Sometimes it can just be for a laugh, like this one: "Blessings on the blossom, / Blessings on the fruit. / Blessings on the beans as well / For helping us to toot."

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Moderation Proverb

Some proverbs are so powerfully simple yet so full of wisdom that they endure the test of time. Often, nobody really knows where they come from. Here's a good example: "Enough is a feast." In other words, sufficient food is plenty.

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