[pumpineemob]

One of my practices is to recite a gatha prior to each meal. It starts out "72 labors brought us this food, we should know how it comes to us." It goes on to discuss the elimination of greed and craving, and closes with "We take this food in order to realize the path of practice." So my questions to myself are (1) Am I aware of and appreciate the hard work and suffering that brought this food? (2) Am I eating to nourish my body, or to entertain the senses? (3) Does eating this support my practice goals, namely the alleviation of suffering in all sentient beings? Of course, I frequently fall short of the mark, but for the most part I've learned to eat to live, not live to eat.