– Becoming aware of Mouth Hunger –

Mouth hunger is the desire for pleasurable sensations. What continues pleasant sensation in the mouth varies from person to person, depends upon factors such as genetics, food habits in our family, cultural traditions, and conditioning, which means the association of certain food with other pleasant or unpleasant experience.

The mouth can be trained to enjoy certain food. To truly enjoy ‘a party in the mouth’, we don’t need stronger flavouring but the present of awareness. To satisfy the mount’s hunger for sensation, it isn’t enough to put food into mouth, chew it and swallow it. If we want to feel satisfy as we eat, the mind has to be aware of what is occurring in the mouth.

When the mouth seems hungry, look inward to see if the mouth could be thirsty instead of hungry.

– Satisfying mouth hunger –

The mouth is easily bored. It has difficulty staying present with sensation as we continue to chew, as the intensity of flavour begins to fade, and the texture turns too mushy. When the mouth is bored, it asks for another bite. If we keep shoveling in bite after bite, and ignore the signals of ‘full’ coming from the stomach, we will take in more food then our body needs. If our mouth begin accustomed to always being stimulated, it won’t be happy being empty. We will begin to snack continually, putting food and drink into mouth during the entire time we are awake. When we eat mindfully, we are paying attention to the constant changes in the mouth that make up variety. Even when the food is simple, such as oatmeal and milk or a few potato chips in a bowl, when we eat with awareness and curiosity the dullest meal can become a very interesting.