Grace before meals is the prayer said most often in the home around the world. Perhaps this is because sharing food is a universal experience, one that fundamentally sustains life in community. Expressing thanks for food was thus one of the first acts of worship, linking the day-to-day to the mysterious and the divine. Both elegant and user-friendly, this rich collection offers blessings gathered with a scholar’s insight and a poet’s love of language. Simple yet profound words range from Shakespeare to Starhawk, Tecumseh to the Tamil tradition, the North American plains to Pakistan. Each grace is introduced with cultural context and fascinating detail about its history and evolution. The result is a kind of soul food — and a recipe for cultivating gratitude on a daily basis.
Bless This Food
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Book Description
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Editorial Reviews
From the Back Cover
"Cultivating gratitude is one of the most powerful choices you can make for your health and happiness. This book of blessings can help you do that on a daily basis."
-- M.J. Ryan, author of A Grateful Heart and Attitudes of Gratitude
"A precious gem of a book! Every home would benefit from owning it and sharing the delicious wisdom it offers. Focusing on the four most important forms of nourishment for human beings -- food, gratitude, awareness, and connection -- it reminds us to be aware of the sacred quality of what the universe freely offers. Bravo!"
-- John E. Welshons, author of When Prayers Aren't Answered
-- M.J. Ryan, author of A Grateful Heart and Attitudes of Gratitude
"A precious gem of a book! Every home would benefit from owning it and sharing the delicious wisdom it offers. Focusing on the four most important forms of nourishment for human beings -- food, gratitude, awareness, and connection -- it reminds us to be aware of the sacred quality of what the universe freely offers. Bravo!"
-- John E. Welshons, author of When Prayers Aren't Answered
About the Author
Adrian Butash is a well-known marketing and advertising professional. He studied history and cultures of the world at Fordham University. He lives in Santa Barbara, CA.
--This text refers to the
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edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is an excellent little prayer book on various ancient and modern graces.It's not just a European christian benedictory ,but from differnet cultures ,around the world.In our modern world,we have really lost the religious experience of eating.With our fast food society all around us,the companionship of 'breaking bread' with the family and friends,is a rare sacred event indeed thesedays.I've never seen anyone pray before eating their burger combo.We have gotten away from the knowledge of our food.Where is it grown? How is it grown? What nutrients does it contain? We just take it for granted everyday.We are what we eat.Natural foods are healthy and connect us to Nature,the Infinite.Our Earth can produce a bounty of food gifts.The Wise give thanks for fair weather and equal balance of sunshine and the rain.Both the communists and capitalists have tried to fetter the forces of Nature,for their various planned quotas or profit margins.Yet,Nature is still an awesome power that operates freely ,from human machinations of restraint.This book has so many worthwhile eloquent blessings.These mahlzeit evocations all have some basic common beliefs.That of heavenly gratitude for our daily nourishment,the communion with earthly nature,and the spiritual connection with the righteous. For a small alimentary breviary,it has a lot to digest and to nourish one's soul.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Great Mama
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a wonderful way to be greatful for all that we have. So many differrent types of blessings. We prefer using the word blessing rather than grace but either way you slice it, very nice compilation.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Neddie Ludd
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a unique book of blessings, graces, and meditations on food and thanksgiving. There are several traditional christian ones, but also buddhist, native american (several), african, and more. I really like the fact that the author has included a brief paragraph about the author of the grace, the culture, or the history surrounding it. I have marked several "favorites" & I plan to read one at our dinner each evening with the kids. We are Unitarian Universalists, and we appreciate the wealth and diversity of many religious and cultural traditions. This book is perfect for sharing a glimpse into thankfulness as expressed all over the world.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Food and meals always need gratitude.
First saw this book reviewed in "Daily Om" and felt there was a lot to learn from a variety of sources about how we consider the food we eat, and it is not just about... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Virginia La Brie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Read at Dinner Time
I do believe in the ritual of prayer at the dinner time meal,any meal should be blessed. This is a real joy to see other religious prayers and an explaination of where it came... Read more
Published 8 months ago by B. schmidt
5.0 out of 5 stars
bless this food
find a place for this book on your table. when you open it , there will be no disapointments. the challenge will be to find the blessing for that moment.
Published on January 10, 2009 by a. meadow
