Chapter 6: On Eating and Drinking ~ Gibran’s The Prophet with Journaling Prompts
Then an old man, a keeper of an
inn, said, Speak to us of Eating and
Drinking.
And he said:
Would that you could live on the
fragrance of the earth, and like an air
plant be sustained by the light.
But since you must kill to eat, and rob
the newly born of its mother’s milk to
quench your thirst, let it then be an
act of worship,
And let your board stand an altar on
which the pure and the innocent of
forest and plain are sacrificed for that
which is purer and still more innocent
in man.
*****
When you kill a beast say to him in your
heart,
“By the same power that slays you, I too
am slain; and I too shall be consumed.
For the law that delivered you into
my hand shall deliver me into a mightier
hand.
Your blood and my blood is naught but
the sap that feeds the tree of heaven.”
*****
And when you crush an apple with your
teeth, say to it in your heart,
“Your seeds shall live in my body,
And the buds of your tomorrow shall
blossom in my heart,
And your fragrance shall be my breath,
And together we shall rejoice through
all the seasons.”
*****
And in the autumn, when you gather
the grapes of your vineyards for the
winepress, say in your heart,
“I too am a vineyard, and my fruit shall
be gathered for the winepress,
And like new wine I shall be kept in
eternal vessels.”
And in winter, when you draw the wine,
let there be in your heart a song
for each cup;
And let there be in the song a
remembrance for the autumn days, and for
the vineyard, and for the winepress.
*****
~ Chapter 6: “On Eating and Drinking” from The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
Spirit Nourished Earth created the image in this post in collaboration with DALL·E 3
Journaling Prompts for Self-Reflection
Eating as Worship
Gibran invites us to approach eating with reverence, stating, “Let your board stand an altar.” How might adopting a sacred perspective toward food transform your relationship with nourishment?
The Cycle of Life
“By the same power that slays you, I too am slain.” How does recognizing your place within the cycle of life and death deepen your appreciation for the food you consume?
Harvest and Transformation
“I too am a vineyard, and my fruit shall be gathered for the winepress.” How do you see your experiences, struggles, and growth mirrored in the cycles of nature and the transformation process?
Gratitude in Every Season
“Let there be in your heart a song for each cup.” How can you cultivate gratitude for the hands, elements, and forces that bring food to your table, regardless of your life season?
Continue the Conversation
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