On Mindfulness & Thoughts like Popcorn

Does anyone love popcorn as much as I do?

Miracles come in moments. Be ready and willing.

~ John Muir

Ever tried to meditate?

As in, sitting quietly, breathing mindfully (no where to go, nothing to do), clearing your mind of your thoughts? It’s a giant challenge, and one I don’t do often enough for sure.

Now imagine in that harried moment a boisterous loud popcorn popper, bubbling over with abundant, freshly popped (thoughts) and corn. Many of you might relate to this as we try to slow the pace of our minds, and the thoughts that keep ‘popping’ faster as we try harder to slow them down.

Eventually, if you sit long enough, those popcorn thoughts will slow down. Eventually, with practice, they do stop.

“Stress is caused by being in the now but wanting to be in the future, reducing the present to a means to an end.”

– The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

I don’t think I know a soul in this life who doesn’t benefit from taking some time to slow down, to breathe, and to simply be.

With that, I dedicate today’s post to popcorn, and to mindfulness.

Quiet. Peaceful. Present.

Pardon me for the (perhaps even slightly corny, okay, alot!) metaphoric post, but I couldn’t help it!

Popcorn is a long time personal favorite and I think it can help anyone wanting to practice mindfulness in a few small ways.

First of all, if you are an avid snacker, then it is likely you already know the virtues of being the proud and shrewd owner of a popcorn popper.

Last I checked, you can pick one up for about $20. Popcorn poppers don’t break, or require any cleaning, or take up any space (really) either.

They produce fresh, warm, and good-for-you popcorn in minutes.

Popcorn is literally the cheapest snack on earth – last I checked in it clocked at less than a quarter or so per large batch (to satisfy 2-3 people), and it also happens to be the healthiest, too.

“Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.”

– Omar Khayyám

So, if you love snacking, chances are you love popcorn (though I have met those who detest it).

Fresh popped is far superior to anything microwaved (in taste, economic, waste, and health factor), and also gives fried, salted, and over-processed snacks like bagged and boxed chips a serious run for their money.

So, if you don’t have a popper yet, they can be found easily at a bigger drug store, or cookshop.

I buy large bags of popcorn at a time a store it in a jar for easy access and scooping. My girls adore it, and so do I.

Many a meal has been made of popcorn, carrot sticks, and re-run marathons of Friends. Precisely why we *sometimes* look forward to the husband’s business trips.

But we don’t tell him that. We wouldn’t want to upset anyone now, would we?! 😉

Hope is a waking dream.
~ Aristotle

The Less:

Less salted, fried, and packaged snacks, means less salt, oil, fat and empty, fattening foods in your life. Less worry about snacking means more enjoyment of those moments, and less guilt later about cravings, snacking, and eating in general. Less cost and less prep means snacking well is super easy, just breathe deep while it pops, and remember to stay present (or not).

The More:

More clean eating snack food means worry is banished. More tasty clean toppings means fresh flavor is abundant. More fresh homemade snack foods means the grocery snack aisles are history, and more high fiber popcorn means 100% satisfaction guaranteed.

Homemade Popcorn:

• (1) electric Popcorn Popper
• (1) scoop popcorn kernels (organic if possible)
• (3-4) tbsp olive oil (feel free to also use melted butter)
• sea salt to taste
• other toppings to taste: nutritional yeast, chile powder, chile flakes, seasoning salt, black pepper, tamari, garlic powder…what are your faves?

Start by plugging in the popper and heating it for a minute or so to get it ready. Get a large clean bowl ready. Add the popcorn kernels, breathe deeply….exhale. Breathe deeply again……..exhale. Repeat until the popcorn starts popping! Add the oil in small bits as the popcorn comes out (yes, it is very interactive) – this will ensure even coating of all the kernels as best as you can.

Add your salt and seasonings as you add the oil. Once the thoughts, er, popcorn, are done cascading from the mouth of the popper, unplug and take one last mindful deep breath (or not).

Mix all with your hands. Choose your favorite show or movie, and enjoy!

Of course, if you don’t eat a lot of salt, or oil, or butter, you can eat popcorn completely naked too. It’s still delicious.

You can use one or all of these.

Sea salt,  nutritional yeast, olive oil.

“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.”

― Thich Nhat Hanh

You can also try these: chili flakes, garlic powder, and seasoned salts of all kinds.

Another one of my favorite bloggers also tipped me off to one of her favorite childhood snacks a while back. I’ve yet to try this (mostly because I think it will be just too good), but she grew up enjoying cubes of sharp cheddar cheese cubes in her popcorn – thanks to Sharyn at thekalechronicles for that tip – one of these days I am surely trying that as the kids will love it, that I am sure! 

Have any of you enjoyed popcorn this way?

The power of imagination makes us infinite.

~ John Muir

Enjoy popcorn well, and revel in the simplicity of such an easy and economical way to scratch the snack itch.

After all that mindful deep breathing (or not), make sure to check in that you are not mindlessly scarfing the fruits of your labor. I think popcorn has an ever so valuable added layer of benefit for us – to make sure we are staying in the present moment long after the popper stops and we sit down eat it.

The present piece, the present bite, the present laugh.

I have observed this from years of popcorn eating experience, of course! 😉

“Few of us ever live in the present. We are forever anticipating what is to come or remembering what has gone.”

― Louis L’Amour

That was a moment (or two) well enjoyed.

“The real pleasure,the real peace,  the real enlightenment is to give. The more you give the more you get. If you give 10, you get 100.”

– Bikram Choudhury

• Are you a popcorn fan too?
• What are your favorite popcorn toppings?
• How do you meditate or stay mindful?

I’d love to share with you on this as it is a matter very dear to me (both popcorn and mindfulness), I’m always looking for ways to improve my ability to practice and enjoy both!

Let us know and share your tips if you will! Here’s wishing you all a super wonderful weekend!

Yours in Less,