from Victoria McClure: Art of the Inner Meal: Eating as a Spiritual Path,
Donald Altman
Greetings! I hope all of you are having a wonderful start to spring. The book for this month is Donald Altman's Art of the Inner Meal: Eating as a Spiritual Path. I love this book because Altman takes all of us to a place where eating is again a pleasure and a privilege, rather than something that we do in a car on the way from point A to point B. I don't know about the rest of you, but as spring begins to unfold, I start looking away from my freezer and towards the new crop of fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs and, suddenly, eating starts to be something that becomes new again. Altman explores all of this for us.
As a former Buddhist monk, Altman brings a unique and spiritual approach to eating. And, while Altman does examine various religious traditions and their approach to food, it would be inappropriate to call this a religious book. Rather, it examines the spirituality of eating and how we can all examine a variety of religious traditions and learn from them in order to enrich our own lives and eating experiences.
Altman also includes practical advice on everything from meal preparation to enjoying a cup of tea. After reading this book, I have a much clearer sense of the importance of food in my own life for both spiritual and physical nourishment. This is a book you will want to read slowly and deliberately. It is meant to be savored and shared and then passed on to those you love.
