Landscapes, vineyards, wine and mindfulness? How do you imagine it?
If you are a Buddhist practitioner you may be wondering if meditation and wine can combine well.
But in our Western world, outside the restrictions of religions, a glass of quality wine does not seem to be harmful. It seems rather a very satisfying experience, especially if it is guided by an experienced sommelier and if they also teach you mindfulness. Is this possible?
Paula Tripicchio, a psychologist, mindfulness practitioner and formerly part of the Ineco Mindfulness team, is beginning to offer this experience at a Black River winery, and this tells us: “A winery and a vineyard certainly offer an ideal environment, not only to enjoy the charm of its nature, but also becomes a unique space for connect and explore our senses. The aroma of the wine, its texture, its color and the sliding movement in the glass, clearly connect us with the multisensory experience that involves tasting and tasting a wine with full attention. That’s why it’s interesting to be able to link the practice of mindfulness with the natural context of a winery and its relaxing environment. “
Natural environments foster connection with the senses. Photo Shutterstock.
Clearly the practice of eating or drinking can be illuminated by one full consciousness. It is an applied form of this mode of connection with the present.
“Mindfulness is a practice of scientific meditation that helps us become aware of what is happening in our body, in our mind and around us, in the present moment. It helps us to be more attentive to what we are doing while we’re doing it and connecting with how we feel, instead of always operating in ‘autopilot’. The exercises and techniques of mindfulness meditation were adapted to the scientific field by biologist Jon Kabat-Zinn of the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, and the latest research shows that programs that use this form of meditation are effective for managing stress, anxiety and depression “.
An exquisite experience
“Tasting a wine is an experience that clearly requires full attention, says the professional, when we tasted a wine we performed a series of steps similar to when we performed a practice of mindfulness or mind-based mindfulness. We begin by serving the wine, see how it falls into the glass, the we observe carefully and we define its color. Then we bring it closer to our nose, we perceive its primary aromas, we move it to the Cup so that it incorporates oxygen, we take it back to the nose, we perceive what happened when it incorporated this oxygen and we notice how the wine opens and its aromas are transformed. We look at the glass and when we move the wine in a circular shape we see its tears and its different textures fall. Then we will take a good sip so that its flavors flood our mouth and this is when we are we connect with the sensations that happen to us. “
Tripicchio continues: “We all have a different morphology in our mouths, so we will each experience different sensations, we will notice the sweet tannins, the astringency, its acidity and its bitterness. And the last step is share the experience that each one experimented with the rest of the people who accompany us, which helps us to find and perceive in this tasting new flavors and aromas “.
If we add to this the possibility of being in one natural environment and being able to do some meditative practices there, isn’t that an exquisite combo?
Meditation and mindfulness, a wellness experience. Photo Shutterstock.
“In several wineries in the area of La Rioja, Spain, they already do this practice and report numerous benefits,” concludes Paula.
Undoubtedly this experience is enjoyable and motivating and expands the use of mindfulness in our lives, allowing us to continue to train our senses. Of course, with maximum balance and equanimity, recognizing the limit of our lucidity, so as not to get lost in the excessive pleasure that distorts our minds.
* Martín Reynoso is a psychologist, director of Train Your Brain Argentina and author of “Mindfulness, scientific meditation”.