Steamed Vegetables

In this season of steamed or boiled vegetables for dinner, we are left with a saucepan of water that we know is perfectly nutritious.

From past experience, i can predict that if i save it for soup stock, it will still be cluttering up the refrigerator a week from now. So, i let it cool, and after dinner, i water a houseplant with that green bean water, that potato water, that broccoli water.

When we get steamed, or even come to boiling, we can turn that unwholesome mind state into a wholesome mind state simply by noting out loud: "Steaming. Steaming. Steaming." or "Boiling. Boiling. Boiling." or "Worry. Worry. Worry." (or whatever your favorite unskillful mind state is :).

As we note or label out loud, our unskillful mind state cools down, and we water our daily mindfulness practice.

Photo from sarahbrownskitchengarden.wordpress.com