Grocery Mindfulness Practice in the Age of Coronavirus

A few recommendations on shopping:
 
            Where? At the smallest, cleanest market you know, or the best managed large market. 
 
            When? At off-peak hours if possible.
 
            How often? As infrequently as possible. (Try to shop for at least two weeks.)
 
            What should I buy? Enough to feel satisfied so that you will not end up going more often.
 
           For the elderly, consider delivery or asking a relative or neighbor to shop for you. 
 
           For everyone, the choice of delivery or going to the store yourself is personal. You may be healthier or have cleaner hands than the delivery person, while the physical closeness to others at the store may put you at risk that delivery does not. Check in with neighbors and social media to discuss how the various stores are handling it and if you go, go to the one that is best-managed as far as cleanliness and lines. Note: The social act of shopping makes us feel good, but the grocery store is not the place right now to get that social satisfaction. Call friends, stay connected with neighbors, but try to stay away from the store as much as you can. 
 
This is a challenging time, a scary time for many, but also a special time, full of opportunity. You may never have felt more appreciative or aware of your food. So take your time with this process. It is rich with meaning. Savor it.

Planning Mindfully
 
            This is not a grab your purse and jump in the car era. Sit down at the kitchen table with a cup of tea, with your loved ones if you are living together, and take your time going through these steps.

1. Make a list including things you need, but also things you want. Perhaps add an intention to comfort yourself.
2. Now look at the list again and consider substitutes. Be honest. If you know you will want something sweet, make sure it is there. Ask yourself what you would get instead of milk. The more you can plan ahead and ask these questions when you are calm, the better you will do in the store.
3. Put together a cleanliness kit for your trip to the store. It should include any protective gear you want to wear at the store, mask or gloves, and a way to clean your hands thoroughly after you leave the store. If you do not have wipes, a jug of soapy water and a paper or cloth towel will do it the old-fashioned way.
4. Set up your kitchen table, other table, or countertop for unpacking. Do this before you go. Divide the space in half by placing a piece of painter’s tape or a towel on half of the table to mark one side as clean. 
5. Set aside a large bucket or clean box. You will use this when you come home. 
6. Eat well before you go. 
7. Use the bathroom so you will not need the public restroom.

 
Going Shopping

1. Now is not the time to bring your own bags (germs) to the store.
2. Consider the timing again. If you meant to get up earlier and it is now a more crowded time, wait for another day. Allow that feeling of I NEED I NEED I NEED to be there without having to act on it. 
3. As you travel to the store, be aware of the instinctual urge to GO GET SUSTENANCE! If you have any anxiety or stress, offer yourself a simple prayer of loving kindness, “May I be safe. May I be happy. May I feel nourished.”
4. When you arrive, before you get out of your car, or as you look at the store, survey the scene and take a moment to strategize. 
5. If things look crazy busy, turn around and go home, or go to another store. (Feel the disappointment, but go. Leave. That's not the place for you today.
6. Observe how people are coming and going, and figure out how you are going to move through that space maintaining social distance. 
7. Before going in, take any steps you can to protect yourself. 

           a. Consider wearing gloves and a mask. 
           b. Secure hair, glasses, clothing so that you will not be tempted to touch them while in the store.
           c. Take a deep breath and repeat your short prayer, “May I be safe. May I be happy. May I feel nourished.” 
 
At the Store

1. Think before you touch. Make a new rule: “You touch it, you buy it.” Touch as little as possible. Be aware of your hands. Feel your fingertips, your palms, your wrists. 
2. WAIT! One thing that breaks social distance is impatience. Defer to others. Wait your turn. 
3. Waiting in line, you have done all you can, take this moment to practice “stealth” loving kindness for those around you. Look at the people in front of you, behind you, at the register, and say silently, “May you be safe, May you be happy, May you be nourished.”

 
Leaving

1. Disinfect your hands as soon upon leaving the store as you can. If the store has disinfectant gel or wipes, use them as you exit. If you brought something from home, use it. 
2. Be aware of your clothes. You are now possibly carrying the virus on your clothes so move calmly. Do not shake off your sweater, or touch your clothes and then your face.
3. Do not eat anything you bought. You will need to clean the items first. (That’s OK, you ate before you went to the store:)

 
Unpacking

Go slowly. There is no rush. This is the real opportunity to practice gratitude and mindfulness. Hold each item in your hand. Feel the weight of it. One thing I noticed from doing this was that I wasn't getting as much food as I thought, and certain items seemed not at all a good value for the money. I'll keep that in mind next time I shop. 

There are many video tutorials on disinfecting, and common sense always helps. Here is my method. 

1. Leave everything outside or in the car that you can.
2. Go inside and wash your hands thoroughly.
3. Take your clean box or bucket, which you set aside before going.
4. Go outside and remove items from the bags and place them in the bucket. (You may need to take several trips.) 
5. Also before going inside, take away as much packaging as you can. Cereal boxes and other cardboard outer packaging can be removed. 
6. Put the bags and outer packaging directly into recycling bins.
7. Take groceries inside and place on “dirty” side of table.
8. Wash your hands again.
9. Clean each grocery item with disinfectant wipe, or diluted bleach-water solution or lots of soapy hot water
10. Dry items thoroughly or place outside in the sun.
11. Clean and disinfect your sorting table.
12. Clean and disinfect the front doorknob or anything else you touched when you came in before you washed your hands.

 
Finishing up

1. Take off all your clothes and put them in the laundry. 
2. Shower or wash face and hands with soapy water.

        Even if we do all of these things, there are no guarantees that we or our loved ones won't get sick. Our vulnerability as living beings has perhaps never been more clear. But the process of taking precautions need not be stressful and confusing. We can slow down, take steps, and appreciate the process that at its heart is so loving, because we are doing it out of an intention to keep our selves and our fellow beings safe.
          The difference in effort may seem substantial, but in reality we are talking about taking an extra hour or two every two weeks to really take care, and be aware of what we are doing. 
           After we have performed this simple task of securing our food, we can sit down with another cup of tea, or a precious treat from our wonderful haul, and say together, 

“May we all be safe, May we all be happy, May we all feel nourished.”