During dinner with week, my friends and I have been talking about the different customs that take place during the meal.  My perspective as an American is that dinner time is the place where everyone gets to talk about their day, however as I have learned it is customary in India to give respect to the food and not talk at all during the meal.  Going with that theme, I wanted to post a few of the different kinds of way people say grace, found on Yes Magazine as part of their Food For Everyone series.  These are just the few that I liked, but feel free to check out the whole series along with beautiful drawings by Nikki McClure.

LATIN AMERICAN To those who have hunger Give bread. And to those who have bread Give the hunger for justice.

BUDDHIST This food is the gift of the whole universe. Each morsel is a sacrifice of life, May I be worthy to receive it. May the energy in this food Give me the strength To transform my unwholesome qualities Into wholesome ones. I am grateful for this food. May I realize the Path of Awakening, For the sake of all beings.

ASHANTI, GHANAEarth, when I am about to die I lean upon you. Earth, while I am alive I depend upon you.

SIOUX, NATIVE AMERICAN I’m an Indian. I think about the common things like this pot. The bubbling water comes from the rain cloud. It represents the sky. The fire comes from the sun, Which warms us all, men, animals, trees. The meat stands for the four-legged creatures, Our animal brothers, Who gave themselves so that we should live. The steam is living breath. It was water, now it goes up to the sky, Becomes a cloud again. These things are sacred. Looking at that pot full of good soup, I am thinking how, in this simple manner, The Great Spirit takes care of me.