The Final Feast Exercise: Who Is At Your Table?

Who would you invite to your last supper? This is the question we pose in our latest podcast episode, "The Final Feast" We dive deep into the Last Supper exercise, an intimate reflection on the people who shape our lives. 
We guide you through a journey of self-discovery, asking you to visualize your ultimate dinner party. Who makes the cut? This process is revealing, not only of the people you hold dear but also of your core values and priorities. It's a powerful meditation on life's essential relationships and a reminder not to wait for a final feast to appreciate the abundance at your table.

Then, we take you to a quaint village, the setting of the enchanting Stone Soup fable. Here, a traveler teaches a skeptical community the transformative power of sharing through a simple, yet profound, act of making soup. Each villager contributes what little they have, creating a meal that symbolizes the strength of collective effort. This story is not just about food; it's about the communal cauldron that stirs generosity, friendship, and the joy of shared experiences.

As humans, we thrive on connections and shared memories. These bonds form the fabric of our personal histories and are as essential to our wellbeing as the air we breathe. The episode encourages listeners to recognize and celebrate these connections, to hold them close and to acknowledge the love and friendship that surround us every day.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Last Supper Exercise and Stone Soup
• 14:10 Magic Soup Unites Village

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:23

Hey there, I have a little exercise for you, followed by a well-known folktale, and I wanted you to just take a moment to consider that it's your very last meal and who you would like to be at your table. You can either draw it out or just think about it, but either way, I'd like you to imagine yourself sitting at the head of the table waiting for people to arrive to share the very last supper with you. Whether or not they know it's the last supper is not important, but I think in this exercise, it's important to know that you do and that you've invited these people to come. I want you to close your eyes and again imagine yourself at the head of the table and imagine who you would invite to join you for your last meal. As you consider this, I want you to get curious about where in your brain you're looking. I want you to think about what your criteria are. This is where you're going to find out what's really really important to you, and why Not just who is important to you. So again, think about who you would invite. There are no rules or regulations. You can even choose to have your last dinner alone.

Speaker 1: 3:13

Maybe you're not at a table, maybe you're sitting outside or having a picnic, wherever you are, take a moment to really connect and visualize where you are and place yourself there. What does it smell like? Have you laid out the table already? Are people bringing food or are you serving food? This is your last supper and you can design it however you like, and once you put yourself there, I want you to really embody how you feel when you're waiting for those guests to arrive. If you have a guest list, I want you to think about them one by one, in the order that you would like them to arrive. Thank you. You might feel something in your heart or in your face. You might smile when you think of them. Whatever it is, imagine them coming to be seated at your table. I want you to take a deep breath in and, as you exhale, let go of any worry or apprehension. And when you breathe again, I want you to take in all the energy of the people that you have invited to join you. Imagine the sounds, imagine the conversation, imagine some of these people getting to know each other for the first time. The common denominator is you. Maybe they already know each other, but they don't really know why they're here, except that you invited them to come and they were grateful for the invitation.

Speaker 1: 7:03

How will you take in this last meal? Will you share with them what you know, or will you simply be with them? Do you feel hungry or have you lost your appetite? Is the table bountiful? Feel the energy of this beautiful, beautiful table or wherever it is that you're gathering these important people in your life and tap into what it is you value most about each one of them. Take your time. Consider the participant and the observer as you watch them intermingling and eating the food. Take this moment to look at each one of them in gratitude and in knowing for why you've invited them here to your table. Take as long as you need and when you're ready. I want you to consider that these people are a reflection of all the pieces of you, and what you see and love about them is indeed what you see and love about yourself. This table, this meal, this communion, this gathering is available to you in every moment. It's a wonderful lesson to think about who is at your table. You may also recognize that there are others that you'd like to invite as you move forward in your beautiful life, because it's important to understand the value of the people that share our table and to not take them for granted, to not wait until it's the last supper and indeed to recognize how full and bountiful our table is. I hope that you gained some insights from this exercise, and now I invite you to relax and listen to this well-known fable.

Speaker 1: 11:04

Once upon a time, a wise old man decided to go on a journey, so he packed a small bag, said goodbye to his wife and set off. He traveled all day without meeting anyone, and when it was evening he came to a small village. I think I'll stop here for the night, he said to himself. Near the center of the village, he met a group of people, so he introduced himself. I'm a simple traveler, he said, looking for a safe place to sleep and a hot meal. We'd be glad to offer you a place to sleep, the villagers told him. But we have very little food. Our crops were very poor this year and there's not much to eat in the whole village. Most of us are just barely getting by. I am sorry to hear that. The old man said but you needn't worry about feeding me. I already have everything I need. In fact, I was thinking of making some stone soup to share with all of you Stone soup. The villagers asked what's that? We've never heard of stone soup. Oh it's wonderful, said the old man, best soup I've ever tasted. If you bring me a soup pot and some water, I'll make some for all of us.

Speaker 1: 12:31

And so the villagers rushed back to their homes and when they returned, one was carrying a large soup pot, another had wood for a fire and others brought water. When the fire was going and the water had begun to boil, the old man took out a small silk pouch. With great ceremony, he reached in and pulled out a smooth, round stone. He carefully dropped the stone into the boiling water. The villagers watched eagerly. The old man began to slowly stir the pot, sniffing the aroma and licking his lips in anticipation.

Speaker 1: 13:07

I do like a tasty stone soup. He said, of course, stone soup with cabbage. Now that's really special. I might be able to find a bit of cabbage, one villager said, and off she went to her house, returning with a small cabbage she had stored away in her pantry. Wonderful, said the old man, as he added the cabbage to the pot. This reminds me of the time I had stone soup with cabbage and a bit of salted beef. It was unbelievably good.

Speaker 1: 13:38

After a moment of silence, the villager spoke up. I know where there's a bit of salted beef, he said, and off he went to his shop to get it. And when he returned, the old man added the beef to the soup pot and continued to stir. Can you imagine what this soup would taste like if we had a bit of onion, perhaps a few potatoes, and a carrot or two, then some mushrooms? Oh, this would be a meal fit for royalty.

Speaker 1: 14:10

And before he knew it, the soup pot was filled to the brim with vegetables of all kinds carrots and potatoes, mushrooms and onions, turnips and green beans, beets and celery all brought by the men and women and children of the village. Not only that, but the village baker came out with some fresh bread and butter. And as the soup simmered slowly over the fire, the wonderful aroma began to waft over the villagers and they began to relax and talk together, sharing songs and stories and jokes. When the soup was finally done, the old man ladled it out into bowls and they all shared a delicious meal together. There was more than enough for everyone to eat their fill.

Speaker 1: 15:07

Afterward they all declared that it was the best soup that they had ever tasted. The mayor of the village pulled the old man aside and quietly offered him a great deal of money for the magic stone, but the old man refused to sell it. The next morning he woke up early, packed up his belongings and as he was leaving the village he passed by a group of children playing at the side of the road. He handed the youngest one the silk pouch containing the stone and he whispered it was not the stone that performed the magic, it was all of us together. I'm Lisa Hopkins. Thanks so much for listening. Stay safe and healthy, everyone, and remember to live in the moment.