I thought I’d share with you another insight from my meditation class here in Bergen, Norway. I teach simple techniques that involve the different senses, and that can be used in their everyday lives. My approach to meditation is a practical one, with a focus on mindfulness.
So the chocolate meditation. Sit back in a comfortable seat and close your eyes. Breathe, and become aware of how your body feels. Breathe in slowly and feel how your body fills up with air. Hold the breath for a second or two, and get ready to let the breath out again. As you breathe out, feel your body relaxing and letting go of tension. Notice how breathing deeply in this way is clearing your head. Focus your thoughts on what is happening right now, and pay attention to how pleasant it feels. Repeat until you’re feeling calm and centred.
Now, open your eyes. On the table in front of you there is a plate with some pieces of chocolate. They might be different ones or all of the same kind, that’s your choice. From where you’re sitting, see if you can smell the chocolate. Look at it, notice the colour and the shapes.
Then very slowly you pick up a piece. Hold it, feel its shape and texture in your hand. It doesn’t matter if it melts a little, it all adds to the tactile experience. Hold the piece of chocolate close to your nose and smell it, try to feel its scent. Let the scent overwhelm you, fill you up. Breathe out slowly and place the piece in your mouth. Let the warmth from your mouth and your saliva melt the chocolate, let it dissolve.
Do you have an urge to bite it? Then do, and pay attention to your jaw muscles and your teeth and how strong they feel. Savour the satisfaction of chewing the chocolate slowly. And let it melt. Focus all your thoughts, all your energy on the chocolate in your mouth. As you swallow the chocolate, feel how the delightful smell, taste and texture combine to make it chocolate. Breathe and feel the sweetness of the chocolate. Once you’ve finished with your piece of chocolate, drink some water and sit and rest. Think about how it felt, and let the tranquillity of the meditation fill you.
Slowly drink a large glass of water, sipping a little at a time. Use this time to bring yourself back to your everyday life, getting ready to get on with your tasks. By the time the glass of water is emptied, you’re ready to continue your day only now you’re calm and centred, with a blissful experience behind you. This is the perfect time out at work, half an hour relaxation meditation at night or preparation for a busy day. And rest assured, chocolate will never be the same again…
I’d love to know if you like this as much as my meditation class does! Thanks to Daskalides chocolates for their superb selection, and their excellent service.
Finding the community of Cycle Harmony has made a huge difference to me. I am delighted to be writing to you from the Red Tent and hope to share thoughts and experiences you recognise, or find useful to ponder upon. I look forward to working with you all in exploring what it is to be women, and hope to hear from you. ~ Vild
Vild says
January 29, 2014 at 6:01 pmHi Natasha, thanks for your input. I agree dental health is important, and consulting with your dentist and dental hygenist sounds like a great idea. Just to be clear though, in chocolate meditation we usually only eat a very few pieces – this is about meditation, and not gorging in chocolate 🙂 It is not harmful, or self destructive, that would be defeating the object.
I’d also like to add that chocolate could be replaced for instance with tea, berries or simply water. The chocolate is a tool only, intended to make meditation easier. Stick with water if that works better for you 🙂
natashaleviski says
January 29, 2014 at 12:41 pmIs there not a possibility that after eating that much of chocolate, our teeth would decay. Yeah, I believe that it is a great form of meditation but if it harms us in any way then it’s just useless. I would first consult my dentist about it, then only I would recommend others.