Chocolate Meditation for the New Year
Kolleen Mitchell, L.Ac.
After all the indulging over the holidays, I’m going to teach you a way to take time and really savor your food. A way to eat with awareness, enjoy the flavors, textures, and variety of food. Have you ever eaten your food sitting at the table, in total silence, without talking, watching TV, listening to the radio…? It’s harder than it sounds, but if you give it a try you’ll find you enjoy your food more and often eat less because of your attention to it. So here’s a simple “food meditation” to try:
For starters, try to use a bite size piece of dark chocolate with high cacao content.
Before placing the chocolate in your mouth, find a comfortable seated position. Gently close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Focus on fully filling and emptying your lungs as slowly and rhythmically as possible.
Now take a small bite of your chocolate and let it just sit on your tongue and begin to melt. Try not to swallow or chew, simply let it rest on your tongue and begin to taste the flavor, the sweetness, the richness, and texture of the chocolate. Continue your breath and keep your eyes relaxed and closed. Try to be in the moment and enjoy the chocolate in a way that we usually don’t take the time to do otherwise. When you swallow the chocolate, notice how it feels as it transfers from your mouth to your throat, and how your tongue may feel a little empty without it.
Slowly raise you arm for another nibble of the chocolate and really try to feel the sensation of raising your arms, the chocolate entering your mouth, and the texture and taste as you bite down. Again allow it to slowly melt and savor it.
Try to remember this moment of breath, relaxation, and being mindful and present with your food. You can try this with any food and even at meal times as a way to practice being mindful of what you are eating. If we take the time to really enjoy food, we often become pickier about the quality and gravitate toward basic, non-processed foods. It’s difficult in our busy lives to find the time to meditate, but just a few moments of awareness can bring about big changes. So bring in the New Year with an open heart, an alert mind and a mouthful of chocolate!