Chocolate Eating Meditation?!?
Is such a thing as a chocolate eating meditation even possible, I hear you ask. Isn’t meditation supposed to be all about sitting in weird and uncomfortable positions, clearing your mind and all that other boring stuff….
Vipassana is sometimes referred to as Mindfulness meditation precisely because it teaches us to be become totally present whatever we are doing whether we are walking, eating chocolate, or even making love.
Saturday’s meditation workshop will include meditation exercises covering a variety of activities and will include a walking and a chocolate eating meditation. Bring along a piece of your favourite chocolate or if you are not a chocaholic your favourite snack food, whatever that may be. (We won’t be including a love making meditation during the workshop, but you can always have it as homework).
For more information about the meditation workshop, please see the poster below.
For those of you are intrigued by the idea of a chocolate meditation but can’t make it on Saturday, why not try it yourself.
In today’s hectic world, we’re so busy multi-tasking that we’ve forgotten what it’s like to stay in the moment. When was the last time you really put all of your attention on what you were doing.
Select a small piece of your favourite food: chocolate bar; biscuit; savoury snack.
Notice what it feels like to touch, is it sticky, warm, cold (do you keep yours in the fridge?)
Take the time to really look at it. (We’re usually far too busy just cramming it into our mouths to take a real look). Look at it from different angles and notice the textures; the colours; the contours: allow yourself to get lost looking, as if you were a painter extracting every last detail.
And now bring the chocolate slowly upwards towards your nose, what does it smell like, what does it remind you of, what memories does it invoke?
Notice any sensations you may have in your mouth, are you beginning to salivate? What are you thinking? Do you really want it? Do you just want to eat it already, or has it lost some of its appeal?
Now just bring it gently to your lips, what does it feel like. Take a small bite and just allow it to rest there for a few moments, noticing any sensations or thoughts. Are you anticipating the pleasure or feeling guilty? Notice any conversations you may be having with yourself positive or negative, ‘Oh wow, it tastes soooooo good… I really deserve this treat… this is me time…’ or ‘I shouldn’t really have this chocolate… chocolate is so bad for me… it’s fattening… I can’t afford to put on any more weight… I just can’t resist it…’. Does anyone else figure in your conversation? ‘Go on, you deserve it… You’re so lucky you can eat all the chocolate you like and not put on any weight…’ or ‘You have no self control, you never did… You never could say no to chocolate… You’re just like me… You greedy girl… You’ll get fat if you eat chocolate…’
Has your mind started to wander to other tasks ‘I really must remember to ring… What can I wear to…’ If so, just bring your attention back to the chocolate!
And now slowly start to eat the chocolate (if it hasn’t already melted in your mouth by now) noticing the different flavours, sensations and thoughts.
Once you finish that mouthful, take a pause to notice how you feel now. Do you want any more or was that one bite enough?
If you want more, repeat the process from the beginning, really taking your time. (On a meditation retreat I once took a full half hour to eat a biscuit. It was all we were given by way of dinner and yet it was amazing at how satisfying one biscuit could be, by eating it mindfully.)
Why not join me on Saturday 1st October for a full day of mindfulness and deep healing. And chocolate! See details below.
With love and light
Lucy
