NYTimes has been providing a Healthy Habits Well Challenge each day. Today is Chocolate Meditation.

M

marilynfl

Moderator
Chocolate Meditation

For your final challenge, you will be getting a chocolate reward. To get the most out of the experience, try this simple chocolate meditation. The goal is to be present and aware of all of your body’s sensations and savor this experience.

Start with a small piece of chocolate (or if chocolate isn’t your thing, a raisin, strawberry, caramel or any small, bite-size treat will do). Try to pick a chocolate that is high in cocoa and low in sugar.

Take a few deep breaths and relax. Look at the chocolate and notice its physical traits. Notice the feeling of it melting slightly in your fingers.

Close your eyes if you like. Now smell the chocolate and become aware of the aroma.

Take a small bite. Let it linger on your tongue and melt in your mouth. Notice the flavors and become aware of what you are feeling, tasting and experiencing right now.

Stay present. Continue taking small bites of the chocolate, and staying aware of all of your body’s sensations.

When the chocolate is gone, take a moment and just feel your breath. Notice the absence of the chocolate but how much the pleasure still lingers.

 
ummm, they should have checked with a true chocoholic before writing those steps

1. "Start with a small piece of chocolate (or if chocolate isn’t your thing, a raisin, strawberry, caramel or any small, bite-size treat will do). Try to pick a chocolate that is high in cocoa and low in sugar."
Do they EVEN KNOW WHO THEY ARE ADDRESSING HERE??? Suggesting that A RAISIN can take the place of chocolate is...is...obscene in my world. The only time a raisin should quality as chocolate is if it is coated IN chocolate and I am sitting a dark movie theater with a box of Raisinetes...the way God and MGM meant for me to eat raisins.

2. "Take a few deep breaths and relax. Look at the chocolate and notice its physical traits. Notice the feeling of it melting slightly in your fingers." Well, right from the get-go, they've got the wrong idea. There is a scientifically proven speed equal to the amount of time it takes for chocolate to get in my hand and into my mouth. And that equation has ZERO breathing time. And certainly NO MELTING is taking place.

3. "Close your eyes if you like. Now smell the chocolate and become aware of the aroma." Close my eyes? How will I know if I've eaten the right ratio of red M&M's to green M&M's??? Where did they dig up this survey? In an Buddhist monastery?

4. "Take a small bite. Let it linger on your tongue and melt in your mouth. Notice the flavors and become aware of what you are feeling, tasting and experiencing right now." See responses to #1, 2 & 3!! All I'm experiencing right now is the urge to grab those half-price Hershey's Peanut Butter Eggs and eat myself into a glucose coma to forget this survey.

5. "Stay present. Continue taking small bites of the chocolate, and staying aware of all of your body’s sensations." I CAN'T STAY PRESENT. THE OTHER BAG OF HALF-PRICE CANDY IS ACROSS THE ROOM!! My body's sensations are saying "GET UP AND GET MORE!"

6. "When the chocolate is gone, take a moment and just feel your breath. Notice the absence of the chocolate but how much the pleasure still lingers." Wait...I'm supposed to be breathing through all this??

 
LOL!!! Some of MY Addenda: (more)

1. Specify "small piece". I mean one person's small piece is my not enough.

2. "Deep breaths and relax": Picture a dog who loves to chase small animals. Yell Squirrel! or Rabbit! No deep breaths possible once CHOCOLATE is mentioned!

3. "Close your eyes if you like. Now smell the chocolate and become aware of the aroma." Only smell? EVERYone knows that chocolate smells better when it is in your mouth.

3. Ditto. Me too. Ditto. Me too. Ditto. Me too. (ad infinitum)

4. Chocolate all gone by #2. Actually, it is gone before Step 1.

5. "Stay present. . . " NOT staying present is NOT an option, as I swear by all that is holy that I gain weight in the presence of chocolate. Held to present because I am totally boofed out and in a sugar-carb coma. . .

6. " When the chocolate is gone, take a moment and just feel your breath. Notice the absence of the chocolate but how much the pleasure still lingers. "
Impossible. No pleasure because chocolate all gone.

Thank you Marilyn!!

 
I found this Healthy Habits Well Challenge, well, challenging

and ended up going to my chocolate storage cabinet to be sure that I have enough. I do smileys/wink.gif Colleen

 
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