Over the Bank Holiday weekend, one of the leading retailers ran a television advert entitled “Adventures in Chocolate”.
I really did try not to overindulge with the sweet stuff over Easter weekend…..but it is so very nice!
But the advert got me to thinking a bit more about chocolate, and treats generally – probably not the main intention of the advert though – sorry media guys!
How much these days do we find that treats are common place and so not really treats at all? How much do we eat treats without really thinking about them? Not in terms of calories or ingredients necessarily, but really thinking about them, enjoying the pleasure and prolonging the experience of the textures, smells, colour, shape as well as the taste? And how much do we eat too fast and then simply want to gorge on more?
Eating mindfully is about really taking the time to savour what we are eating; taking the time to enjoy and relish every aspect of what we put in our mouths. It’s not about doing it at every single meal, but it is about increasing our level of awareness and taking real pleasure in our food.
So try this exercise with any leftover chocolate from the Easter weekend (!), or a special treat……
Find a comfortable sitting position and take a few moments to relax and slow down your breathing;
Choose a chocolate or sweet, preferably with a soft centre – one that is wrapped is best – and simply hold it in your hand for a few moments to feel the weight, size and shape of it;
Feel the anticipation within you of the taste and experience of eating it;
Now unwrap the chocolate, and again sit with it in your hand for a moment or two;
Observe the colour, the texture, the aroma, and breathe it in deeply.
Now close your eyes;
And bite into it – not all at once but a bite out of it;
Let it sit on your tongue as the flavours and smells are released;
Feel the texture of the chocolate melting inside in your mouth;
Listen for the crunch if there are crunchy bits too;
And slowly swallow it.
Take a few moments to allow yourself to fully experience it before taking another bite or the remaining half of the chocolate;
Again give yourself time to experience the moment with all your senses.
Allow your body to relax into the full experience of your special chocolate.
Open your eyes, and again, simply breathe and reflect on the different experience you have just enjoyed.
You just might find the whole is a deeper, richer experience all round – and that treats become special again.
Obviously you can do this with any food or special treat – experiment for yourself. If more chocolate feels like too much, try it with a satsuma, clementine or strawberries, or even those sticky dates!
But do try it – and enjoy your adventure!
