Whether you’re new to meditation, or you’re simply looking to add variety to your mindfulness practice, chocolate meditation is one of the most delightful and delicious forms of meditation.
Chocolate meditation may sound like a self-indulgent practice, but it serves a deeper purpose.
Many of us rush through life, and as our busy days get the better of us we forget the simple joy, the luxury even, of slowing down and letting our senses take over.
Today we’ll teach you how to slow down, unlock your senses, and meditate in a way that you never thought possible — with chocolate.
It just doesn’t get better than that.
Table of Contents
What is Chocolate Meditation?
What is Meditation Good For?
What is Mindfulness?
Why Should I Meditate With Chocolate?
Mindfulness, Chocolate Meditation, and the 7 Chakras
Meditate With Chocolate and Nurture Your Mind, Body, and Soul
What is Chocolate Meditation?
So, what exactly is chocolate meditation and why should you try it today? Good question.
Chocolate meditation is no different than any other mindfulness meditation, except that it involves a close focus on your senses.
When meditating with chocolate, take your time to unlock each of your senses one at a time, like this:
Sound: Unwrap the chocolate with your eyes closed, focusing on the sound the wrapper makes as you unleash the chocolate inside. Do you hear any other sounds, maybe the growl of your stomach, or your heart beating?
Touch: Holding the chocolate in your hand and feeling the texture and weight of the chocolate. Do you feel any other ingredients, like nuts or fruits? Is the chocolate hard or is it soft and melting in your hand.
Sight: Opening your eyes and observing the shape and color of the chocolate. Is the chocolate dark or light in color? Do you like what you see?
Smell: Bringing the chocolate to your nose and inhaling the aromas. Does the smell relax you or excite you?
Taste: Taking a bite of your chocolate and allowing the layers of flavors to melt on your tongue, enjoying the sensations and textures. Can you let the chocolate melt until it’s able to slide down your throat, or do you feel the urge to chew?
Many traditions have used nuts, fruits, and other foods in their yogic practices. Chocolate is an ancient and sacred food that can be used in a mindful eating practice and to give gratitude.
What is Meditation Good For?
You may associate meditation with monks who awake at 4 a.m. and sit silently for hours on end.
Or maybe you picture a yoga studio full of super flexible acrobat types donning the latest in yoga gear.
But in reality, meditation is a highly personal practice and you don’t need to be a monk or a member of the local yoga collective to learn how to meditate.
In today’s fast-paced world more than 60% of doctor’s visits are stress-related.
The practice of meditation has been proven to relieve:
Depression
Insomnia
Anxiety
And can help increase:
Productivity
Learning
Well-being
Happiness
Inner-peace
When done regularly, meditation can help you overcome stress, relax, and feel more centered over time.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness can be described as, “a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.”
Practicing mindfulness doesn’t require meditation. Mindfulness is something we can practice in our everyday lives, such as:
How we eat
How we communicate
The way we think
What we feel
How we give
How we receive
How we decide
Etc.
Mindfulness can be a part of everything we do and is associated with higher life satisfaction and optimism, as well as higher levels of self-compassion and well-being.
Why Should I Meditate With Chocolate?
You do not need experience with meditation to appreciate and get value from chocolate meditation.
Perhaps you are having one of those days when you just need a piece of chocolate — we get it, it happens to the best of us.
When you decide to indulge in your chocolate desires, meditating with your chocolate will add another level of pleasure, but it will also allow you to connect with your senses and give gratitude for the nourishment and enjoyment you’re receiving.
After chocolate meditation, you may feel differently about the way you eat.
You may notice that foods taste different than they used to. Or that you eat at a slower pace and feel more satisfied or fuller than normal.
What Kind of Chocolate Do I Need?
When it comes to chocolate, there really are no rules.
You may choose to meditate using a bar of milk chocolate, individually wrapped dark chocolates, or whatever you have on hand.
But, whatever you choose we recommend using chocolate that you have never tried or don’t eat often.
The idea behind chocolate meditation is not to indulge in a large amount of chocolate in one sitting, rather take small portions or pieces and slowly savor each bite as you connect with your senses.
Portland Chocolate Laboratory created the Chakralot box specifically for chocolate mediation.
Each of the seven chocolates within the box is handcrafted with selected botanicals and herbs designed to guide you through all seven of your chakras as you eat your chocolate.
Do I Have To Follow a Chocolate Meditation Script?
While scripted meditation can be helpful for beginners, it’s not necessary.
Maybe you prefer to allow your senses to guide you through your chocolate meditation. Or perhaps you have some soothing music you would prefer over a script for your own meditation practice.
There is no right or wrong way to practice your chocolate meditation, but many people find that a script helps.
Do you need a chocolate meditation script?
A guided or scripted meditation will help you to focus your mediation practice and give you the best results.
Meditation scripts will help you:
Relax and focus your mind’s eye on the wording contained within the script
Guide your consciousness toward a calming place
Reconnect you to your present surroundings
The purpose of a meditation script is simply to achieve a good meditation practice. Scripts work well for both those who are experienced or inexperienced in meditation.
Portland Chocolate Laboratory created the Chakralot meditations to guide you through your chocolate meditation.
Our meditation script is specifically designed to guide you through your box of Chakralot chocolates, one chakra at a time.
Mindfulness, Chocolate Meditation, and the 7 Chakras
We now understand how chocolate meditation and mindfulness are connected, but what are chakras and how do they fit into your meditation practice?
Chakra is Sanskrit for “wheel” and pertains to the seven main energy points in your body. Translated from Hindi, chakra literally means “wheel of spinning energy”.
These spinning wheels, or disks, of energy, are meant to stay open and aligned. They harmonize with our nerves, major organs, and the areas of our body that affect our overall well-being.
While there are said to be 114 different chakras, the main seven are those that run along your spine and are typically what we refer to in meditation.
Each chakra has an assigned number, color, name, and specific area of the spine starting at the sacrum and leading to the crown of the head.
At times, these chakras can become blocked as a result of physical or emotional issues or stressors. Problems can occur if the body’s ‘energy system’ isn’t flowing freely.
When chakras become blocked it’s believed that the irregular energy flow may cause physical illness or discomfort, or a sense of being out of balance, mentally and emotionally.
And this is where meditation comes in — bringing your health and mental state into balance through the alignment and opening of your chakras.
The Root Chakra
Your root (or red) chakra is located at the base of your spine and corresponds with your physical identity, grounding, and stability.
If your root chakra is blocked the physical issues that may manifest include:
Arthritis
Constipation
Bladder or colon issues
A blocked root chakra may also cause feelings of financial insecurity.
The Sacral Chakra
Your sacral (or orange) chakra is located below the bellybutton right above the pelvic bone and coincides with your pleasure, creativity, and sexuality.
A blocked sacral chakra can cause:
Urinary tract infections
Lower back pain
Impotency
The sacral chakra is connected to our feelings of self-worth, specifically concerning pleasure, creativity, and sexuality.
The Solar Plexus Chakra
Located in the upper abdomen and stomach area, the solar plexus (or yellow) chakra is connected to your self-esteem and confidence.
Issues that may arise from a blocked solar plexus chakra include:
Digestive issues
Ulcers
Heartburn
Eating disorders
Poor digestion
The solar plexus chakra is known as the chakra of our personal power, and therefore affects our self-esteem and self-confidence.
The Heart Chakra
In the center of your chest, just above your heart, is where you’ll find your heart (or green) chakra. This chakra may be referred to as your ‘heart center’ in your yoga practice and represents love and compassion.
A blocked heart chakra may result in issues that include:
Heart problems
Asthma
Weight issues
When blocked this chakra is seen more plainly through people’s actions.
Blocked heart chakras tend to cause people to put others first, even to their own detriment. It bridges the gap between our lower and upper chakras and represents our ability to connect to and love others.
If out of alignment, it may cause feelings of insecurity, loneliness, and isolation.
The Throat Chakra
The throat (or blue) chakra is connected to our verbal communication strengths.
If blocked, it can lead to issues with:
Your voice
Throat
Teeth
Gums
Mouth
A person whose throat chakra is blocked may also be seen dominating conversations, gossiping, or speaking without thinking first.
When aligned, people can listen and speak with compassion and confidence.
The Third Eye Chakra
Your third eye (or indigo) chakra is located on the forehead between your eyes and is connected to intuition and imagination.
Due to its physical location, blockages of the third eye chakra can manifest as:
Headaches
Issues with sight
Concentration problems
Hearing issues
People who are out of touch with reality and their intuition may also have a block.
When you are able to see the big picture and follow your intuition this means that your third eye is open and in alignment.
The Crown Chakra
Your crown (or white/violet) chakra is located at the top of your head and is connected to awareness and intelligence.
Because the crown chakra is linked to every other chakra, it can affect all of our organs, as well as our brain and nervous system.
Considered the chakra of enlightenment, it represents our bond to spirituality and the purpose of life.
Narrow-minded or skeptical people may have a blocked crown chakra, whereas an open crown chakra may help to keep all other chakras open, bringing enlightenment to the person.
Guided Chocolate Meditation to Nurture Your Mind, Body, and Soul
If you’re interested in starting your journey into meditation, chocolate meditation is the perfect way to begin.
Not only does it allow you to heighten your senses but it also helps you focus on healing, one chakra at a time.
The skilled chocolatiers at Portland Chocolate Laboratory have spent years developing and perfecting the recipes that make our chocolates unique, delicious, and perfect for mediation. Each chocolate contains an herb or botanical that is directly linked to each chakra.
Try the guided chocolate meditation on our website. Unlock your senses and unblock your chakras.
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