The chocolate meditation: this is how the sweet mindfulness exercise works

When some people think of mindfulness and meditation, images often come to mind of ascetic monks getting up at 4 a.m. and meditating at dawn before doing physical work for the rest of the day. This kind of mindfulness has always put us off a bit, as it sounds like a lot of rigor and self-discipline. The situation is different with chocolate meditation, in which the actual meaning of mindfulness exercises comes into play much better. Ultimately, meditation and mindfulness are primarily about compassion for yourself and others. And instead of getting annoyed when a chocolate craving strikes you, next time try to be aware of it and turn the craving into a meditation.

How you can meditate with chocolate

At first glance, chocolate meditation may sound like a (successful) joke or meditation light. But meditation is not only enjoyable, it actually has a deeper meaning. Because it helps you reconnect with your senses, which is more important than ever in stressful (digital) everyday life. Reconnecting with your body and senses is one of the greatest benefits of mindfulness practice. Ergo, anything that can help with this is of utmost value. By the way: anyone who has ever done a chocolate tasting team event with us or is a chocolate subscriber is already familiar with the steps. Can't remember that well? Then this is the perfect reminder to enjoy “real” chocolate.

The chocolate meditation in 6 steps:

Choose a chocolate that you don't know or haven't eaten in a while. We would suggest a fine chocolate around 70% - and we have a few suggestions ;-) - but in principle you can of course use any chocolate of your choice. However, it is always helpful if you don't know chocolate well. This makes chocolate meditation much easier. You can of course decide the length of the meditation yourself, but we recommend that you take at least 10 minutes.
That's how it works:

• Open the pack and breathe in the aroma deeply. Stop for a moment and let the aroma work its magic on you (then breathe out again ;-)).
• Break off a small piece and look at it carefully. Look at it as closely as if you had never seen a piece of chocolate before. Is the chocolate shiny? Does it have a smooth edge? Is it flat or does it throw small bubbles? Give yourself enough time for this step too.
• And now? Do not eat! Put a piece of chocolate in your mouth and let it slowly melt on your tongue. Watch carefully how you react to the piece of chocolate and resist the urge to chew it. If the reflex was greater than the will, just add a little more. As I said, this mindfulness exercise is not about being particularly strict with yourself, but about feeling your senses. So taste it carefully, because it's worth it: (fine) chocolate has more flavors than wine! Which ones can you taste?
• Do you keep wandering with your thoughts? Unlike a normal meditation, with chocolate it shouldn't be that difficult to bring the focus back to the chocolate. Simply draw your attention gently back to the chocolate and taste it again carefully. Since the flavors of the chocolate evolve as it melts, it's really exciting to watch the flavor development closely from start to finish.
• After the chocolate has completely melted, swallow it slowly and carefully. Let the aftertaste work its magic on you for a moment. Is this still changing? Fine chocolate can last for up to 10 minutes on the tongue.
• Now repeat the process with another piece.

How do you feel now? Did the chocolate taste different, better? And what was it like not to “inhale” the chocolate in no time but to concentrate fully on small pieces? Do you perhaps even feel fuller and more satisfied – despite eating small pieces?
Would you prefer a guided meditation? Then take a look at our mindfulness box with spoken chocolate meditation . We also recommend Diane Gehart’s chocolate meditation.