Chocolate and the Sacral Chakra

The Sacral Chakra is the second of the seven chakras, located approximately two inches within and below the navel and is represented by the colour orange. It is the emotional centre for feelings of abundance, wellbeing and pleasure. An imbalanced sacral chakra can lead to a lack of drive, lack of confidence, stifled creativity and depression.

Chocolate is a natural stress reliever and considered to be one of the foods that stimulate the sacral chakra, boosting feelings of pleasure. The release of the hormones serotonin and dopamine, the happy mood enhancing chemicals, increases focus and helps the body and mind connect with the senses, vital for meditation or practicing mindfulness.

To the ancient Mayans, cacao was considered a 'food of the Gods' and consuming chocolate opened the doors of the heart and the gates of increased consciousness – which are considered to be the goals of Yoga.

A chocolate meditation is one of the most pleasurable and 'delicious' forms of mindfulness meditation you can do. Focusing your attention on the present moment and immersing yourself in the sense of taste to absorb the spectrum of flavours and sensations of chocolate. A simple meditation if you are a beginner, with the additional reward of chocolate!

The combination of stress-relieving meditation and the anti-oxidant qualities of chocolate help to improve mental wellbeing and enhance the mood.

CHOCOLATE MEDITATION

1. Look at the chocolate bar and slowly unwrap it.


2. Take a small piece of the chocolate, hold it in your hands. Feel its shape and texture. Then smell it. Take your time and get as much sensory information from it as you can without putting it into your mouth. Note how you feel in anticipation of eating this chocolate.


3. Let each breath help you to relax into this experience. This is about being as thoroughly in your body as you can.


4. With great consciousness put the chocolate into your mouth and focus your full attention on the sensations you experience in your mouth. Feel it melt and move around in your mouth. Be aware of the sweetness on your tongue, the creaminess in your mouth, and all of the delicious flavours present. Prolong the experience as much as you can, while being aware of how it makes you feel emotionally. See how deeply you can enjoy this chocolate.


5. Now turn your attention to an awareness of the pleasure you are experiencing. Let the chocolate help you hold your attention on the source of the pleasure, but now your focus is on the pleasure itself. Let your experience of pleasure fill your whole body. Allow yourself to savour the experience and give yourself permission to hold this for as long as you want.


6. Revisit the feeling throughout the day, to feel more relaxed.

Written by Daphne Bath and published on Monday 29th March 2021 at 08:51