Mindfulness Audios Download: Eating a Piece of Chocolate

Daily Mindfulness Practice: Free Audio Download

by Monica A. Frank, Ph.D.

The following is part of a series of audios to teach how to practice mindfulness. Developing your ability to focus on the present moment can reduce distress and improve well-being.

Eating a Piece of Chocolate

Index for Mindfulness Audios

Additional reading:

Some tips for using these audios:

Start with the Understanding Mindfulness audios to learn about mindfulness.
These short practice exercises are to help train your brain to be more mindful when engaged in daily activities.
The audio format is just for convenience to help learn the material. You can also read the transcript. When you practice, however, you should engage in the behavior mindfully without listening to the audio.
The best way to train your brain to be more mindful is to practice in short sessions throughout the day while engaged in your normal activities.
The descriptions are an artificial way to help you get started. Eventually, the practice of mindfulness is being aware of what is described without using an inner verbal description.
This particular exercise is helpful for learning to eat more mindfully. When you eat more mindfully, you are likely to feel greater satisfaction and are less likely to overeat.
For this exercise, purchase bite-size pieces of high quality chocolate.

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Transcript of Audio: Eating a Piece of Chocolate

Select a single bite-size piece of high quality chocolate. Notice the wrapping on the chocolate. Pay attention to the different colors and textures of the wrapping. Hold the chocolate up to your nose. Can you smell the chocolate through the wrapping? What does it smell like? Can you also smell the wrapping? Now begin to unwrap the chocolate. Notice what it feels like to pull the wrapping away from the chocolate. Notice what it sounds like as you unwrap the chocolate. What do you smell as the chocolate is fully unwrapped? Fully notice the smell of the chocolate. What does the chocolate feel like to the touch? Is the warmth of your hand causing it to soften? Does that release more aroma from the chocolate? Touch your tongue to the chocolate. What is the first experience of taste like? What does the texture of the chocolate feel like to your tongue? Lick the chocolate. Feel your tongue slide over the chocolate and notice the sensation. Now put the entire piece of chocolate in your mouth and let it rest on your tongue. Feel the changing texture as the heat of your mouth melts the chocolate. Taste the chocolate as it begins to mix with your saliva and spread throughout your mouth. Hold that taste in your mouth as the chocolate slowly melts. What to you smell now? As you need to, swallow. Notice the sensation as the chocolate slides down your throat. Continue to fully focus on the experience of eating the piece of chocolate.