daily bliss: meditative

With visions of bejeweled truffles dancing in my head, I drove to Kohler yesterday morning for a noon-hour Yoga + Chocolate Meditation class.

I entered the gorgeous, warm studio (it's kept a balmy 85 degrees inside year round), rolled out my mat, and waited for others to arrive.

No one else arrived.

The teacher D brought me a meditation cushion and a Dove dark chocolate promises chocolate.

What? Where's my truffle?

We began the class with a chocolate meditation, an exercise in mindfulness. Following D's instructions, I held the wrapped chocolate in my palm. Then, I slowly unwrapped the foil, corner by corner. Next, the naked chocolate rested in my hand before I started taking small bites and letting the chocolate melt in my mouth.

D instructed me to pay attention to the various taste and texture sensations of the chocolate, and, well, being a seasoned chocolate taster, I wasn't thinking the most charitable thoughts about the chocolate. Now, give me some French chocolate and the adjectives would be flowing...taste issues aside, the velvety sumptuousness of melting chocolate never disappoints from a tactile perspective.

I took three separate, slow bites to finish the chocolate, and allowed the sensation of sweetness to wash over me and fill my mind.

Although the chocolate wasn't stellar, the experience of mindfulness meditation focused on a tiny bit of food was transformative. I've tried various kinds of meditation before, to no avail. My mind won't quiet, or my legs fall asleep, or the mantra falls apart. I envision a chocolate meditation practice working well, once I find the discipline to practice regularly.

After I washed away the last traces of chocolate with cool water, we started the yoga class, a detoxifying vinyasa style filled with twists, rigorous sun salutations, and balancing poses. Since I was the only student, D guided and spotted me as I "flipped the dog" into full wheel, a sequence I could never muster up enough courage to accomplish on my own.

I left the studio floating on a cloud of well-being and good intentions, a feeling I managed to carry throughout the rest of my day.

Namaste