How a Cup of Cacao Taught Me to be Present

A morning reflection and how scorching my tongue just taught me to be present:

I'm trying to be more mindful and aware. I decided to sit on my mat this morning, light my incense, pray, meditate and stretch as I usually do every day. Today, I brought cacao instead of coffee for many reasons (mainly health). Cacao is plant medicine and helps me to get in my zone... or so I thought it was "my zone." To be honest, I am always so busy and perhaps it's a trauma response: Don't slow down and confront it, keep going, stay distracted until I burn out. This is our economy too; we work so much and don't value time to disconnect because most of us can't afford a day off.

So, I put on my music and began to sip my cacao. So rich, earthy and indulgent. The flavors released the dopamine the same way my coffee used to hit, and my brain told my body "More". I immediately took another sip and very quickly scorched my tongue and mouth. I began to realize " you move too quickly, and you rush things too much. Sit back, savor and be present." I'm never in the "here and now" because I'm always on to the next. A New York state of mind? I digress.

I began to imagine walking down a city street every day. The same street, so fast I barely notice the store fronts along the way. It wasn't until I burned my tongue that I realized "huh, there was a cafe here the whole time on the corner." When we take the time to move slower, focus and be more present we can move with more intention. We move with more gratitude and presence. We begin to notice open doors waiting for us to just walk through. The things we can accomplish when we take time in quietude, slow it down and notice all that is around us.

🙏✨