Sarita loves to answer your questions, so if there’s something you’d like her advice on, please email her and let her know if you are happy for it to be published (you can remain anonymous). Here she answers a question on: chocolate addiction.

Question

Dear Sarita,

What is the hold that chocolate has on me? In the first part of my day I eat healthy vegetarian food, I do not crave any ‘comfort food’. In the second part of my day I crave foods like chocolate and ice-cream, I never hold back and allow myself to eat until I’ve had enough. I try to eat these foods consciously and I know it never leads to satisfaction but I repeat the pattern every day. My question is do I impose a discipline on myself to cut out these ‘comfort foods’ altogether? I have found that conscious indulgence has decreased the hold of these ‘comfort foods’ over the years but what now?

I have a similar question in regard to masturbation. I’m approaching 40 now and it’s certainly not an overindulgence I’m talking about here. I haven’t had many sexual encounters in my life, being Irish and unmarried, and I haven’t had sex for over 10 years now. It’s not something that consumes me but like the ‘comfort food’ it’s a shadow that I’d like to understand.

I’ve put off becoming a sannyasin because of something I want to do here first, and it’s taking a lot longer that I expected so for now I am seeking some advise on my ‘shadowy’ behaviour. I am jogging most mornings now, and trying your dancing meditation at night under the stars and I keep focused on my breath as much as I can. Is there more I can do on my own, I find it very difficult to sit quietly in meditation for any length of time.

I know I am a lost soul in need of guidance and I know I must walk my own path. If I can do something by myself, to get rid of some weeds, I will, I just don’t know where to start or what tools to use.

Love Thomas

Answer

1) Chocolate: Food cravings come because the body is searching for something it needs, some nutrition it is not finding. When there is a craving for sweets, it is often because the body is not receiving enough protein. Also, sugar is addictive, like heroin. If you want to come off it, you will need to be prepared to go through the withdrawal symptoms associated with hard drugs. When coming off of a drug, it is wise to replace it with something which gives equal pleasure but is not harmful for the body. In that respect I have VERY GOOD NEWS for you. Instead of eating chocolate which has been cooked and mixed with sugar, milk and additives, eat raw chocolate which is made from real unprocessed cacao beans, and is prepared with no added sugar, or dairy. This ensures that it retains it’s amazingly nutritious and energizing properties. In the past, cacao beans were used as money in South America, as precious as gold. And, it really is that precious. If you eat a little bit each day, it will only do your body good. It also has nutritional properties which stimulate the love drug inside your body, bring pleasurable and even euphoric feelings. There are many recipe books now which offer ways to make raw chocolates, or raw chocolate cakes and pies, all healthy and delicious! Or, you can find raw chocolates at your local health food shop.

Normal ice cream is dangerous for the health. However, you can try Booja Booja non dairy and no sugar ice cream, available from health food shops, and this is yummy and will not destroy your health. Or, if you have a champion juicer, you can easily make your own ice cream using bananas and other fruits.

2) Masturbation, or self-pleasuring, is natural. I recommend that you read my book Divine Sexuality to gather ideas of how to self pleasure in new and creative ways that help to invite new ways of working with the sexuality so that you can experience all over the body ecstasy.

3) Meditation: many people find it challenging to sit in meditation for any length of time. If you want to learn how to love meditation and be easy and natural with it, you may like to come to my detox and meditation retreat. Meditation is valuable for everyone, and yet, it is necessary to find out which kind of meditation method suits you. There are hundreds of techniques, some active, some still and silent. I am thinking you may benefit from Osho’s Kundalini Meditation or the No-Mind Meditation. Both of these are on CD.

4) About becoming a Sannyasin, as you know already, Sannyas is a love affair…So just follow your heart…

Love and Blessings,

Sarita

Cacao picture copyright Frank Wouters