Hello and welcome to your journey to mindfulness.
My name is Laetitia and today I will invite you to bring awareness to each of your five senses.
Through this practice you will reconnect with the present moment by focusing on what you see,
Feel,
Hear,
Smell and taste,
Grounding yourself deeply in the here and now.
This is a gentle yet powerful way to shift your attention away from overwhelming emotions,
Thoughts or distractions and incur yourself in the simplicity of your direct experience.
When practiced regularly this sensory mindfulness can heighten your awareness,
Sharpening your connection with the world around you.
And before we begin,
I'd like to invite you to take a deep breath and allow yourself to gently settle into this practice.
And keeping your eyes open,
Allow your gaze to rest softly on whatever is in your field of vision.
No need to focus on anything specific just yet.
Simply notice.
And now bring your attention to five things you can see.
Take your time with each one.
It could be the texture of the wall in front of you.
The way the light filters through the window.
Or the color of the floor beneath your feet.
Let your gaze settle on each item.
And as you do,
Pause to take in the details.
Observe their shape,
Their color,
The texture.
And perhaps notice how your mind responds to them.
You may choose to name these objects silently or out loud.
Helping to further anchor your awareness.
And take your time here with each one.
Take a full breath in and out.
Soaking in the visual details fully.
And now gently shift your focus.
By noticing the four things you can feel in this moment.
This could be the sensation of the ground beneath your feet.
The softness of the fabric on your skin.
The warmth or coolness of the air.
Allow yourself to truly experience each sensation without judgment.
Rest your attention fully on the physical sensations.
Feel the texture,
The pressure,
The temperature and the contact point.
Name these feelings in your mind and spend a few breaths with each.
Diving into the richness of the experience.
And here you may as well explore both internal sensations.
Like the way your breath fills your chest.
And external ones.
Like the weight of your hands resting on your lap.
And now gently shift your awareness to the sense of hearing.
Take a moment to pose and notice the sounds around you.
What are three things you can hear right now?
Try to notice both loud and soft sounds near and far.
Perhaps it's the hum of an appliance.
The distant murmur of voices.
Allow the sounds to come to you without searching for them or labelling them as good or bad.
Simply notice their presence.
And as you focus on each sound,
Let it fill your awareness for a few breaths.
Notice the tone and the rhythm of each sound and how it feels to listen.
Focusing on the symphony of the present moment.
So that you can detach from the mental noise.
And now bring your awareness to two scents around you.
Perhaps there's a faint lingering smell of something familiar.
The scent of your clothes,
The air around you or the aroma of food nearby.
If it's hard to detect any scents,
That's okay.
You may want to move slightly or focus on the subtle smell of the room or your breath.
Take a few breaths as you focus on these two smells.
Observe if they trigger any emotions or memories.
But without becoming attached to them.
Allow yourself to be fully immersed in the experience of smell.
Even if it's subtle or faint.
And finally,
What is the one taste you can identify right now?
Maybe the aftertaste of a recent meal.
The lingering hint of a toothpaste.
Freshness of your breath.
If you are unable to detect a specific taste at the moment,
Simply think of a taste you enjoy or remember fondly.
It could be the sweetness of a favourite dessert,
The bitterness of coffee,
The saltiness of a meal you've recently enjoyed.
And as you focus on this taste,
Savour the memory or the current sensation of it.
Allow yourself to be present with this sense.
Also acknowledging its importance in your daily life.
And as we're closing the practice,
Take a deep breath in.
And as you exhale,
Acknowledge the journey we've just taken through your five senses.
Perhaps you can notice how grounding and calming it can feel to connect with the world through your body's sensory experience.
This is a simple yet profound technique that can be done anytime,
Anywhere to help you reconnect with yourself and the world around you.
Especially during times when emotions or thoughts feel overwhelming.
When you are ready,
Slowly bring your awareness back to the space you're in.
And if your eyes are still open,
Allow your gaze to soften.
And as you breathe in,
Allow yourself to be in the space you're in.
And as you exhale,
Open,
Allow your gaze to soften.
If they've closed,
Gently blink them open.
And take one final deep breath.
And carry this sense of mindful presence with you as you move through your day.
Thank you for joining me for this practice.
You have a beautiful day,
And I'll see you next time.
