Welcome!
I'm glad you're here today for this 5 senses meditation practice,
Bringing mindfulness to all of your senses.
So often in our busy lives,
We find ourselves lost in the thinking mind,
Rushing from task to task,
Feeling overwhelmed and disconnected from our bodies.
A 5 senses practice can provide a potent antidote to this,
Rooting your awareness in your senses in order to come back to the body,
To the environment,
To the richness of the present moment.
You can do this practice any place you find yourself,
Perhaps waiting in line,
Taking the train to work.
It's lovely to do outdoors,
But practicing inside is great too.
So let's get started.
With your eyes open for now,
Go ahead and find a comfortable position for meditating,
Sitting or lying in a posture that honors both your practice and how your body feels today.
Ground yourself here in this moment,
This place,
By noticing where your body connects with surfaces below,
Feeling your body root down,
Settle in as the ground rises up to support you.
Next,
I invite you to connect with your breath by taking 3 deep balancing breaths,
Breathing in through the nose and out through the nose,
Following the breath all the way into the body and all the way out.
And with each exhale,
Think about softening the body,
Relaxing and releasing tightness just as much as you can,
Head to toe.
So letting go of tension in the shoulders,
Belly and the pelvis,
Softening,
Quietening,
Relaxing into your practice.
The first sense we'll connect with is sight.
So now I invite you to let your eyes begin to scan your environment,
One side of your space to the other,
Taking in the view and its many details,
Noting shapes,
Colors,
Patterns,
Silently naming any objects that catch your eye.
And if any element of your environment pulls you in,
Feel free to linger there,
Absorbing all the details,
Really activating your sense of sight.
I will hold space for you while you practice.
Staying with this sense just a little longer,
I invite you to consider if there's any object in your environment that evokes a sense of safety,
Peace or brings a smile.
It might be a photo of a loved one or maybe there's a beautiful old tree.
Just allow your eyes to rest here for a few moments,
Connecting with any emotions that arise.
And now if you feel comfortable to,
Go ahead and close down your eyes,
Or you can lower and soften your gaze in order to tune into the next sense,
Our sense of hearing.
First,
Letting our attention rest on the sounds made by the breath,
By the inhale and the exhale,
A gentle whooshing.
And now attending to other sounds in the environment,
Opening up your ears to any and all sounds,
Not straining to hear,
Just being receptive.
You might silently name the sounds you hear,
Perhaps machine buzzing,
Pipe clanking,
Dog barking,
And note any thoughts or judgments arising about the sounds.
And then gently let go of those stories to return to just the sound,
Perhaps noting qualities of the sound.
Is it brief or sustained,
Loud or soft,
High pitched or low?
Simply welcoming whatever sounds come in the next minute or so.
Next,
I invite you to lean into your sense of smell,
Becoming aware of any aromas in your environment,
Perhaps your own perfume or cologne,
Or the smell of something you cooked recently,
Or sense of the outdoors,
Such as cut grass.
You might find that odors are very apparent or not apparent at all.
Simply bring awareness to what is,
Anchoring your awareness to the sense of smell.
Next,
Connecting with a sense of taste,
Bringing attention to any taste in the mouth,
Traces of the last meal or snack you ate,
The taste of coffee or tea,
Maybe mint lingering on the taste buds.
You might note the qualities of the taste.
Is it strong,
Subtle,
Sweet?
Pausing here to mindfully engage your sense of taste.
Finally,
Connecting with a sense of touch,
The felt sense.
First by noting where your body connects with surfaces below and anywhere two body parts touch,
Noticing where clothes or the air caress your skin,
Just checking in with the body and how it feels.
Maybe there's fatigue,
Thirst,
Perhaps you notice a temperature in one area.
You might note sensations such as tingling,
Weakness,
Pressure.
Simply be a witness to whatever you feel,
Not judging or reacting to any sensations,
Just observing with kind curiosity for the next minute.
Allow yourself to fully experience your felt sense.
And now as we draw towards the end of our meditation,
Let's take three more mindful breaths,
Breathing in through the nose and out through the nose,
Drawing air deep into the belly and feeling the belly rise and then breathing out and feeling the belly fall.
And in these last few moments,
Connecting with the sixth sense,
Your thoughts and your emotions to connect with each of your senses.
Was it enjoyable,
Calming,
Challenging in some ways?
And considering how you feel now at the end of your practice compared to the start.
Now easing yourself out of your practice,
Biting back movement into the body,
Swiggling fingers and toes,
Your shoulders,
Stretching out.
And when you're ready,
Go ahead and open your eyes.
Thank you for your practice today,
Taking a brief refuge in your five senses.
You can return to this practice anytime you're feeling overwhelmed or disconnected.
The invitation is always there and ground your awareness in the richness of the present moment.
