Leaving your eyes open, find five items around the room that you can see. Each item has a unique color, texture, shape, and meaning. Take a good minute to observe each item fully. What details can you observe about each item? Remember to breathe.
Now close your eyes, and focus on feeling your body. Notice four sensations you’re having now, in this present moment. Can you feel your heartbeat? Is your belly moving with your breathing? Are certain parts of your body touching other parts? Continue to breathe mindfully.
Listen for three things you can hear. Can you hear your breath? If you can’t hear three different sounds, try making a sound to focus on with your fingers or feet. Enjoy being present and just listening.
Focus on two things you can smell. Feel free to move closer to a source of pleasant smells (kitchen, garden, outdoors, etc)
Lastly, observe your sense of taste. If you have water, drink, or food nearby, you can focus on taking one sip or bite and exploring as many details as possible about the sensation in the mouth. Can you recognize a lingering flavor from a past meal? If not, practice visualizing and appreciating a flavor you generally enjoy.
Repeat this exercise as many times as you wish. One session should take around 15 minutes.
I learned this exercise from meditation teacher, Matthew Sockolov.
