Time: < 30 Minutes
STEP 1: Relax-Breathe-Engage. Sit in a comfortable upright position, and rest your hands on your lap. Close your eyes and begin to take deep breaths in, and slowly exhale. Don't worry about technique, just focus on whatever breath comes naturally to you. Spend a minute engaging with each of your five senses. Focus on each sense individually. The point here is to focus on the present moment and how each sense plays a role in your environment.
STEP 2: Touch: How did you sit when you began this exercise? How does it feel to sit in this position? Where did you place your hands for this exercise? Notice the sensation of where your hands touch something solid such as the fabric of your clothes or the surface of your desk. Reflect upon how the textures make you feel.
STEP 3: Hearing: Take a deep breath and then begin to notice the different sounds around you. Maybe you hear the white noise of a fan, maybe you begin to notice the noises your breathe is making, maybe you notice the faint sounds of birds chirping outside your window. Whatever sounds you may hear, take a moment to appreciate them, whatever they may be, find a way to connect to them, and ground yourself within them.
STEP 4: Smell: Now shift your concentration to the smells in your environment. Is somebody cooking? Maybe you smell the air outside or the flowers on your windowsill. Close your eyes and search for the different smells and sensations around you. Continue to ground yourself in your breath throughout this process. Appreciate where you are in this moment.
STEP 5: Taste: Regardless if you have recently eaten something or not, notice the taste on your tongue. Take a deep breath in again through your mouth, has anything changed on your taste buds? Take a few moments to appreciate your ability to taste the sweetness of the world.
STEP 6: Sight: Take this moment to finally open your eyes, what do you see? Notice every pattern on the wall, notice the vibrant colors outside your window. Really take a few minutes to appreciate the small details and the beauty surrounding you.
