Five Senses Centering Meditation
This has been a really useful technique. I'm cutting and pasting from a UVM Medical Center blog article, but I added my own spin. This exercise is about noticing that you are currently OKAY. You're safe, surrounded by beauty, everything is OKAY right now. It's to be combined with deep breathing at each step.
Here are the steps to complete this exercise:
- First, notice 5 things that you can see. Look around you and become aware of your environment. Try to pick out something that you don’t usually notice. (Notice particularly if they bring you joy.)
- Second, notice 4 things you can feel. Bring attention to the things that you’re currently feeling, such as the texture of your clothing or the smooth surface of the table you’re resting your hands on. (Notice particularly if you're dry and warm, and if you're not in any pain or the pain you have is manageable right now.)
- Third, notice 3 things that you can hear. Listen for and notice things in the background that you don’t normally notice. It could be the birds chirping outside or an appliance humming in the next room. (Notice particularly if you feel SAFE with these sounds. Birds aren't alerting to predators nearby. The world is humming along.)
- Fourth, notice 2 things you can smell. Bring attention to scents that you usually filter out, either pleasant or unpleasant. Catch a whiff of the pine trees outside or food cooking in the kitchen. (Notice particularly that you are ALIVE on this planet.)
- Finally, notice 1 thing you can taste. Take a sip of a drink, chew gum, or notice the current taste in your mouth. (Notice particularly that you are well-nourished.)