sensory engagement
"Nothing can cure the soul but the senses, just as nothing can cure the senses but the soul." Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray
--> thank you: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/oscar_wilde_101775?src=t_senses
Caught up in compulsive thinking & strings of activity, we go long stretches without mindfully engaging our senses. The longer we go without mindful sensory engagement, the more likely we are to become scattered, frazzled, & reactive. Engaging the senses keeps us grounded, present, & in touch with our bodies & environment. Which sets us up for a more pleasurable experience & wiser decisionmaking.
Here's a technique to try, one for each sense:
vision
open the eyes comfortably
see the eye's whole picture, like the eyes are a window & you're looking out
no need to describe, label, etc.
notice that you're seeing
see what you're seeing
maintain for no more than 30 seconds
transition out by briefly noticing your heartbeat & breath
hearing
bring awareness to your ears
hear the full soundscape, sense 360 degrees of sound
no need to describe, label, etc.
notice that you're hearing
hear what you're hearing
maintain for no more than 30 seconds
transition out by briefly noticing your heartbeat & breath
feeling
bring awareness to your skin
feel your skin's whole surface
no need to describe, label, etc.
notice that you're feeling
feel what you're feeling
maintain for no more than 30 seconds
transition out by briefly noticing your heartbeat & breath
tasting
bring awareness to your mouth
sense your tastebuds at work
no need to describe, label, etc.
notice that you're tasting
taste what you're tasting
maintain for no more than 30 seconds
transition out by briefly noticing your heartbeat & breath
smelling
bring awareness to your nose
sense your olfactory nervers at work
no need to describe, label, etc.
notice that you're smelling
smell what you're smelling
maintain for no more than 30 seconds
transition out by briefly noticing your heartbeat & breath