This is a very simple practice that helps us to access the ventral vagal state of our nervous system through our senses.
You can do this practice wherever you are,
Sitting,
Standing,
Lying down.
Before we start,
Just take a moment to notice how you are right now.
What is happening in your body?
What are the emotions that you are aware of?
What is occupying your mind?
And what is your overall state or condition that you are arriving in?
So now,
I invite you to close your eyes or cast your gaze downward,
And then recall something that you saw recently,
Something that brought you joy or a sense of wonder or gratitude.
Let yourself revisit this sight,
Recalling it in all its details,
Colors,
Textures,
Shapes,
Maybe a beautiful flower or a sunset,
Perhaps the face of a loved one,
A tree,
An animal,
A piece of art,
Whatever it is.
Really painting this picture of what you saw in front of your inner eye,
And letting yourself enjoy this once more as you bring it alive,
Noticing what happens in your body in response to this memory,
And then letting that go,
And then recalling something that you heard recently that brought you pleasure or joy,
Maybe a song,
A sound,
A voice,
Something that reached you through your ears,
Recalling this and allowing yourself to be filled by the sensations and the feelings of that original moment,
Aware of what happens in you as you do so,
And then letting that go and recede into the background.
Next,
I'm going to ask you to remember something that smelled good,
Maybe a meal that you ate,
Flowers or coffee in the morning,
A perfume,
An essential oil,
Something that brought you pleasure to smell,
Recalling it as if you were smelling it right in this moment and savoring that smell for a second time,
And then letting that go and asking yourself,
What is something that you tasted recently that you really enjoyed,
Pondering up that taste in your mouth once more,
Bringing it alive in your whole body.
You might even notice that your mouth waters as you recall this delicious taste,
And then again letting this fade into the background,
And finally letting your mind search for a memory that is connected to touch,
Maybe the sensation of sun on your skin,
Or slipping into a warm bath,
Or touching a particular texture,
Like the fur of your pet,
A smooth pebble in your hand,
The fabric of your favorite dress,
Lingering here for a moment,
Really letting that memory of touch come alive in your body once more,
And then letting that recede into the background,
Taking a moment to notice how you feel right now,
Having visited these different moments of goodness through your senses,
What's alive in your body,
What do you notice about your emotional state,
What's happening in your mind.
