This is the first of 10 mindfulness practices designed to help you increase emotional balance and presence in the current moment.
This practice is a grounding exercise,
And grounding our awareness in the body is a key first step to becoming more mindful and present.
Its purpose is to increase your awareness of the present moment by noticing the sensations in your body without trying to change them.
The goal is not to be more relaxed but to be more aware.
You may feel more relaxed and you may not.
We're only increasing your ability to bring your attention and non-judgment to the feelings and sensations in your body.
You can begin by sitting wherever is comfortable for you.
You can close your eyes or you can keep them open.
Notice your body wherever you're sitting.
Observe the sensations of touch and pressure where your feet connect to the floor.
Where your legs make contact wherever you're sitting and where your hands rest.
Let your attention shift and rest on the sensations in your feet.
Notice the sensations where your feet push into the floor.
Just observe the weight,
The pressure you feel wherever they make contact with the ground.
You can push your feet into the floor,
Move them a bit and just notice that sensation of connection,
The groundedness,
The sensations of touch and pressure.
Then widen your attention to notice what it feels like to sit where you're sitting.
Notice the sensations of your legs as they touch and make contact wherever you sit.
Just allow your attention to rest there without judgment of whatever it is you're experiencing.
If your mind wanders away and you get lost in thought,
Just bring your attention back to the body.
Observe the sensations in your hands.
Notice how they feel or they make contact wherever they rest.
Observe the sensations in your shoulders and throat.
Bring them into your awareness and hold your attention there for a moment.
Observe any sensations in your jaw,
Your eyes,
And notice your whole body being present,
Sitting wherever you're sitting.
Connect with the groundedness,
The touch,
The pressure.
Be aware of your body as best you can.
If you've noticed the mind making judgments about your experience,
Bring an attitude of non-judgmental acceptance to whatever it was like for you to participate in this practice.
When you're ready,
Shift your attention back to your surroundings.
Open your eyes and bring this sense of grounding and awareness back with you into the present moment and into the next moments of your day.
