Hello and thanks for joining me.
For this meditation you might like to have a cup of your favorite drink,
A tea or coffee or perhaps a small piece of chocolate,
Cheese or even fruit.
So feel free to pause this meditation to get yourself set up.
Once you have what you need,
Find a comfortable seat.
Begin by taking three slow and deep breaths.
Breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Back in through your nose and letting it go.
One more like that.
Breath in.
Let it go.
Closing down your eyes but bringing your drink or food close to your face and connecting to your sense of smell.
Take a deep inhale through your nose and breathe in all of the smells and fragrances of your food or drink.
If you don't have anything with you then notice any smells in your environment.
Allow your awareness to linger with these smells.
Staying present with this sense,
Your sense of smell.
Notice any associated thoughts,
Feelings or memories that arise.
Let them just pass through you,
Staying connected to your sense of smell.
Breathing in the aromas.
Letting go of the background.
Taking a small sip or a bite of your food or drink.
Hold the food or liquid in your mouth.
If you're using chocolate you might let it dissolve on your tongue.
If you have a drink let the liquid sit in your mouth.
Notice any tastes that you can detect with the food or drink still in your mouth.
What can your tongue detect?
Can you taste saltiness,
Sweetness,
Bitterness or sourness?
And when you're ready swallow your food or drink and notice the aftertaste.
Is it different to how it tasted in your mouth?
Do the tastes linger or do they fade quickly?
If you don't have any food or drink what can you taste in your mouth?
Perhaps you can notice a strong connection between our sense of smell and of taste.
Rest your awareness with your sense of taste a little longer and notice any associated thoughts,
Feelings or memories that arise.
Just let them pass through you.
And now let your sense of taste fade into the background and bring your awareness to your sense of hearing.
Notice any sounds around you.
There's no need to identify the sounds just let them come and go into your field of awareness.
Notice distant sounds.
Observe any sounds that are close by in the room with you.
Notice the different tones and volumes that your sense of hearing can detect.
Notice your ability to tell which sounds are closer.
Notice any thoughts,
Any feelings,
Any images or memories that arise.
Simply let them pass through you and keep observing sounds.
And now let your sense of hearing fade into the background.
And bring your awareness to your sense of touch.
You might feel whatever your hands are resting on.
Perhaps the texture of your own clothes or the temperature of your own body.
Connect with your sense of touch through the lens of what sensations you can feel on your skin.
Again you might feel the texture of your clothing or the temperature of the air around you.
Feel the surface beneath you.
Notice if your mind wanders and bring it back to your sense of touch or feeling.
Now let your sense of touch fade into the background.
And bring your awareness to your sense of sight.
Keeping your eyes closed for now.
Observing any colors or shapes behind your eyelids.
Perhaps you can see patterns or shades of white and dark.
Very slowly let your eyelids partially open.
Keep your gaze lowered and start to let your sense of sight take in any light,
Any colors or shapes.
Observe without the need to identify what you are seeing with your half closed eyes.
When you are ready open your eyes fully and take in what you can see in front of you.
Let your gaze be soft.
Taking in the colors,
The shapes,
Light and dark.
Gradually let your eyes come into focus as you become aware of your surroundings.
And letting your focus on sight fade into the background now.
And take a few deep breaths.
Observing your present moment experience through any of your five senses.
Have a beautiful day.
