Now I'm going to invite you to do a little exercise with me.
So if you haven't got a piece of dried fruit like a raisin or a piece of chocolate,
Please just pause this track and go and get that now.
Making sure that you're sitting comfortably,
What I'd like you to do is just to see the piece of fruit or chocolate that you've got in front of you as an object.
Imagining if you can that you've never seen anything like it before.
And then just taking the object and holding it in the palm of your hand or between your finger and your thumb.
So paying attention to really seeing this object.
Looking carefully at it as if you've never seen it before.
And maybe taking a few moments to turn over in your palm or between your fingers.
Examining the highlights,
Where the light shines and the darker hollows and folds.
Just letting your eyes explore every part of it as if you've never seen it before.
And if while you're doing this any thoughts come to mind about what on earth am I doing or what's the point of all this or I'm really not enjoying this,
Just simply noting these thoughts and bringing your attention back to the object.
And now taking the object and holding it just under your nose.
And with each breath noticing if it has a smell.
And now looking at it again.
And then very slowly taking the object to your mouth.
Maybe noticing how your hand and arm feel and how they know exactly where to put it.
Perhaps noticing what happens in your mouth as it comes up.
And then gently placing the object in the mouth.
Noticing how it is received without biting it and just exploring the sensations of having it in your mouth.
Exploring the object with your tongue.
Noticing the sensations as you move it around the mouth.
And when you're ready,
Very consciously taking a bite into it and noticing what happens,
The tastes that it releases.
Slowly chewing it,
Noticing what's happening in the mouth,
The change in consistency of the object.
Then when you feel ready to swallow,
Seeing if you can first detect the intention to swallow as it comes up.
So that even this is experienced consciously before you actually swallow it.
And then finally seeing if you can follow the sensations of swallowing it,
Sensing it,
Moving down to your stomach,
Any aftertaste and then noticing the absence of the reason in the mouth and what the tongue does when it's gone.
