Hi,
It's Anne.
I'm a meditation teacher,
As you know,
But I'm also an avid coffee drinker.
It's easy to separate your meditation practice and your life.
To do your 10 minutes of meditation and then once that bell rings or once the recording's over,
Get on with the rest of your day.
But the whole point of meditation is to cultivate skills that translate to more presence and mindfulness when you're at work,
Having an important conversation with your partner,
Or eating,
So that eventually meditation and the rest of your life sort of start to become one.
One great way to deepen your meditation practice and begin to break down that boundary between meditation and life is by bringing the practice right there to your life,
To your day-to-day routines,
Such as your morning coffee.
In this meditation,
I'll be guiding you through drinking the first several sips of your coffee,
And instead of mindlessly slurping it down,
You'll really be present with your drink,
Enjoying the sensational pleasure of it,
The taste,
The smell,
And even the feel of this coffee.
Whenever your coffee is ready,
Take a seat and place it in front of you with your hand grasping the mug or cup.
There's nothing worse than burning your mouth during a meditation,
So just make sure your coffee's not too hot.
Keeping your eyes open,
Begin to tune into your body.
Make sure your posture is upright,
But also there's a sense of relaxation to it.
Notice if there are any areas of tension that can be released just a little bit with your next exhale.
Start by bringing your awareness to what the coffee looks like.
Is it in a mug from home?
A to-go cup?
Is the coffee producing a swirl of steam?
What color is the coffee,
If you can see it?
Now close your eyes.
Bring your attention to the hand that is holding the coffee.
Notice any sensations of warmth you can feel on or around your hand.
Are your palms already warm or warming up the longer you hold the coffee?
Can you feel the steam flowing out the top of the mug or cup,
Touching the skin of your hand or anywhere else on your body?
Now shift your attention to your sense of smell.
Take a deeper breath in,
Really taking in the smell of your drink,
And pause for a moment or two at the top of your inhale.
When you're ready,
Let out a sigh from your mouth.
Resume relaxed breathing in and out of your nose and completely absorb yourself in the smell of your coffee.
Perhaps you can almost taste the coffee a little bit just by smelling it.
Even though you've drank coffee hundreds,
Maybe thousands of times,
Is there anything new about the smell that you can orient your mind toward?
Feel free to experiment here by maybe bringing the coffee cup closer to your nose or further away and noticing how your sense of smell changes.
Without tasting the coffee just yet,
Simply imagine the taste of the coffee meeting your tongue.
What qualities of taste does this cup of coffee have in your imagination?
As you're ready,
Bring the coffee closer to your lips and notice any changes occurring in your body as you approach your first sip.
Are you salivating a little bit,
Anticipating the warm pleasant flow of coffee down your throat?
Now as you take your first sip,
See how aware you can become of all the sensations associated with this simple experience.
Continue taking a few mindful sips,
Pausing in between each one.
If at any point you notice yourself moving toward your habitual way of drinking coffee,
Catch yourself.
Slow down and imagine it was your first time ever drinking coffee.
What would stand out about this experience?
Continue to take mindful sips,
Staggered in between moments of pausing and noticing the delicious sensations of coffee flowing down your throat and moving into your stomach.
How much can you savor the next 30 seconds or so of drinking your coffee?
Place your coffee down and notice how your body feels after these first several sips.
Do you feel more energized,
Calm,
Alert?
With curiosity,
Notice the effects of your coffee and this mindfulness practice.
When you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes or continue on with this practice as you finish the rest of your coffee.
I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.
