So for today's exercise,
We'll be practicing savoring the present moment while drinking a cup of tea.
So take a moment now to pause the recording and get yourself a cup of tea or a beverage of your choice.
Even a simple cup of water will do.
You can set the drink down in front of you for now and we'll begin by settling in,
Relaxing into the present moment to get you in the right frame of mind for this experience.
So go ahead and take a deep breath to slowly fill your lungs with air and then release,
Feeling yourself settling into your chair.
Feeling the various points where your body makes contact with the chair and feeling your feet on the ground.
Take another deep breath and on the exhale relax your shoulders and allow your muscles to relax.
And now we'll take a few moments to focus on your breath.
No need to change anything about how you're breathing.
Simply continue breathing at whatever pace feels right for you.
If you'd like you can close your eyes for this.
Feeling the sensations of the air going in and out of your nose.
How the air feels cool when you breathe in and warm as you breathe out.
Noticing how your body moves when you breathe.
The slight rise and fall of your chest or your belly.
Paying attention to the brief pause between the inhale and exhale as your breath changes direction.
Again no need to change anything.
Just observe your breathing as it is for a few moments longer.
Very good.
And now if your eyes were closed go ahead and open them.
Now I'd like you to turn your attention to the beverage in front of you.
Look at the cup and the liquid within it and I'd like you to pretend for a moment like you're looking at this object for the very first time.
As if you've arrived from another planet and you've never seen anything like this before.
Looking at it with curiosity.
Noticing what catches your eye.
If your beverage is hot you might notice the steam coming off the surface of the liquid.
Or if your beverage is cold maybe you see some condensation on the outside of the cup or the glass.
Or simply notice the shape and the color of the cup.
What colors do you see?
You can move your head around and get closer to look at the cup from different angles.
Perhaps noticing how the surface of the cup reflects light.
Maybe the reflection changes as you move to another angle.
Seeing that there's something interesting and maybe even beautiful about the way the light is reflected.
As if light is emanating from the surface.
And now go ahead and pick up this object,
This cup in front of you,
And hold it in both of your hands.
Noticing the temperature and the weight of the cup in your hands.
Perhaps the warmth of the cup feels soothing.
Or maybe there's a comfort in holding a cup in this way,
Cradling it gently in your hands.
Bring the cup closer to you so that it's right in front of your chest and directly under your nose.
Tune into your sense of smell now and see if you can smell the aroma of your beverage.
You can bring the cup closer up under your nose and take a deep breath in to get a full sense of the smell.
Even if you simply have water in your cup,
You'll notice that even water has a smell to it.
How would you describe this smell?
Now that the cup is closer to your face,
You might even blow gently on the surface of the liquid and watch how it causes ripples on the surface.
In a moment I'll ask you to take a sip of the beverage and when you do I recommend that you take it in slowly and then hold the liquid in your mouth for just a moment to notice the flavor,
The taste.
And then as you swallow,
Pay attention to the sounds that you hear and the sensations that you feel in your mouth and your throat.
So go ahead and take that first sip,
Pulling the liquid into your mouth and then holding it there for a moment as you notice the taste and the feeling of the liquid in your mouth.
What does it taste like?
Now go ahead and swallow,
Noticing the sounds and the pleasant sensations of the liquid moving down your throat.
In a moment we're going to take another sip and as you do I'd like you to imagine that this is the most nourishing and refreshing beverage you've ever tasted.
And after you swallow you can bring a smile to your face and let out a small sound of satisfaction to add to the experience,
Letting out a sigh or whatever feels right for you to mark the feeling of contentment.
Go ahead and take a mouthful of the liquid now and swallow,
Allowing yourself to fully appreciate the nourishment that it provides and savoring it with a smile.
Very good.
You can continue to enjoy the rest of your beverage in this way and I also encourage you to try this practice again,
Whether it's with a cup of tea or any other everyday task that you can approach with the same sense of curiosity and appreciation.
Take time to slow down and acknowledge the little moments of pleasure and satisfaction and savor them,
Allowing yourself to deeply enjoy the experience.
This is a great practice to do at any time,
To help you be more present and give you a chance to reset when you're feeling overwhelmed and stressed,
To help you recenter yourself and regain perspective,
To give your mind a break and give your spirit a boost.
Thank you for joining me today and take good care.
