This mindfulness exercise can be used to help you get present and mindful whenever you feel the need to do so,
Or as part of your everyday meditation or mindfulness practice.
Begin by sitting comfortably and holding one of your hands out in front of you,
Palm open,
Facing towards you.
Remember to relax your shoulders.
Find a position that's comfortable without straining.
Just gazing into your palm and begin to notice the details of your skin.
Observing the lines and patterns.
Following those lines up and down each of your fingers,
One at a time.
Noticing every little detail.
Now starting at the wrist on your thumb side,
Slowly trace the outline of your hand with your gaze.
Moving around the thumb and each one of your fingers.
Noticing the line that your hand creates against the background.
Noticing the line that your hand creates against the background.
If any thoughts drift in to distract you,
Just gently acknowledging them and bringing yourself back to looking at your hand.
This time focusing on the deep lines in your palm.
Notice how within those lines are many other smaller lines going off in all directions.
Now looking at the areas in between those deep lines and the shapes they make.
Bring all of your fingers and your thumb together so that they are touching at the tip.
And observe what happens within your palm.
And now slowly releasing your fingers and watching as the shapes stretch and change.
Now flexing your fingers and thumb right back.
And notice what happens to your skin.
And as you gently relax your fingers,
Watching the colour return.
Starting with your thumb,
Curl each finger in towards your palm,
One at a time.
Observe the shape of your thumb and your thumb will be on your palm.
Curl each finger in towards your palm,
One at a time.
Observing how the skin folds over the tiny joints and then stretches out again.
Now turning your hand half way over,
So you are looking down at the side of your index finger with your thumb on top.
Notice the difference between the skin on the top of your hand and the skin on the underside.
You may even be able to see a sort of line running down your index finger where the two skin types meet.
Turning your hand over completely now.
Noticing any thoughts or judgements that arise.
Simply letting these thoughts come and go.
And now starting at your wrist,
Noticing the texture of your skin.
How it changes as it moves further up your hand,
Into your fingers.
Notice the skin bunching around the finger joints.
And noticing where your skin attaches to your fingernails.
Now forming a gentle fist and watching how your skin stretches and changes.
Slowly unfolding your fingers again.
And finally wiggling your fingers back and forth,
Observing as the tendons and bones in your hand move and flex.
And just relaxing your hand now.
Bringing your attention again to the sounds and the sights around you.
Coming back into your world.
