This is a short attention training exercise to help you tame your mind.
You'll do it while going for a quick mindful walk around the block or on your way to work.
Pause this recording,
Put in some earphones and then press play just before you set off.
As you walk towards the door of your house or your office,
Notice how your mind is right now.
Is it busy?
Is it quiet?
Just take a forecast,
How is your mind right now?
As you reach for the door handle,
Notice the muscles in your hand gripping.
Notice the contraction of your hand.
Notice the feeling of the door handle,
Perhaps the cool feeling of the metal,
The texture.
Notice any sounds you can hear as you open the door and then close it behind you.
Notice if your mind has wandered already.
Just notice and then bring your attention back to your mindful walk.
Put your attention now into the soles of your feet as you walk.
Notice the sensation of your feet pressing down into the ground,
One foot after the other.
Notice the muscles in your legs contracting and relaxing as you take each step.
And again,
Has your mind wandered off?
Perhaps your mind got distracted by my Kiwi accent.
Perhaps now that I've mentioned that,
You are even more distracted.
Just observe that your mind has an opinion on the matter and then bring your attention back to the muscles in your legs.
When you're ready,
Bring your attention to the sounds that you can hear on your walk.
Notice the crunch of your feet on the gravel,
Perhaps the clip-clop of your shoes.
Notice the sound of your breathing,
The sound of my voice,
Maybe cards going by.
Now bring your attention to the quietest sound you can hear,
Perhaps the most far away sound you can find.
Notice if your mind starts to analyze the sounds and then just bring your attention back to listening.
Now we'll bring our attention to another of our five senses,
Touch.
Notice the feeling of air on your face.
Is it cool?
Is it warm?
Can you feel wind moving?
Or is it quite still?
If your mind wanders,
Just remember it's all part of the process.
Just notice that it's wandered and bring your attention back to the sensation of touch anywhere on your body.
Notice the feeling of the clothing you're wearing on your skin.
Now bring your attention to what you can see.
Look at things as if you're seeing them for the very first time,
Even if you've walked this way many times before.
Notice the imperfections,
Maybe the cracks on the footpath or the cracks in the paint on the houses you're passing.
Notice any plants you can see.
Really notice as though you would describe it to me later.
Now bring your attention to your sense of taste.
Find a nice looking fence and give it a lick.
How does it taste?
Not great?
Alright,
Probably will skip that one.
Now notice any smells that your nose can pick up.
There might be pleasant smells and there might be unpleasant smells.
Just notice if your mind has any opinions or any judgements or stories and then bring your attention back to just noticing the smells.
Now for the next 30 seconds,
Just notice the input coming from any of your five senses.
Choose one sense to focus on and then just observe.
If your mind's wandered,
Just notice that it's wandered and then bring it back to one of your five senses.
We're now coming to the end of your attention training practice.
If you'd like to continue your walk a little bit longer,
You can start this recording again or just practice holding your attention in any of your five senses as you walk.
When your mind wanders,
Just remember it's all part of the process.
Every time you notice,
You're winning.
Just notice that your mind is wandered and then bring your attention back to your five senses.
Every time you notice your mind is wandered and every time you bring it back again,
It's like a bicep curl for taming your mind.
