Mindful Moments- Shopping

In this track, you will discover how a simple task like shopping can become an exercise in presence. Instead of rushing through the store or scrolling mindlessly through online options, you’ll learn to slow down and bring your full attention to the experience of shopping. From the moment you enter the store or open your shopping app, you can begin to cultivate mindfulness by noticing your surroundings, the colors, the sounds, and the smells. Pay attention to the sensation of pushing a cart or holding a basket, the texture of the items you touch, and the choices you make.

Transcript

Going to the grocery store can send us into a state of anxiety and impatience rather quickly.

All the decisions to make,

The crowds of people,

And the details of our shopping list create the perfect conditions to check out.

But within the busyness of shopping,

This activity also provides an effective environment for mindfulness practice.

Allow your practice to begin before going inside,

Taking a moment to connect with your intention to shop mindfully.

Breathing deeply,

Allow the body to relax with each exhale.

Let the shoulders drop down,

Relax the abdomen,

And release any tension in the jaw.

As you walk up to the doors,

Practice a few moments of walking meditation,

Feeling each foot as it lifts off the ground and is placed down in front of you.

Just for the moment,

Let go of the thoughts in the thinking mind and relax your awareness down into the feet.

Once inside,

Spend a brief minute taking it all in.

Check in with the six sense doors of mindfulness.

Seeing,

Hearing,

Smelling,

Tasting,

Feeling in the body,

And thinking.

Note the colors and lights,

Any smells in the air,

How the body is standing,

The noise of the grocery store,

And your state of mind.

If there isn't a right or wrong answer,

Just tune in to your personal experience.

As you move towards a section of the store to begin your shopping,

Stay present with the body,

Feeling the feet on the ground and the muscles in the legs working to keep you moving.

As you pick something up to place it in your cart or basket,

Stay in touch with the sensations in the body,

Feeling the arm and hand reach.

As you grab the item,

Feel the texture,

Temperature,

And weight.

Setting it in your cart,

Pay attention to how it feels to release the object.

Continue shopping with this mindfulness of the body,

Each item offering an opportunity to practice,

As does the space between grabbing things.

When it's time to check out from the grocery store,

Not from your mind,

Wait in line mindfully.