Did you love touching things as a kid?
Did it or does it soothe your soul and calm you down?
One way to experience this joy is through a mindful touch exercise.
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Taking a moment to really experience your surroundings helps to pull your perspective out of your constructed mind and into true reality. This practice of mindfulness helps your body and mind understand the stress-free nature of the present.
Stress only exists when we worry about the future or dwell on the past, so by focusing on the present moment, we reduce our anxiety and increase our happiness!
The easiest way to be present is to focus on and actually experience your senses! In short: do a mindful touch exercise.
We touch things every day, but do we think about the things we touch? Do we really ‘feel’ when we touch things? By taking a moment to really feel, we tell our minds to focus on that real feeling in the present, rather than a harmful thought that will never come to life.
What Is Mindfulness Through Touch?
Mindfulness through touch involves being fully present and engaged with the physical sensations of touching objects. It allows us to connect more intimately with our surroundings and cultivate a deeper appreciation for the present moment.
Practicing this form of mindfulness can help ground us in reality and reduce stress by directing our focus away from anxious thoughts. By consciously feeling the textures, temperatures, and shapes of objects we touch, we invite ourselves to experience each moment more vividly and authentically.
This practice encourages us to immerse ourselves in the richness of our sensory experiences and let go of unnecessary distractions. Engaging in mindfulness through touch enables us to fully experience the present moment by focusing on tactile sensations.
By connecting with objects through touch, we deepen our awareness of our immediate environment. This practice helps in anchoring ourselves in reality and alleviating stress by shifting our attention from worries to physical sensations.
With mindful touch, we immerse ourselves in the details of textures, temperatures, and shapes, enhancing our sensory engagement. Embracing this approach allows us to appreciate the richness of our sensory encounters and release irrelevant distractions.
Mindful Touch Exercise: Touch of Happiness
Touch Of Happiness Mindfulness Exercise
Total Time: 1 minute
Place.
Place your hands on the first thing you see in front of you. This can be your desk, a wall, clothes on a rack in the shopping mall, or anything within reach.
Feel.
Run your fingers along this item.
Take in the feelings on your fingers.
Is the item bumpy?
Is the item smooth?
Is the item cold or hot?
Use your entire hand, your fingers and your palms, to feel all sides of this item.
Connect.
Continue telling yourself what you are feeling. Appreciate how this item feels and how real this item is in your life.
Notice.
Notice that for a full minute, you did not have any stress in your body. Congratulate yourself on a perfect moment of positive mindfulness!
Supply:
- Yourself
Continuing with the theme of mindfulness through touch, we can practice this technique anywhere and at any time.
Whether it’s feeling the smooth surface of a stone in a park, the warmth of a cup of coffee in a cafe, or the coolness of a metal door handle, we can always find opportunities to engage in mindful touch. By incorporating these moments into our daily lives, we nurture a sense of presence and connection with the world around us.
This ongoing practice of mindful touch can serve as a powerful tool for grounding ourselves in the present moment amidst the busyness of our day-to-day routines.
