Mindful March: Day 16 and 17

Day 16

Use your senses to ground yourself
We often spend so much time in our heads that we forget that we have five senses. Today, we’re going to invite you to use your senses as a way of grounding you to the present moment.

How to do it
Spend a few minutes taking stock. What can you see around you? What can you hear? What can you smell, taste and touch? Give yourself a good two minutes to do this. Listen out for the sounds, and drink in the smells. Perhaps you might touch something, noticing whether it is hard or soft, what its temperature is, and what the texture feels like.

Audio version, if you’d like to be guided through this.

Reflection
● When was the last time you brought all your senses into your experience?
● Are there any senses that you tend to favour?

Day 17

Do a body scan meditation
This twenty-minute meditation is an opportunity to spend some time getting to know your body. Lie down on a mat or bed and let yourself be guided by the instructions on the meditation.

Body scan meditation audio.

Reflection
● What was that like for you?
● Were there any surprises in your body?
● Were some parts of the body easier to notice than others?
● Did you have expectations that were (or weren’t) met about this activity?

Don’t worry if your mind was very busy or if you fell asleep. Lying down with your eyes closed for that amount of time can often make people sleepy. It’s a skill to stay awake, keeping the mind focused – and takes practice.

Find out more about Mindful March.