Today we’re back with another entry in our series of guided meditations. This is one of my favorites; we going to do a sensory experience meditation, which involves careful observation using our senses, and is one of my favorite little mindfulness exercises because we get to eat!

There are lots of ways to do a sensory experience meditation, and after all you have five senses. Today’s meditation will actually use several of the senses, and in fact taste will only come into play towards the end. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Grab yourself a little treat; ideally some kind of handheld candy, and something small that you can eat in just a couple of bites. I love these little chocolate truffles from Lindor, and they have become my go-to candy for this particular meditation. But you can use anything you like.

Ok, got your candy? Now climb in to your favorite meditation chair, and set the candy nearby where you can grab it easily. Find your posture, and take a few slow breaths to really settle into the space. Just in, and out. Slow and steady, just taking a moment to let your mind and body slow down. Meditation is your time to simply … let go. Let all of your thoughts and worries melt away as you just … breathe.

We are going to do a regular mindful breathing exercise. Focus your attention on your breath. Take slow deliberate breaths, and count each one, from one to four, then starting back again at one. If you notice your thoughts beginning to wander, simply notice it, then bring your attention back to the breath. Don’t judge yourself; wandering thoughts are completely normal, and part of the process. Just bring your focus back to breathing, and continue your count.

After a few breaths, once you feel sufficiently relaxed, slowly open your eyes and pick up your candy.

Close your eyes again and use your hands and fingers to feel the shape of your treat, the surface of the wrapper, the sensation it makes in your hand as you turn it over, feeling every part of this small object. Notice the sound that it makes. Perhaps it’s a crinkle, perhaps something more like paper flapping. Notice what the candy underneath the wrapper feels like. Is it soft and pliable? Or is it more solid and unmoving?

Slowly, open a small portion of the wrapper, exposing just a bit of the candy underneath. Bring the opened section up to your nose, and take a deep breath, getting as much of the scent of the candy as possible. What do you notice? How would you describe the smell, and the sensation of that smell in your nose?

Fully unwrap the candy and get a good look at what you are about to enjoy. Notice whether the inside of the wrapper also has new details to observe, or whether it is mostly like the outside. Now focus your attention on the treat: observe the color, the texture, all the surface imperfections and every detail you can see with your eyes. Take your time to really do a 360 all around the object.

Now, bringing the food to your mouth, take just a very small bite, holding that bite in your mouth. What does this taste feel like in your mouth? Can you notice it just on your tongue, or does the sensation fill your entire mouth and jaw? How would you describe the taste?

Now, at your leisure, finish the treat as fast or as slow as you would like. You have just used all five senses to thoroughly and mindfully enjoy this small bit of food. Research shows that this activity can actually increase our enjoyment of what we are doing, and increase our happiness overall.

I hope this simple exercise has brightened your day just a bit, and helped you find a bit of your own Stillside. We are adding more guided meditations right here in the Stillside Blog on a regular basis. If you want to make sure you don’t miss any, just bookmark Stillside.com/category/guidedmeditations/ and check back from time to time. Thanks for joining me, and have a great day.