Today we’re back with another entry in our series of guided meditations. Similar to our last video, we going to do a meditation that involves focusing on our senses. Last time involved eating a small treat, and that exercise used all five senses. This time we will have a narrower focus, using just touch and sight.Find any kind of small hand-held object.  It can literally be anything that fits in your hand. At Stillside, we make a little Mr. Wisp token just for this kind of exercise. It can be nice to use the same object each time, to create a habit of repetition. So we made the Mr. Wisp stone as an easy go-to object that’s just the right size, and can easily fit in a pocket or bag. I’ll use Mr. Wisp for this video, but again, you can use anything you like.

As always, we’re going to prep for our meditation with the right environment. That means finding a quiet space, or making it quiet with headphones, etc. Find your favorite chair – mine is of course my Om Chair, which lets me sit cross legged comfortably and easily. Set your object aside, but somewhere you can reach it easily.

Find your favorite meditation 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.

As with any meditation, we will begin with mindful breathing. 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. Keep your breathing slow, counting from one to four and then restarting. Or use a different number if you like: one to five, one to ten, whatever you prefer. If you lose count, just start over at one and keep going. Remember, don’t judge yourself. You’re here, you’re meditating, you’re already doing the right thing, even if you lose count. Just being here is great.

When you’re ready, grab your object and hold it in your hands. Keep your eyes closed as you run your fingers all over the surface of the object. Allow your sense of touch to give you a picture of the overall shape of your object. Notice any areas that are different from others. Is it smooth, or rough? Is it soft, or hard? Does it have an overall symmetry of any kind, or is it somewhat random in shape? Try to gather as much information as you can.

Now, open your eyes, and we will conduct a visual observation. Look at your object generally, as a whole, just slowly taking it all in. Turn it over in your hand, looking all around it, noticing how many sides or faces it has, and what the object is in general. Notice the colors, textures, and shapes. Now, start to notice every small detail of your object. Try to see the smallest details you can find, any small imperfections or asymmetries.

Now, either closing your eyes again or leaving them open if you prefer, just let your hands feel the object however they want to. If it feels good to rub, or to squeeze, or just to hold it still, whatever calms you, just do that. Enjoy this little meditation aid, and how it is helping focus and calm your mind. Take a few more slow breaths and notice the more relaxed state you’re in after this short observation. Notice how much focus can come to the mind through the use of such a small and benign object.

Thank you for meditating with me, and finding a little bit of your own Still Side. Have a great day!