While on a mindfulness retreat the teacher casually invited us to notice our minds as we take a shower. The thought had never occurred to me so I decided to give it a try. I was absolutely amazed at the number of conversations I was having, the stories that swept me away and how many to-do lists I had organized by the time I got to shampooing my hair. Within a 10 minute period, my mind jumped from one topic to another and it was exhausting.

If you’re interested in trying this little experiment, gently pay attention to your experience the next time you take a shower. If you notice yourself thinking, try shifting your awareness to the physical experience. How does the water feel running down your body? How does it feel to put your full attention on washing your hair?

When I catch my mind racing, I find it helpful to name what’s going on in the moment. When the awareness comes (and it eventually will) that we catch ourselves lost in thought, we quietly say to ourselves, “thinking”. We don’t need to add layers of judgement about the content or how much thinking we’re doing; just notice that our minds are busy doing their thing and that it happens to everyone.

As we notice our habits of mind, we can gently invite ourselves back into the here and now. Through our sensory experiences, we can engage in everyday moments more fully, more awakened and be with our lives as they unfold moment to moment.

xo