The intention behind this exercise is the maintenance of full and complete awareness while we drink our favorite cup of coffee, tea, soda, juice, water, etc. We attend to the beginning, middle and end of the process of drinking a beverage.
Before drinking beverage
- Allow yourself 3-5 minutes of alone time to fully engage the process.
- Notice what thoughts and feelings and physiological sensations go you experience as you acquire your beverage.
- Take a pregnant pause before the first sip to fully engage your senses of sight, touch and smell.
While drinking beverage
- Hold the first sip in your mouth a few seconds longer than usual to savor the experience.
- Unitask as you take in each sip and smile to yourself when you notice distractions (because you are mindful when you catch yourself doing other things!).
- Observe what thoughts and feelings occur, without holding onto or “following” any one of them.
After drinking beverage
- Create our own mindful ritual to conclude this exercise (e.g., put a paper cup in the trash, wash a ceramic cup there and then, or say something to yourself like, “Ah” or “That was nice.”
- Note your current thoughts, feelings, physiological sensations, urges to action, etc.
- Smile to yourself as you go back to your day, taking with you whatever peace you achieved from this act of leisure.
© Copyright 2013 Maria Hunt
