Ground in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

A simple, easy-to-remember sensory awareness grounding technique to help calm and ground you in the present moment when anxious thoughts and feelings arise. It is a technique that I use often as part of my own meditation practice and is something that I encourage and practice with clients as well. You can do this wherever you find yourself, or you can step outside to truly give your senses an adventure. By tapping into our bodily senses, we can reorient our minds into the present moment and away from anxious or worried thoughts which have us digging into our past or dragging us into the future.

5-Things You See

Wherever you are, look around you and name five things you see in your environment. However big or small, near or far, tell yourself what it is that you see.

 

 

 

4—Things You Feel (can touch)

Bringing your awareness into your sense of touch, name four things you can feel. Maybe it is the rough material of jeans against your legs or the soft touch of your hair. Reach out and physically touch items, noticing the sensations of those objects against your fingers.

 

3—Things You Hear

Moving into your auditory senses, name three things you can hear. Perhaps it is the faint chirping of birds outside the window, or muffled sounds of a conversation happening in the next room. What do you hear?

 

2—Things You Smell

Shifting into your olfactory system, what scents can you make out? Name two things you can smell around you. Could it be the strong, robust smell of coffee brewing? Or the perfume of someone walking past you? Take a deep breath to fill your nose.

 

 

1—Thing You Taste

Finally bring your awareness into what you can taste. Swirl your tongue around your mouth and focus on what flavors your taste buds can pick up on. Can you still taste the lingering flavors of breakfast?

 

 

Once you have reached the end of this short exercise, notice how you feel. If you are still feeling anxious or worried thoughts come creeping back in, you can run through the exercise again. The more you practice it, the stronger that habit will become to interrupt the unhealthy thought patterns which may be causing feelings of anxiety.