Here’s how to do AppleApple’s mindfulness meditation: an example taken from a moment last week, when I was at her soccer practice, sitting inside the car, and it was pouring rain. It was my “easy” day of the week. I’d eaten supper in less than 10 minutes between piano lessons and leaving for practice (and picking up Fooey at a friend’s house). The idea is that you ground yourself in the moment by going through a gradually diminishing list of what you see, hear, and feel. Feel refers to physical sensations, rather than emotions. It’s incredibly simple and can be done anywhere. You are also supposed to breathe deeply while making these lists to yourself.

I see … rain drops; lines on the car windshield; a red blinking light that makes no sense; the word Ford; the steering wheel

I see … my blue water bottle, the mcdonald’s sign, the grey cloud cover, trees

I see … my computer, my hands, my ring

I see … both legs in black pants, these words

I see … the blue background of my computer screen

I hear … rain drops on the windshield, the bumping noise when this laptop hits the steering wheel as I type, the sound of the keys being hit, rain drops slowing, raindrops pattering

I hear … the typing, my breathing, the sound of a car engine, raindrops

I hear … a car passing behind me, rain, my mouth chewing gum

I hear … rain, cars

I hear … rain on roof

I feel … an ache in my right upper leg, dry lips, the need to swallow, an itch on my foot, my back curved uncomfortably against the car seat

I feel … my right leg against plastic, my left leg against the door, my back pressing the seat, an ache in my right shoulder blade

I feel … warm, my mouth wants to move, the itch on my foot has not gone away

I feel … the laptop pressing my legs, my nails and finger pads hitting the keys

I feel … an itch in my left armpit

Often when I do this exercise, I only get to the first seeing ones. Often, that’s enough to ground me in the moment. I admit there are moments in which a person does not want to be grounded but would prefer an escape. As someone with a lively imagination, I often prefer escape. That said, escape isn’t always possible or even preferable and this exercise helps me deal with the reality I’m actually in.

I have used this mindfulness meditation in the past week on a variety of occasions: while driving to a soccer game in the middle of nowhere, feeling lost and late due to having to take a major detour around construction; after a run in the heat when I was feeling light-headed; in boot camp while lifting weights; by the water at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto before my panel on Friday.

I plan to write more about the panel later this week.

xo, Carrie

PS The above photo is from a different soccer event from either mentioned in this post. But it will have to do for illustrative purposes.