Dave Johnson, PhD, CNS, BC, LMFT, Parkview Center for Healthy Living, invites us to bring a mindful mindset to our morning beverage.
One of my favorite meditations is the mug meditation, because it's concrete. As I sip my coffee each morning, I hit the pause button to really notice, rather than just gulp down my drink and move on.
You can do the same. The next time you pick up a warm beverage, consider these reflection points.
Watch the video: Mindful Reset: Mug Meditation
The senses
- What do I feel? The warmth of my mug? The texture of the vessel’s exterior? The sensation of the beverage moving through me?
- What do I taste?
- What is my inner voice telling me? Do I need to be more present and really listen to someone? Do I need to go out and be with nature?
- What do I see?
- What do I smell?
The mug helps to provide the forum, the mechanism, for grounding me in my senses.
The symbolism
But the mug can also be a metaphor.
- Nothing gets into my cup without my permission.
- Is my mug half empty or is my mug half full?
- Am I in need of help with discernment?
- Maybe my mug is broken or in disrepair, and there are resources out there to help me.
The rim of the mug reminds us of infinity. And sometimes I run my finger around the edge and contemplate the circle of life. Knowing that I'm not immortal and that life has rhythms and I'm in very various cycles throughout my lifespan.
So next time you pick up a mug, come to your senses.
