Title: PROTOTYPE COLUMN

Your sensory mindfulness walk

🍁 Welcome to our Sensory Mindfulness Walk in this beautiful autumn setting. Let's take a deep breath and start our journey of the senses. As we walk, we will engage fully with the world around us. Ready? Let's begin.

👀 Sight:
As we start walking slowly, take a moment to really look around you. Notice the colors of the autumn leaves 🍂—the reds, oranges, yellows, and browns. Look at the shapes of the leaves as they lie on the ground or hang from the trees. Pay attention to the details in the bark on the trees, the patterns on the ground, and even the way the light filters through the branches. Try to see things you might not usually notice.

👂 Sound:
Now, let's shift our focus to the sounds around us. Listen carefully. Can you hear the crunch of leaves underfoot? The rustling of leaves as the wind blows through them? Maybe you hear distant conversations, birds chirping, or the faint hum of traffic in the background. Let each sound come and go, noticing them without judgment.

✋ Touch:
As we continue walking, gently reach out and touch different surfaces. Feel the roughness of the tree bark, the smooth coolness of a stone, or the delicate, crisp edges of a fallen leaf 🍃. Notice the textures and temperatures of everything under your fingertips. Feel the cool autumn breeze on your skin. How does it feel? Warm? Cold? Soft? Rough?

👃 Smell:
Pause for a moment and take a deep breath. What scents do you notice? Maybe the earthy smell of fallen leaves, the faint scent of damp earth, or even the aroma of a distant bonfire 🔥. Smell the air deeply and let these scents bring you fully into this autumn moment.

👅 Taste:
Finally, if you have something to eat, like a piece of fruit or a mint, take a moment to taste it slowly. Notice its flavor, its texture, the way it feels in your mouth. If you don't have anything to eat, simply focus on the current taste in your mouth, even if it's just the lingering taste of your last meal.

🍂 As we conclude our Sensory Mindfulness Walk, take a moment to appreciate the full experience of engaging all your senses. Whenever you need a moment of mindfulness, remember that you can always come back to these sensory experiences, no matter where you are.

Some questions about your mindfulness walk

Q: How did focusing on the different colors and shapes of the autumn leaves 🍁 change your perception of your surroundings? Did you notice anything you hadn't seen before?
A: Focusing on the colors and shapes of the autumn leaves helped me see the beauty in the small details. I noticed a variety of leaf shapes and the intricate patterns of veins on them. Before, I might not have paid such close attention to how sunlight plays on the leaves, making them appear even more vibrant.

Q: What sounds stood out to you the most on the walk? How did paying attention to these sounds impact your experience of the environment?
A: The crunching of leaves underfoot and the rustling of leaves in the trees stood out the most to me. Paying attention to these sounds made me feel more connected to the environment and brought a sense of calm and presence, as if I was more aware of nature's subtle symphony.

Q: Describe how the various textures you felt during the walk (e.g., tree bark, stones, leaves) influenced your mindfulness practice. Did any particular sensation make you feel more grounded?
A: Feeling the rough bark of a tree, the smoothness of a stone, and the crisp edges of a fallen leaf made me more aware of the physical world around me. The cool, rough texture of the tree bark in particular made me feel grounded and present, reminding me of the stability and strength in nature.