We introduce this formal practice at the beginning of most Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction classes. Why? In order to demystify the concept of meditation. It shows us that mindfulness isn’t about “levitating” or “blanking the mind”—it is simply about paying close attention to the reality of the present moment.

(Note: If you don’t have a raisin, any small nut, berry, or piece of chocolate will do.)

The Practice Steps

1. Holding

Place a few raisins in your hand. Imagine that you have just come to Earth from a distant planet and have never seen such food before. Begin to explore it with all of your senses.

2. Seeing

Focus on one of the objects. Scan it, exploring every part of it. Turn it around with your fingers and notice what color it is. Notice the folds and where the surface reflects light or becomes darker.

3. Touching

Explore the texture, feeling any softness, hardness, coarseness, or smoothness.

(If thoughts arise such as “Why am I doing this weird exercise?”, just acknowledge them and bring your awareness back to the object.)

4. Smelling

Take the object beneath your nose and carefully notice the smell of it. Does it trigger a reaction in your mouth or stomach?

5. Hearing

Bring the object to one ear, squeeze it, roll it around, and hear if there is any sound coming from it.

6. Placing

Begin to slowly take the object to your mouth. Notice how the arm knows exactly where to go. Gently place the object in your mouth without biting it. Simply explore the sensations of this object on your tongue.

7. Tasting

When you are ready, intentionally bite down on the object. Notice how it automatically goes to one side of the mouth. Notice the explosion of taste. Be aware of the saliva in your mouth and how the consistency changes as you chew.

8. Swallowing

When you feel ready to swallow, consciously notice the intention to swallow. Then see if you can notice the sensations of the food moving down your throat and into your stomach.

Take a moment to congratulate yourself for taking this time to experience mindful eating.

Reflection

What did you notice with the raisin in terms of:

• Sight
• Touch
• Sound
• Smell
• Taste

Questions to Ponder

• What, if anything, surprised you about this practice?
• Did any thoughts or memories pop up while doing this practice?
• What was the relationship between your expectation of eating the raisin and the actual experience of eating it?

Going Deeper

Many people find it a little odd at first or find it difficult to slow down. That is absolutely normal.

Try this: Practice mindful eating at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Notice the difference between eating with awareness versus eating in a “mindless,” habitual way.

This simple life skill will gently bring you back to what is happening in the here and now.