Mindful Design · Everyday Mindfulness
Lesson 2 · The room around you
When a moment is too much, turn outward: eyes open, three things you can see or touch, your feet, one sound.
Use it in a crowded shop, a tense meeting, or if a practice ever feels like too much.
The practice
Three things you can see
Not recorded yet.
Hi. It's Matthew again.
This one's for when a moment is too much. It's called Three things you can see.
Eyes open… three things… feet… one sound.
Letting your eyes open… and looking around.
Finding three things you can see… or touch.
Feeling your feet on the floor… or the chair holding you.
Letting one sound find you… near or far.
Moving, if you want to.
Once more, with fewer words.
Eyes open.
Three things.
Feet.
One sound.
And once on your own. I'm right here.
Next time a moment is too much…
eyes open… three things… feet… one sound.
Then the next thing.
What to keep
Use it any time a practice feels like too much: pause, and look around.
Why this
Why: The room around you
Not recorded yet.
A quick word on why.
You use this when a moment is too much… or a practice starts to feel like too much. A crowded store. A tense meeting. Halfway through a practice.
Looking outward gives your attention something steady to rest on. Things you can see. Something you can touch. Your feet. One sound.
It's the simplest way I know to step out of a moment. And it's the same move as pausing a recording and looking up.
It won't stop hard feelings from coming. It gives you something to do when they come.
A quick question
Halfway through something, it’s too much. What comes first?
Just for practice. Nothing is saved.