Microdosing Mindfulness, part 1
Small doses throughout the day of focused and present energy calms the nervous system, reduces stress, enhances cognition, increases empathy and compassion, and builds a habit of contentment.
For me it starts with coffee. I have a ritual. I grind the beans each day for my french press. I fill the kettle with water from the tap, and then I click the kettle into its electric cradle. I spoon the grounds into the pot: one spoonful, two spoonfuls, three spoonfuls. I listen for the water as it comes to a boil, the subtle rise in pitch of contained steam. Then I lift the kettle from its cradle just before it comes to a full boil, and I tip its elegant neck over the mouth of the french press, swirling the steaming water over the grounds. When it’s almost half full I grab one of two chopsticks that I keep for just this purpose, and I swirl the grounds until they begin to bloom and froth. Then I withdraw the tip of the chopstick, tip the neck of the kettle over the grounds once again, and continue to swirl the hot water over the grounds, rinsing the tip of the chopstick as I go, then returning it alongside the other into the repurposed jar that now serves the sole — and important — role of holding my coffee-stirring chopsticks. Then I place the lid on the french press, careful not to plunge too soon. And I step away for three to four minutes, practicing patience while the coffee grounds and hot water make magic together. I grab my favorite mug from the cupboard. It’s my favorite for how it feels in my hands, and how its narrow mouth keeps my coffee hot but not too hot. Then I place my palm over the top of the circular plunger of the french press, and I start the slow plunge, sending the saturated grounds to the bottom of the pot, with its gloriously dark, bitter coffee floating above and ready to serve. A full paragraph of saturated sensory moments and utter contentment at just being present and part of it all … and I haven’t even had a sip yet.
This is how a mindfulness practice shows up without really even trying. It began as an awareness that it was the process of making coffee that brought me contentment, just as much as the beverage itself. The beverage without the ritual just isn’t the same.
PRACTICE IDEA - Notice something you already do daily that brings you a level of contentment, and then allow it to become a mindful ritual. Maybe it’s washing your face before bed or in the morning. We’ll use it as an example. The next time you wash your face, notice the feeling of the tap handles against your fingertips as you turn them to adjust the temperature of the water. Let the water flow over your fingertips into the sink and notice as the temperature changes. Arrange your soaps and towels nearby and notice them in relationship to each other and to you. Feel your feet on the ground and notice the air temperature. Notice yourself in the mirror and remember you have a backbody: you are more than the reflection in the mirror. Wash your face with care, noticing sensations of water to skin, skin to skin, soap to skin, and skin to towel. Water, skin, soap, towel — they all have a history and have arrived in this moment together. The feeling of having a clean face is delightful, and when you create a ritual of the process, you amplify the delight, and make it a habit.
