Meditation 2. Mindfulness in Everyday Life (Brushing Your Teeth)

Transforming the Routine into a Practice

This meditation teaches you to bring mindfulness to the most common and routine activities of your daily life.

We are going to use the simple act of brushing your teeth to turn an automatic task into a powerful mindfulness practice.

Although it may seem like a very simple exercise, it requires practice to be able to maintain attention in a sustained and conscious way.

The Purpose. Awakening Consciousness in Everyday Life

The goal of this exercise is to learn to bring your awareness to each moment, seeing life as it unfolds.

Normally, when we brush our teeth, our mind is elsewhere, thinking about the problems of the day.

This practice seeks to break that autopilot and anchor you in the physical sensations of the here and now.

Doing so allows you to feel the aliveness of your own life, even in the most seemingly mundane tasks.

The Step-by-Step Exercise. A Sensory Ritual

The next time you brush your teeth, I want you to pay attention to all the sensations involved in the process.

Feel the coldness of the toothpaste tube as you hold it in one of your hands.

Notice the firmness of your hands as you squeeze the tube to dispense the toothpaste onto your toothbrush.

Listen carefully to the sound of the tap water as you wet the bristles of the toothbrush before you begin.

The Sensations of Brushing. Touch, Sound, and Taste

Feel the initial coolness of the toothbrush and toothpaste when you first put it in your mouth.

Pay full attention to the motion of the brush as it moves up and down your entire mouth.

Focus on the feel of the bristles on the surface of each of your teeth and then on your gums.

Make it a ritual, consciously going over every corner of your mouth for the required two minutes.

The Rinse and Conscious Closing of the Ritual

When you finish brushing, pay attention to the act of spitting out the toothpaste and rinsing your mouth with water.

Feel the wetness of the water filling every corner of your mouth as you move it back and forth.

Notice the energy with which you spit the water into the sink and the feeling of cleanliness that remains after.

To finish the ritual, pay attention to the gesture of drying your lips and calmly looking at yourself in the mirror.

Life Unfolding Moment by Moment

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