This year, we want to reshare some “Bite-size Mindfulness Practices” from a Trauma Sensitive Toolkit for Survivors created by women survivors of sexual violence, Rape Crisis Tyneside and Northumberland and Mindful Therapies.

Mindfulness is about awareness, particularly awareness of the present moment. There are lots of things that we can be aware of. This exercise of mindful eating helps us to use all of our senses in the here and now. The guidance described below uses a piece of wrapped chocolate. You can use anything you like! Choose something that you enjoy and make it a full sensory experience.

Chocolate:

1. Choose one piece of chocolate and don’t eat it straight away! You might simply hold it in the palm of your hand.

2. Look at the wrapper. Notice if anything surprises you about it. Is it dull or shiny? Does it catch the light? Does it cast a shadow?

3. Notice how it feels in your hand. Is it rough or smooth? Is it heavy or light?

4. When you are ready, open your wrapper. What can you hear as you open your wrapper? Does it rustle? Does it rip?

5. Notice how the chocolate looks now. Is there a pattern? Are there any imperfections? Is there more than one shade of brown?

6. Notice if your chocolate has a smell. What happens when you smell your piece of chocolate?

7. Take a little bite of your chocolate. Notice the taste.

8. Finish your chocolate in your own time, noticing all of your senses.

If you notice that you have become distracted, that is perfectly normal. That’s just what the mind does. See if you can notice this without judging yourself and bring your attention back to your chocolate.

We felt the 54321 exercise would be good if you are in the middle of the city or in a public place, when you’re out and about. It can help to bring you back to the here and now and you could easily keep the piece of card in your bag or pocket. It also might be helpful to give the card to a friend or partner, who can prompt you to notice your senses.

For this exercise you need a small piece of card, (the size of a bank card) that you can keep in your pocket or bag. The idea is that if you are having a panic attack or flashback, you can take it out and it will help you to ground yourself. On the card is written a reminder to you to notice:

5 things you can see

4 things you can hear

3 things you can touch

2 things you can smell

1 thing you can taste

Posture and Grounding: Find a position that feels comfortable for you. You might find it helpful to close your eyes. This is entirely up to you. Ground yourself in whatever way feels right for you.

The Meditation: When you are ready, bring to mind a friend. Notice all of the things that you appreciate about your friend. You might recall their good qualities or something kind they have done for you. Notice how you feel when you think of your friend.

See if you can have a sense of kindness and well-wishing towards your friend. You might imagine them smiling at you. You might imagine them in a happy situation, such as sitting in the sunshine. You might say something to yourself like ‘may my friend be happy’.

Choose something that feels right for you.

When you are ready see if you can focus the same attention onto yourself. You might consider all the things your friend appreciates about you. Just as you wish happiness for your friend, you might consider that they will wish the same for you.