Mindfulness triggers - handwashing

 
We all experience stress; and traumatic stress injuries can create stress in even the most ordinary crevices of your life. Meditation is a way to escape that stress temporarily, which over time can reduce your overall stress response to life.
 
Most of us think of meditation as sitting cross-legged on a pillow for an hour, and that isn’t very appealing to most of us. But there is a better way to seize control of your stress and anger – by slipping little meditations or “mindfulness activities” into everyday with minimal effort.
 
We’re probably all getting a little annoyed at the repetitive reminders to “Wash your hands!” right now. So why not turn a mundane task like handwashing into a sneaky meditation trigger?
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Here’s a handwashing meditation by Independently Happy:
 
Don’t be in a hurry to get back to the madness of the world and slow it down! Wash thoroughly and start with a deep breath.
 
Wet your hands completely before pounding on the pump for soap, find the perfect temperature and notice the sensation of your hands going from dry to wet.
 
Press the soap dispenser slowly and thoughtfully. Rub your hands together. Watch the lather form, feel the bubbles, watch the foam.

Take time to wash each finger intentionally.

Wrap all the fingers of your right hand around the thumb of your left hand and rotate a few times. Then move to your left index finger. wash each finger slowly, deliberately and mindfully.

Notice the temperature, bubbles and foam on each finger of each hand. That’s ten deliberately washed digits. Then slowly and thoughtfully wring your hands together a final few times.

I have had my mindfulness interrupted a few times by noticing people watching me like I’m some kind of weirdo. It does feel a little awkward washing your hands that way at first. It feels equally weird writing about it.
 
Mindful hand washing is an excellent mindfulness trigger to sneak three or four meditations into your day.
 

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