Object of Attention (mindful seeing)

Pick up an object that you have lying around. Any mundane everyday object will do...a coffee cup or a pencil for example. Hold it in your hands and allow your attention to be fully absorbed by the object. Observe it. Use all your senses to explore the object but make sure all of your attention is on the object and your mind is focused. You’ll feel a sense of heightened "nowness" during this exercise. This can really give you a feeling of "being awake". Notice how your mind quickly releases thoughts of past or future, and how different it feels to be in the moment.