As you read this, perhaps you are sitting or lying down comfortably. Wherever you are, don’t change your position, simply become aware of your body on the surface beneath you. Be aware of the pressure of your body on that surface, the hardness of your bones within your body. Then shift your awareness to the surface on which you are sitting or lying. With a hand or foot, feel the temperature and texture of the material. Is it soft? Smooth? Warm? Firm? Is it a hard chair or floor? The more you can feel of the texture and temperature of these physical surfaces and objects the more you will pull your mind and awareness into the present. If you find yourself having a thought, it will pull you away from this present time experience. If that thought leads you to an emotion, gently bring yourself back to experiencing some specific aspect of the physical universe—the texture of the material you are touching, its temperature, consistency, colour, shape, contours, weight. How do you feel after the exercise? Do you notice you are more alert?
END OF EXERCISE FOURTEEN.