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<v Speaker 1>Good morning, and welcome to grief. Let's make sense of

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<v Speaker 1>this shit. For July twentieth, twenty twenty six, I'm Dylan,

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<v Speaker 1>and it means a lot that you chose to spend

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<v Speaker 1>these minutes here. Today, grief often shows up without any

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<v Speaker 1>warning at all. Because of that, today's focused practice centers

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<v Speaker 1>on the five four three two one grounding technique made

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<v Speaker 1>for sudden grief waves. Since the entire sequence takes five minutes,

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<v Speaker 1>we can move through it without adding pressure to your day. However,

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<v Speaker 1>finding a spot where you feel steady comes first. Meanwhile,

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<v Speaker 1>notice whether sitting feels better than standing right now. Although

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<v Speaker 1>these waves can leave you unsteady, this approach uses your

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<v Speaker 1>senses to meet the moment as it is. In other words,

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<v Speaker 1>we name five things you see than four, or you

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<v Speaker 1>can touch and continue from there. The reality is that

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<v Speaker 1>each step brings attention back to what surrounds you instead

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<v Speaker 1>of what the loss took away. That said, you stay

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<v Speaker 1>in control the whole time. For example, if naming objects

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<v Speaker 1>feels too sharp, you can choose softer details like colors

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<v Speaker 1>or textures. Plus, there is room to pause between steps

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<v Speaker 1>whenever you need. On top of that, the practice works

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<v Speaker 1>whether you are at home, or in a car, or

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<v Speaker 1>anywhere else the wave arrives. Ultimately, the goal stays simple.

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<v Speaker 1>We create a brief pause that honors how hard the

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<v Speaker 1>grief feels, while giving your body something concrete to hold. Now.

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<v Speaker 1>Here is where we get ready together. That simple goal

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<v Speaker 1>starts with bringing your attention to what surrounds you right now,

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<v Speaker 1>because grief can pull you away from the present moment. Instead,

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<v Speaker 1>you can choose to notice details that keep you anchor here.

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<v Speaker 1>Begin by naming five things you see. Look around the

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<v Speaker 1>space slowly, and say each one out loud or in

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<v Speaker 1>your mind. Take your time with this first step, since

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<v Speaker 1>there is no rush to finish. Notice colors, shapes, and

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<v Speaker 1>textures without needing to judge them. Pause now and let

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<v Speaker 1>your eyes settle on those five items, one at a time.

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<v Speaker 1>After that, move to four things you can touch. Reach

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<v Speaker 1>out if it feels right, and feel the surface under

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<v Speaker 1>your fingers or the weight of an object in your hand.

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<v Speaker 1>Name each one because this connects your body to what

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<v Speaker 1>is real in the moment. Allow the sensation to register

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<v Speaker 1>fully before you continue. Next, name three things you hear.

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<v Speaker 1>Listen for sounds near and far, whether it is the

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<v Speaker 1>hum of a machine or voices outside. Say them clearly

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<v Speaker 1>to yourself, since hearing helps shift focus away from the

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<v Speaker 1>weight of loss. Then identify two things you smell. Breathe

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<v Speaker 1>in gently, and notice any sense around you from coffee

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<v Speaker 1>or fresh air, or even the fabric nearby. This step

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<v Speaker 1>use this is another sense to stay present. Finally, name

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<v Speaker 1>one thing you taste. It could be the lingering flavor

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<v Speaker 1>from a drink or just the air on your tongue.

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<v Speaker 1>Hold that awareness for a few seconds. Now repeat the

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<v Speaker 1>entire sequence at a slower pace, because going through it

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<v Speaker 1>again can deepen the steadiness. Start once more with five

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<v Speaker 1>things you see and let each one register longer this time,

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<v Speaker 1>Pause between each so the details become clearer. Move on

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<v Speaker 1>to four things you can touch and feel the contact

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<v Speaker 1>more deliberately than before. Continue to three things you hear,

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<v Speaker 1>and allow those sounds to fill the space without hurry.

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<v Speaker 1>Notice two things you smell, with a slower breath in between.

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<v Speaker 1>End with one thing you taste, and stay with that

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<v Speaker 1>single sensation. The mechanism works because grief often scatters attention

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<v Speaker 1>across memories or worries, while this sequence brings focus back

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<v Speaker 1>to immediate surroundings through the senses. Each count builds a

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<v Speaker 1>layer of awareness that interrupts the pull toward what feels missing.

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<v Speaker 1>Since the steps you sight, touch, sounds, smell, and taste,

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<v Speaker 1>they engage different parts of the body at once. Therefore,

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<v Speaker 1>the mind has less room to stay lost in the

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<v Speaker 1>same loop. Although the feelings of loss remain, the exercise

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<v Speaker 1>offers a brief return to the here and now. Meanwhile,

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<v Speaker 1>repeating the sequence reinforces that shift without demanding anything more.

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<v Speaker 1>This micro ritual, called five minute grief grounding, fits when

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<v Speaker 1>morning dread arrives or when a wave hits during the day.

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<v Speaker 1>This kind of practice works because it shifts your focus

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<v Speaker 1>away from those looping memories and into the present moment

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<v Speaker 1>through simple sensory steps. Grief often keeps the mind circling

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<v Speaker 1>back to what happened or what might have been. However,

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<v Speaker 1>the sequence of noticing four things you can touch, then

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<v Speaker 1>three sounds, two smells, and one taste interrupts that pattern.

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<v Speaker 1>Since each step requires you to name some something real

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<v Speaker 1>and immediate rite where you are. The brain receives fresh

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<v Speaker 1>input instead of staying stuck in emotional recall. That shift

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<v Speaker 1>happens gradually, yet it creates space for steadiness to return. Meanwhile,

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<v Speaker 1>the same steps activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Although grief

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<v Speaker 1>tension often shows up as tightness in the chest or shoulders,

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<v Speaker 1>this gentle sensory focus signals the body that it can ease.

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<v Speaker 1>Researchers at the UCSF Stress and Anxiety Research Lab found

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<v Speaker 1>in twenty twenty two that similar present moment techniques produced

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<v Speaker 1>a measurable drop in heart rate during moments of acute loss.

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<v Speaker 1>Because the body and mind stay connected, this physical calming

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<v Speaker 1>supports the emotional side without forcing any particular feeling to change.

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<v Speaker 1>In fact, the repetition at a slower pace deepens the

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<v Speaker 1>effect since it gives the nervous system extra time to settle.

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<v Speaker 1>While the first brings attention outward, the second round allows

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<v Speaker 1>that steadiness to settle further into the body. Therefore, you

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<v Speaker 1>end up with both a mental break from memory loops

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<v Speaker 1>and a physical release from built up tension at the

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<v Speaker 1>same time. You can try this same sequence again later today,

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<v Speaker 1>whenever the fog returns. Notice how the practice feels after

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<v Speaker 1>you finish, and let that observation guide whether you repeat

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<v Speaker 1>it tomorrow morning or before bed. You can bring this

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<v Speaker 1>practice into any moment when grief arrives without notice because

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<v Speaker 1>the steps stay simple and portable. It works whether you

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<v Speaker 1>stand in your kitchen or sit on a park bench,

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<v Speaker 1>since the sequence asks only for your attention right where

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<v Speaker 1>you are. Try running through the full sequence once today,

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<v Speaker 1>even when the fog stays light. That small repetition builds

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<v Speaker 1>familiarity for the times when you need it more. If

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<v Speaker 1>this podcast helps you make sense of your shit, join

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<v Speaker 1>our Supporters Club for three dollars a month. You get

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<v Speaker 1>ad free listening and early episodes. Independent media only stays

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<v Speaker 1>alive when listeners back it. You can find the link

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<v Speaker 1>to join in the episode description. If this episode resonated,

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<v Speaker 1>professional support can offer additional space for what you carry. Meanwhile,

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<v Speaker 1>the same sensory steps we used earlier continue to steady

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<v Speaker 1>things when waves return. Since tomorrow brings another conversation on

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<v Speaker 1>grief and loss, I hope you join me then for

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<v Speaker 1>more gentle tools that honor exactly where you stand to

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<v Speaker 1>day