Mindfulness with an Orange: A 5 Senses Grounding Exercise
As a therapist and art therapist in Florida, I often recommend sensory-based tools to help clients ground themselves. One of my favorites? The humble orange. 🍊 It's simple, soothing, and always available at the grocery store (bonus points if it smells amazing).
This 5-senses mindfulness activity helps bring you back to the present when anxiety, overwhelm, or memories start to take over.
🍊 The 5 Senses Orange Exercise
👀 Sight: Notice the color, shape, and texture. Is the skin smooth, dimpled, bright, or dull?
🤲 Touch: Hold the orange. Feel its weight, roll it in your palms, notice the surface.
👂 Sound: Gently scratch or squeeze the skin—can you hear a faint rustle or squish?
👃 Smell: Peel slowly and inhale deeply. Is it sweet, sharp, or nostalgic?
👅 Taste: Savor a slice. Focus on the texture, tanginess, and juiciness as it unfolds.
🍋 No Orange? Try This Anywhere:
Use the classic 5-4-3-2-1 technique:
5 things you see
4 things you feel
3 things you hear
2 things you smell
1 thing you taste
It works in your car, office, grocery store… wherever your brain needs a breather.
🧠 Bonus: Talk Yourself Through It
When you're feeling overwhelmed or disconnected, try these gentle self-talk strategies to reconnect with the moment:
✅ Name What’s Happening
“I’m feeling…”
“I’m having the thought…”
“This is a flashback.”
“I’m having an emotional reaction.”
📍 Name the Moment
Say the time, date, and location.
Say a list of people you trust.
Remind yourself: “I am safe where I am because…”
💬 Remind Yourself: Feelings Change
You don’t have to fix everything in this moment. Just stay present.
Intense emotions may feel endless, but they are temporary.
You’ve felt other intense feelings before, and you made it through. Also, this will happen again.
🧘 Why It Works
Calms the nervous system and regulates overwhelm
Anchors awareness in the here-and-now
Encourages self-compassion and curiosity, not judgment
Blends beautifully with mindfulness-based and art therapy practices
🌿 Want more tools like this?
Therapy can help you learn how to ground, re-center, and build emotional safety—one orange (or brushstroke) at a time. Let’s connect.
📚 References:
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness.
This foundational text introduces mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and emphasizes the role of present-moment awareness in healing and emotional regulation.
Malinowski, P. (2013). Neural mechanisms of mindfulness and meditation: Evidence from neuroimaging studies. World Journal of Radiology, 5(12), 552–560.
https://doi.org/10.4329/wjr.v5.i12.552Explores how mindfulness practices impact brain regions involved in attention, emotional regulation, and body awareness.
Jennings, P. A., & Siegel, D. J. (2015). Mindfulness for Teachers: Simple Skills for Peace and Productivity in the Classroom.
Offers practical, research-based mindfulness strategies, including sensory grounding techniques, for improving emotional regulation and presence.
Neff, K. D., & Beretvas, S. N. (2013). The role of self-compassion in romantic relationships. Self and Identity, 12(1), 78–98.
https://doi.org/10.1080/15298868.2011.639548Supports the idea that self-compassion and mindfulness practices improve emotional resilience and interpersonal functioning.
