Fall Pumpkin Meditation
It’s prime pumpkin season here in the USA, and you know what that means, right? It means pumpkin spice seasoning, jack ‘o’ lanterns, and tasty pumpkin treats are just about everywhere right now!
Here at Treebath we love a seasonal meditation, so what better way is there for us to mark the abundance of this delightful October staple than with a pumpkin themed meditation? This simple meditation can be done alone or in a group and is a great way to introduce kids to mindfulness practice is a fun and engaging way.
All you need is a quiet space, a pumpkin, and 10 minutes.
Got everything you need? Then let’s begin!
Fall Pumpkin Meditation
Start by sitting down in a comfortable position with your eyes closed. Begin bringing your attention to your breath; breathe in through your nose for 3 counts, and out through your mouth for 5 counts. Keep breathing like this until you can continue this rhythmic pace naturally, and until you sense your body and mind calming to settle in the present moment.
Once you feel settled into the rhythm of your breathing bring your attention gently to your physical sensations. Check in with your body, noticing any sensations you are currently experiencing. This could be anything from the weight and balance of your body in this seated position to the temperature of the air on your exposed skin. See if you can notice and name 3 such sensations to solidify your presence in your body, and the moment.
When you have named these 3 sensations and feel grounded in the now, slowly and gently open your eyes. Bring them to focus on the pumpkin in front of you. Ask yourself these 3 questions:
1. How would you describe the color of this pumpkin?
Is it a fiery autumnal orange, or can you spot hints of green, brown, and yellow flecks? Is it all one shade of orange, or are there different patches of darkness and lightness? How would you describe this pumpkin’s particular shade- sunset? Auburn? Copper?
2. How would you describe the shape of this pumpkin?
Is it round, or oval, or even slightly square in places? Is the shape smooth and consistent, or are there knobbly or bumpy patches along the outside? Does your pumpkin have deep ridges or just small undulations? Does the shape remind you of anything else, and if so, what?
And, if you reach out to softly brush your hand against the waxy exterior,
3. How would you describe the texture of this pumpkin?
Is it smooth, or rough? Does the texture change in different places? Would you describe the exterior of your pumpkin as soft or hard? Does the texture feel different is you push your hand against the pumpkin with more force? Is it an unpleasant or pleasant feeling? What else has this sort of feeling against your skin?
Asking yourself these 3 questions brings your attention not only to your sense of sight and touch, but also engages your imagination as you create associations between this pumpkin and other sensory memories.
Now that you have fully immersed yourself in the sight and touch of your pumpkin, it’s time to ask yourself ‘how does it smell?’ Close your eyes once again and take a deep breath in:
4. How would you describe the scent of this pumpkin?
Is it earthy? Woody? Sweet? Savory? Musty? Spicy? Does this aroma conjure up any memories for you? Can you pick up on different nuances of the scent? Does it all smell the same or do different parts have their own, unique perfume?
Once you feel satisfied that you have examined the pumpkin with your senses of sight, touch, smell, and imagination, sit back with your eyes still closed and take a moment of quiet reflection on how this meditative experience was for you, what it brought up, and whether it was as you’d expected it to be.
Meditation is all about being present in the moment, and this simple sequence is the perfect way to upgrade your practice as it can be applied to any object, not jus a pumpkin!
We hope you enjoyed this simple seasonal pumpkin meditation! If you’d like more seasonal meditations then why not check out the Treequility app for access to an abundance of seasonal Forest Therapy meditations (all of which take just 10 minutes to complete!)
If you enjoyed this meditation then feel free to let us know by commenting below or emailing us at youmatter@tree-bath.com. Happy pumpkin season!