I recently listened to Deb Dana’s audiobook “Befriending Your Nervous System,” and she introduced the concept of “savoring.” In savoring, you remember a moment when you felt safe, comfortable, and calm. For me, that usually is time spent in nature. I thought of a time when I watched the sunrise at the beach. I could see the sun’s soft glow as it ascended over the horizon, hear the gulls, and feel the gentle breeze. We recall that moment in our mind’s eye and allow it to bring us back to a place of peace and safety. We only need to do this for ten to twenty seconds. Savoring is not an extended meditation exercise.
Savoring our favorite memories
One morning when I got up during a recent vacation to the Catskill Mountains, I took my cup of coffee to a chair beside a stream near my bed and breakfast. I could hear the melodic flow of the creek and the birds singing in the trees nearby. I could smell the aroma of my coffee and feel the cool air. Surprisingly, a mother duck swam by with her little brood of babies. It occurred to me that this was the perfect moment for savoring. I tried to drink in the experience as much as possible so that I could return to this memory many times, savoring the sights, smells, sounds, and feelings of the moment.
We all have these brief experiences of savoring. It doesn’t have to be a vacation or a moment in nature. Savoring could be remembering when you sat in your most comfortable chair at home with a favorite book or gazed at a beautiful piece of art in an art gallery. The memory could be as simple as waking up in soft sheets and hearing the gentle patter of rain on the windows. Once you start paying attention, you will find these moments throughout your day.
How savoring helps us to be calm
So what is the purpose of this? The aim is to be more present in our life, appreciate those micro-moments that pass by mostly unnoticed, and feel the sense of safety, calm, and rest they give us. We also develop a storehouse of memories that we can return to for twenty to thirty seconds when we need to calm our nervous system, shift our perspective, and regain a feeling of being safe in our bodies. Many studies show that uncontrolled stress is damaging not only to our mental state but to our physical bodies. If we have this new tool that we can use to shift our outlook, we can begin to see new possibilities, be more open and flexible, and benefit our mental and physical health.
Give it a try this week! Can you think of any micro-memories you can savor? Can you notice new ones in your daily life? Comment below and let me know your favorite savoring memories and if this is helpful for you.