Mindfulness.

Mindfulness is the starting point for much meditation practice. In NLP terms it might be partly described as having all senses open.

NLP suggests that we delete and generalize most of our sensory input, because it overloads our consciousness. Even non-NLPers may have heard of the 5 (plus or minus 2) items that we can keep in our minds.

Overloading the conscious mind is a familiar method of trance induction.

The famous hypnotherapist Milton Erickson's wife Betty even came up with an insomnia cure based on the principle. But it can also be used to bring you to a sense of mindfulness.

You might like to see if it alters your state of mind. Don't worry if it takes a while to complete the lists. Here's what you should do:

Look around and note three things that you can see.

Note three things that your body can feel (the feeling of the seat under you, for example).

Listen out for three things that you can hear.

Then note two different things that you can see, two different feelings in your body and two more things that you can hear.

Finally find one other new thing that you can see, a new feeling and a new sound to hear.

Take a moment or two to enjoy the change in your state.

Betty Erickson thought this up as something to do when you were tossing and turning in bed, hoping to sleep. In those circumstances it works as a soporific. You might like to use it as a meditation. It could be especially good if you are in a place where your attention can be on the sights and sounds of nature.

Your next step might be the NLP "State of Grace".