Pick up a raisin and hold it in the palm of your hand. Examine the raisin closely. What does it look like? What color is it? How would you describe the texture? Feel the raisin in your hand. What does it feel like against your skin? Is it rough? Slimy? Smooth? Soft? Hard? What do you feel? Smell the raisin and describe its aroma. Put the raisin in your mouth, but do not eat it. What does it feel like on your tongue? How does the taste compare to the way it smelled? Move it around in your mouth and notice every aspect of the raisin. Bite the raisin and notice what you taste. Now how does the raisin feel in your mouth? Finish chewing and eat the raisin. Describe the experience of the raisin.
This exercise is about cultivating awareness and beginning to learn to focus on the here-and-now. It is about being in the present moment and not missing anything. This exercise can be done with just about any object and it can be done with just about any activity. What would it be like to notice every detail of something that we normally do automatically and without much thought? What would it be like to notice every aspect of brushing your teeth or putting on your shoes? Break the activity down into its most fundamental elements. Be right there in the moment. Notice everything and be nowhere else.