After my sitting this morning, I thought I'd explore Sharon's Everyday Activity Meditations and make my breakfast a mindful experience since I'd fallen behind on Week 2 activities.

On my breakfast menu -- a cup of hazelnut coffee with soymilk, and two pieces of three-seed whole wheat toast.

I ate slowly with my eyes closed so I could isolate and experience the sensations. Usually I rush through breakfast while reading the morning paper so I can get to my computer and start the day's work. Today each bite was slow and small, and I chewed between 35 and 50 times. At first it was hard not to swallow involuntarily; my body seemed preprogrammed to inhale my meal at top speed. But as I lingered over the taste of the grains, the soft crunch of the sunflower seeds, and the contrast between the hard crust and the soft inner texture, it was incredibly pleasurable.

With my eyes still closed, I picked up the warm mug and cradled it in my hands, smelling the aroma. The warm coffee tasted smooth and rich and the soymilk much sweeter than it usually does. A meal that's usually not a big focus of my life suddenly felt like the finest moment of the day.

I probably took four times as long to eat this morning than I usually do. And by the end, I wanted to stretch it out even longer. A simple breakfast of two pieces of toast and coffee, however, was more satisfying and filling than I'd ever experienced it before.

I thought to myself, "If I can eat like this every morning and feel indulged and satisfied, why don't I do it more often?"