Shore Open the app

Exercises Coming back to yourself

Five Senses

Brings you back to your body.

Rhythm: 5-4-3-2-1 · back to your body through your senses

Open in the app

How does it help?

Anxiety pulls attention toward the future and "what if" thoughts. Moving through your five senses one by one brings your attention, step by step, to your body and surroundings, where you can feel steadier and safer with yourself. Counting and searching also give your mind something to do other than worry.

On screen

For each sense, only that sense's constellation is shown, up close. Each thing you notice becomes a star, and the stars join into the constellation: sight the Lynx, touch the Hare, hearing the Lyre, smell the Little Dog, taste Alkes. All come from the real sky. At the end you see the whole sky from afar, the five constellations glow together, and the 15 stars meet in a crystal. With sound on, a soft bell rings with each star.

When it can help

  • When anxiety rises or panic is starting
  • When your thoughts speed up and go in circles
  • When you feel far away, disconnected or "not really here"
  • When a hard memory or feeling suddenly comes back

Research and sources

What does research say?

Widely recommended by therapists and mental health organisations for moments of anxiety and panic, and often used in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and trauma therapy.

Sources