5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique

[PotatoSoufle]

Attended a workshop where the person leading the group encouraged us to begin with a mindfulness activity; the 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique.

The activity involves identifying 5 things you can see, 4 things you can feel/touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.

But I was distracted and somewhat flummoxed by the idea of being able to smell two things. Can you actually smell two things at once? I’m pretty sure that I can’t. Sure, there might be multiple smelly things in a room, but the odours either combine into one ‘smell’, or one overpowers the others. I can’t smell two distinct smells at the same time, and I can’t choose to focus on one smell over another, the way that I can with sounds etc.

I can, however, taste different flavours at the same time. So, perhaps it would be better to swap the senses around. But all instructions for this technique that I’ve seen stipulate 2 smells and 1 taste.

Is it just me that’s a bit odd? Or does this just not quite add up?

YABU - I can smell multiple different smells at once.

YANBU - I can only smell one smell at a time.

YANBU OP, but as someone who uses/teaches this technique regularly, I'd suggest trying to focus your senses onto one smell, and then onto another. I have to admit it's the hardest one! But I might say, I can smell the grass/trees, and I can also smell my perfume/detergent.
You can swap it round with taste though. It's about making it individual for you, one grounding technique is not going to suit everyone in the same format.

I read about this technique recently and I was taught 5 things you can see (in your peripheral vision) 5 things you can hear and 5 things you can feel. Then 4,3,2,1

I have a strong sense of smell but can’t really think of a time I’ve smelt more than one thing at a time.

It’s kind of irrelevant. The whole idea of the technique is to bring your attention to yourself and refocus your mind.
I.e. as you get to 2 things you can smell, you bring your attention to that sense - that’s what you’re thinking about. Having said that, I think you can smell two things at once. Even if the smells merge into one, you could still identify what each smell is. For example, say you walk into a McDonald’s and the floor has just been mopped. You can still smell the McDonald’s food cooking but can also smell the bleach? You’d know what the two different smells are.

Ohh I appreciate that it’s sort of irrelevant because of the purpose of the activity being to focus on the present self. I just found that being given what felt like an impossible instruction stopped my focus at that point and sent me off on an (internal) rambling monologue.

I honestly don’t think I would smell bleach and Macdonalds distinctly. I’m sure I would only be able to smell one dominant smell. Perhaps I am odd.

Thank you @justsayso I’m not sure I can focus my smell, but I probably could imagine or presume two different smells that could be present.

I’m quite happy with just swapping smell and taste round for me, although I’m not sure that I’d personally use this technique dry often. I’m more just surprised that they’re this way round in the first place.

I've always struggled with that exercise because of the smell and taste ones. Right now I'm lying in bed, I can't smell anything at all, and I can't taste anything either.

I can smell cooking smells from dinner earlier, but I can also smell a washing powder smell from my clothes. If I raise my wrist near to my nose I cand smell perfume. I'm pretty sure that if I were outside I might be able to, for example, smell traffic fumes but also the food smells from a restaurant or the smell of the sea etc.

I use this with my kids when they are upset or panicky. It really works. I get them to smell something like their teddy or food rather than just smelling the air.

I tend to smell my arm to smell my detergent or perfume or whatever, then smell whatever is in the air.

I would say I can smell more than one thing at a time. Of course the smells might blend in the air around me but I can still identify different elements, assuming they’re familiar smells. The McDonalds and floor cleaner one is a good example.

It's not smelling two things at once it's two things you can smell.
So to me it's smelling one thing then another

Same with all of them, 5 things you can see means looking round and thinking of them one by one. Same with hearing etc

I would say unless you are eating something at that moment there is only one thing usually you can taste!

Thank you @Mexicansky is the idea to move around a bit then? To go and smell two nearby items? We were all sat still just sniffing the air.

I can often smell one thing on the first breath) and a second on a deeper more thoughtful/concentrate sniff if that makes sense. Personally I like the two smells as even if it’s hard to spot things, it forces me to breathe slowly and deeply which of course has a power of its own. In comparison I always struggle with taste as unless I’ve just eaten something I usually can’t taste much! It’s such a lovely technique though: hope you find it helpful!