Getting Back to Your Senses
Note: This article originally appeared in my September newsletter and serves as a great introduction to the direction of this blog - more to come!
Nothing can cure the soul but the senses, just as nothing can cure the senses but the soul. - Oscar Wilde
As a cool fall breeze whips past my face, the scent of fresh pine fills my nose and the leaves crunch under my feet, and I feel completely alive. The deer crossing my path is not an image I see often, and the wild berries I pick and snack on along my route remind me of the wonder of nature.
I love this time of year. Cool nights, bright sunny days, it’s the perfect time for getting “back to your senses.” Your 5 senses – sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell – that is.
I also love matching up an activity to the sense; savoring the cinnamon and sugar flavors in my mom’s homemade apple pie; seeing the red, green and yellow of the tree leaves as we drive north in October, feeling the soft fur of my cat through my fingers as he sits in my lap as if to say “Nap time, mommy.” In today’s fast paced society, it’s very easy to numb our senses, and yet they help us truly experience our lives. Here are a few common examples of how we numb our senses:
- We eat on the run, eating not to enjoy and nourish but because it’s fast and convenient
- We walk fast, heads down, talking on cell phones, occasionally bumping into people
- We’re involved in a conversation, yet our minds wander and we don’t hear a thing the other has said
Getting back to your senses may mean slowing down to pause and observe your surroundings. It may be the streets and sidewalks you travel down every day or slowing down to savor each bite of your dinner. It could be running barefoot across your lawn to feel the grass tickles the bottom of your feet. It may even mean noticing and nurturing that headache that attacks after a long stressful day. Maybe it’s about connecting with others and experiencing how that feels.
For me, being out in nature is the ultimate sensory experience. And sometimes that’s a long hike, other times that means sitting in my back yard.
When was the last time you engaged all 5 of your senses and really noticed the scene around you? Have you stopped to really notice the joy in your child’s voice as he plays, the aroma from the stove as dinner is being prepared, or the soft towel or robe wrapping you in warmth as you exit the shower?
Fall is the perfect time to connect back to your senses, to feed your soul and simply enjoy all that life offers. Over the next few days begin to notice different sensory experiences, to see how they make you feel. Become aware of your experiences and get back to your senses.
Hi Stacey: I think the last time I fully connected with my 5 senses was on Monday. I was sitting at the country club overlooking the ocean, there was a soft cool breeze, the water was a beautiful turquoise color, there were birds of all different sizes–including a humming bird–hovering around some plants close by, and there was that scent of cleanliness that lingers in the air right after it rains. Needless to say, it was fabulous!
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When have I engaged all five senses - I’m thinking of a time a few years ago (hopefully there have been many more recent times) that really stands out for me. We were camping in Yellowstone National Park. And all five senses were fully engaged. I woke up early, before anyone else, and went outside into the cool morning air. And I sat wandered around in the open field behind our campsite. There was the sound of the babbling stream, and a few birds making music. And as I looked out over the open field, I saw the beauty that is so much a part of Yellowstone. Everything I touched was cold on this very cool morning - and being used to summer temperature - I felt this cold much more. And, then I walked back to camp - and smelled the freshly brewed coffee. I poured a cup, sat down, and enjoyed it as I continued to listen to the comforting sounds of the stream below. And everything else was quiet. It’s a moment where I just felt very connected to this earth we live on.
More recently, I’m harder pressed to find moments where I’ve had all five senses really engaged at the same time. And I think a lot of that has to do with the busy lives we get ourselves wrapped around - and then there is no time to “stop and smell the roses”… You’re reminding me, Stacey, how important it is to slow down a little more often and really appreciate the moments in my life - and really let the sensory experiences play out. Nature does have a way of doing that.
Marelisa, what a great way to spend you Monday earlier this week!
Interesting. I have started writing morning pages in which I just blat away for 3 straight pages. I have noticed by doing that, I end up writing about what I am sensing. This morning I could hear the swish of the pen on the paper, feel my bare arm move against the duvet cover, feel the ceiling fan gently blowing air across the bed. Didn’t smell anything until I went downstairs and the Lion brewed our espresso. Boy, that smelled good!
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Marelisa - oh that sounds lovely! Although chilly I did enjoy a short walk on the beach last weekend. Any chance to gaze at nature is a great way to spend time!
Lance - Nothing awakens the senses like nature. And yes, we move so quickly we don’t “feel” anything! We’re too much in our heads. More on that later.
UrbanPanther - I love that your morning pages make you more aware of your senses. That’s fantastic. I love my morning pages, it’s a chance to really slow down.
Staceys last blog post..Getting Back to Your Senses
I think that consciously paying attention to our senses they eventually become more of habit. There are moments that I have been so in touch that I experience almost a sixth sense of intuition…..ok I am probably weirding you out! Wonderful post Have a fantastic weekend!
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I like to tune into my senses lying in bed in the morning. It’s a great way to start the day.
Jean Browman–Transforming Stresss last blog post..How Do You See Life?
I am sometimes guilty of numbing my senses when I get lost in the day-to-day components of life. I recover from my numbness by being in nature (and if nature is not available, by simply being outside).
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