The senses of touch, taste, sight and smell were present before our ability to speak came along. As a babies in the womb we were already developing our sense of touch and at birth our sense of smell and taste kicked in and then hearing and sight developed within the first months. Each of these natural senses offers a different gift. Not all of us were born with all senses intact however. For example, the person born without sight or hearing may experience the expanded increase of other senses.

I was born with my left eyeball turned inward and shaking. This meant that my visual sight would be challenged, so I was operated on and the cord behind my left eyeball was severed. I vaguely remember my glasses with the patch over it and unconsciously loosing them wherever I went. Not unlike now with my reading glasses and the camouflage of batik that drives me potty when I am in search for them. Needless to say I survived with one good eye but I do wonder how I viewed the world to begin with having a so-called normal eye and one that was turned inward and shaking. It does make me wonder if that’s often why I see the shadow and wounds in people straight up. I also tend to put my hand over my left eye when scrying for someone in a journey. So even though I came in with what was perceived as damaged sight. There was a hidden gift.

Now back to the senses. It has been proven through mindfulness and cognitive behavior therapy that being connected and in touch with the senses is helpful both for anxiety and PTSD. It makes total sense when viewing it from a more spirit-based perspective. When we are majorly stressed, anxious or traumatized we naturally do the flight or fight thing.

I was born a natural flyer and rarely fight unless protecting others. My automatic go to action was to fly. I am very fond of the thought of flight (loved jumping tandem from a plane at 40,000 feet on my 50th birthday. Highly reccomended) and levitation, so it feels more natural than going into battle. However I had to learn how to stay landed in my body enough to function here on earth.

I have been always much more cerebral and esoteric so my body has just taken a back seat really. It has always told me the truth far more than my mind could ever do, which I am most grateful for.

I know now when I am partially or mostly out of my body as well as when I am really in it. Just that knowing is a really important step. “Hey I am outside my body. Why? Where did I go? And of course ‘How do I get myself back?’ So I have spoken and written about how to bring yourself back home in all sorts of ways, from Recapitulation to Soul Retrieval and much more.

In this post I would like to honor the sense liberators that can assist you to be here with more presence and consciousness.

The Sacred Senses Landing Tips

Sight: Three quarter close your eyes till you feel them light shielded by your eyelashes. Put your attention ‘inward’ towards your third eye. This improves what is referred to as inner sight. It is also calming for those who’s mind run around too much when they are fully closed. If you look at most pictures of Buddha the eyes are three quarter closed.  This assists in turning your sight inward to the ‘seer within’. Sight is not just about what your eyes can see when they are open.

Sound: Hearing is more than just what our ears pick up on. It’s often the vibration that comes with the sound or our own triggers that disturbs more so than the sound itself. For this I suggest just being present to the sounds around you. The white noise, tinitus, the bird out on the branch, the wind in the tree’s………zero in on the sound and be mindfully present of your ears.

Smell: Smell and memory and tightly connected. Some folk really resonate with the smell of baking as it brings them into their body with a memory of home or comfort. For others like me it’s not baking but rather something like White Sage. I smell it and instantly I feel more present and at ease. One time when I was in sweat lodge I had my face so close to the earth due to the heat and the sage I had in my hand to sniff was a lifesaver. It kept me present and when I smell it now it brings me back to my body instantly.

Taste: Have you ever chosen to eat a meal with absolute awareness? It’s like an active meditation where you are totally present with what enters your mouth. You may like to shut your eyes and ‘be the flavour’ and experience the taste consciously.

Touch: Touch can be included in the above as you are aware of your hand holding the fork and the awareness of its movement as it moves. Or touch your beloved animal with mindful kindess. Being really present in the sensation of touching/petting them with tenderness and love.

Now I am going to throw ‘Feel’ into this sense tribe.

Feel: For no less than five minutes either with eyes closed, open or three quarters  SMILE. Whatever you are looking at, whatever your mind is doing…..keep smiling. Be aware of the FEELING that smiling brings to each thought, memory or experience. Be aware of your face, your cheeks, the impact the smile makes on you.

Senses are something you can tap into at any time and what they help to do is bring you into the moment more as the observer and the participant.

The body is the house where our spirit resides. Our earth suit is quite miraculous and marvelous and it has gifts that can help our spirit feel more present and grounded.

Take an adventure with your senses. Remember to be mindfull of your breathe while you do it. Take my tips and expand on them and find ways of really getting to know your senses more deeply and what natural gifts they have to offer. What is your strongest sense? What is the one that needs more mindful attention?

Let your senses be your guide.

Blessings

Odette