I didn’t respond to this question the day it was asked, but reading it as I ate my breakfast made me tune into the flavors and textures of my delicious leftovers (from an impromptu date with my sweetie the night before) and again later in the day, eating mindfully rather than quickly.
Oh my gosh yesterday at the nature preserve with wild flowers my “smell senses” were extremely happy! Of course vision senses as well and hearing some birds 🌞
I’ve always been attuned
to people who,
for one reason or another,
have lost one or more of their senses,
and have envisioned how it must feel
to go through life . . .
without hearing a bird sing,
or see a waterfall,
taste the glory
of a warm bowl of fragrant soup
held in the hands,
or breathe in the aroma of ripe honeysuckle and lilacs.
There were people in my childhood
who had these ‘deficits’ . . .
I’ve never been able to imagine though
what it would feel like
to live in a world without touch,
which might be the deepest deprivation of all.
I read a book once,
called ‘Friends Come in Boxes’,
which was about a future
where a person who was dying
could have their brain stored,
in tact,
in a container on a shelf
with other brains stored the same way,
waiting for an available body . . .
science fiction,
of course. 🙂
I don’t remember a lot of it,
but I do remember
the isolation I felt as the passive reader,
of being one of those brains,
and found it very disturbing.
Those brains,
if I recall,
were present to one thing only
and that was desire for the sensual experience
of inhabiting a flesh and blood body.
Thank goodness
I am not a friend in a box,
and can feel everything that is offered up to my senses.
It is my belief
that they enhance my experience of the moment . . .
any moment . . .
the way watercolours
painted onto a pen and ink drawing,
magically bring an image alive.
Confessing that I am deeply attached to my senses,
I actively revel in them,
and my enjoyment of them
knows no bounds.
Granted,
pleasure always comes with pain,
but the price
is more than worth it to me.
Those who have lost hearing,
sight,
or one of the other faculties,
develop the others,
are more fine-tuned than I can ever be
and I cannot begrudge them that gift.
We are all worthy of these gifts,
no matter how they are portioned out . . .
I think they are meant
to enhance our experience of Life
if we just pay attention. ♥
My senses help me be present in different ways-though often I habitualize the experience!
When present to what I am actually doing, sight awakens me to the beauty of the world and grandeur of creation – in people and nature. Hearing allows me to enjoy communication with another- to listen and not just hear- and to appreciate the sounds of nature.
Taste -to be present to enjoying my food.
Smell to me is a strong sense that will not let me habitualize the experience. It is the sense that snaps me into keen awareness of the moment, no matter if it is a pleasant scent or unpleasant smell! I am totally present to the moment, all my senses are perked up.
Feeling, doesn’t usually doesn’t help me anchor in the present, except maybe when I experience water in the shower or lake – it feels soo good and I can loose myself in that experience, or the extreme shift in temps, hot sun on my skin.
My senses help me become more present to my life by informing me of what I experience (what I see; what I hear; what I physically feel (hot, cold, humid, dry, windy, …; what I smell; what I taste)); hence, facilitating my self-awareness, and presence.
Taste, touch, smell, listen, see..How could they not bring me to the present? However, I do my best not to mix up my senses and my feelings. I can hear my 12 step sponsor saying that the opposite of fear is not courage. It’s love. Granted love may lead to courage but it’s very important that agape love is the intention that brings me to display that courage.
Love today’s quote from James Baldwin: “To be sensual, I think, is to respect and rejoice in the force of life, of life itself, and to be present in all that one does, from the effort of loving to the breaking of bread.” James Baldwin
I can’t tell you how much love I feel when I get to break bread with one of my children. I wish I would have had that much awareness, that much sensitivity when they were youngsters.
Sparrow, That does not surprise me when I read back over it. I guess it is a reflection of my childhood and the bullying and how I looked out at my world with such fear that it controlled everything but my singing ability.When as a preschooler I sang, I was at peace. I literally sang to me through me. It was the one thing that made me feel like my parents were proud of me and made others stop in their tracks to listen. I don’t like knowing that I was an angry child and it has taken years of willingness to integrate that anger into something life giving. Sparrow, I don’t know if this explains it but its the best I can do. I tried for years to balance the fear with courage but the courage was empty until I learned to love and trust myself.
I think you have clarified for me
perfectly,
dear Carol Ann,
what you were saying . . .
at the time
I just couldn’t pull it out.
I am grateful
that your singing saved you,
although not unscarred . . .
sometimes
we have to get angry
to get past the fear I guess.
It sounds to me
like your years of willingness
have paid off though,
and you have received an even greater gift
than your voice . . .
your courage went from ‘acting as if’
to true courage of the heart.
Thank you for taking the time . . .
namaste. ♥
🙏
After I taught my gentle yoga class a little earlier, one of my students sat next to me while I was putting my shoes back on. He told me that tree pose was a spiritual experience for him today and then proceeded to tell me a story about an old dogwood tree in his yard. How he had his son help him cut a dying branch off only to realize that the entire tree was dying. His eyes welled with tears as he talked to me about this tree, how it didn’t bloom this year and how it is going to have to come down. It was so sweet and so sad at the same time. And for an 81-year-old man to be open and vulnerable with me, well, I just felt so connected and in the moment. I told him that tree must have shared a lot of beauty with him and his family, and he smiled.
How beautiful
that you took the time,
dear SunnyPatti,
to hear this man’s story,
and then to share it with us.
What a lovely, gentle soul
resides in this man . . .
he must have felt something
in your loving presence
to sit
and tell you
about his tree . . .
you have been honored. ♥
My senses help me become more present to my life by making be thankful for each of them. Touch, smell, taste, hearing, sight, they all contribute to my daily routine and give me reasons to be grateful. They bring me closer to nature and to others. When you use all your senses you can really feel what is happening around you. You can take in every moment and enjoy all the little things happening, that we may not notice when we are busy.
With my eyes I can pay attention to what is all around me and what is right in front of me. Today I will open my eyes and awareness to the world around me, and I will be grateful. Peace and love to all.
I think I am most present when I am attuned to my senses. This mostly happens on my morning walks. Even then I can get in my head if I’m not paying attention to my senses so I can be present. Being present with others involves eye contact and listening;
It is through my senses that I perceive this life.
My senses are the thing that brings me back to the present, from the movie that plays in my head.
The “greatest hits” and the “previews of coming attractions”. I think part of this journey, is to be comfortable in the present moment. Not bored, not anxious, not regretful. Just accepting.
This reminds me of lines from a poem by Andrea Gibson that are often shared online.
“Regret is a time machine to the past.
Worry is a time machine to the future.
Gratitude is a time machine to the present.”
–Andrea Gibson, from “Time Piece”
Today my eyes allowed me to take in the awesome nature all around me! Just in my friendly Neighbourhood. I’m so grateful for the lovely little yellow flowers dancing in the wind with the treetops swaying. It’s a beautiful day in the neighbourhood!
Thank you 🙏
Senses invite me to pay attention and notice things when I’m transfixed by thought. Conversely, senses can become overwhelming–the brightness of lights and loudness of sound during a migraine, for example–and tell me how to take care of myself. Sometimes a retreat and a refresh is in order.
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I didn’t respond to this question the day it was asked, but reading it as I ate my breakfast made me tune into the flavors and textures of my delicious leftovers (from an impromptu date with my sweetie the night before) and again later in the day, eating mindfully rather than quickly.
Oh my gosh yesterday at the nature preserve with wild flowers my “smell senses” were extremely happy! Of course vision senses as well and hearing some birds 🌞
I’ve always been attuned
to people who,
for one reason or another,
have lost one or more of their senses,
and have envisioned how it must feel
to go through life . . .
without hearing a bird sing,
or see a waterfall,
taste the glory
of a warm bowl of fragrant soup
held in the hands,
or breathe in the aroma of ripe honeysuckle and lilacs.
There were people in my childhood
who had these ‘deficits’ . . .
I’ve never been able to imagine though
what it would feel like
to live in a world without touch,
which might be the deepest deprivation of all.
I read a book once,
called ‘Friends Come in Boxes’,
which was about a future
where a person who was dying
could have their brain stored,
in tact,
in a container on a shelf
with other brains stored the same way,
waiting for an available body . . .
science fiction,
of course. 🙂
I don’t remember a lot of it,
but I do remember
the isolation I felt as the passive reader,
of being one of those brains,
and found it very disturbing.
Those brains,
if I recall,
were present to one thing only
and that was desire for the sensual experience
of inhabiting a flesh and blood body.
Thank goodness
I am not a friend in a box,
and can feel everything that is offered up to my senses.
It is my belief
that they enhance my experience of the moment . . .
any moment . . .
the way watercolours
painted onto a pen and ink drawing,
magically bring an image alive.
Confessing that I am deeply attached to my senses,
I actively revel in them,
and my enjoyment of them
knows no bounds.
Granted,
pleasure always comes with pain,
but the price
is more than worth it to me.
Those who have lost hearing,
sight,
or one of the other faculties,
develop the others,
are more fine-tuned than I can ever be
and I cannot begrudge them that gift.
We are all worthy of these gifts,
no matter how they are portioned out . . .
I think they are meant
to enhance our experience of Life
if we just pay attention. ♥
Thank you, Sparrow
My senses help me be present in different ways-though often I habitualize the experience!
When present to what I am actually doing, sight awakens me to the beauty of the world and grandeur of creation – in people and nature. Hearing allows me to enjoy communication with another- to listen and not just hear- and to appreciate the sounds of nature.
Taste -to be present to enjoying my food.
Smell to me is a strong sense that will not let me habitualize the experience. It is the sense that snaps me into keen awareness of the moment, no matter if it is a pleasant scent or unpleasant smell! I am totally present to the moment, all my senses are perked up.
Feeling, doesn’t usually doesn’t help me anchor in the present, except maybe when I experience water in the shower or lake – it feels soo good and I can loose myself in that experience, or the extreme shift in temps, hot sun on my skin.
My senses help me become more present to my life by informing me of what I experience (what I see; what I hear; what I physically feel (hot, cold, humid, dry, windy, …; what I smell; what I taste)); hence, facilitating my self-awareness, and presence.
Taste, touch, smell, listen, see..How could they not bring me to the present? However, I do my best not to mix up my senses and my feelings. I can hear my 12 step sponsor saying that the opposite of fear is not courage. It’s love. Granted love may lead to courage but it’s very important that agape love is the intention that brings me to display that courage.
Love today’s quote from James Baldwin: “To be sensual, I think, is to respect and rejoice in the force of life, of life itself, and to be present in all that one does, from the effort of loving to the breaking of bread.” James Baldwin
I can’t tell you how much love I feel when I get to break bread with one of my children. I wish I would have had that much awareness, that much sensitivity when they were youngsters.
How would you mix up your senses and your feelings,
dear Carol Ann?
I am confused
by your response. ♥
Sparrow, That does not surprise me when I read back over it. I guess it is a reflection of my childhood and the bullying and how I looked out at my world with such fear that it controlled everything but my singing ability.When as a preschooler I sang, I was at peace. I literally sang to me through me. It was the one thing that made me feel like my parents were proud of me and made others stop in their tracks to listen. I don’t like knowing that I was an angry child and it has taken years of willingness to integrate that anger into something life giving. Sparrow, I don’t know if this explains it but its the best I can do. I tried for years to balance the fear with courage but the courage was empty until I learned to love and trust myself.
I think you have clarified for me
perfectly,
dear Carol Ann,
what you were saying . . .
at the time
I just couldn’t pull it out.
I am grateful
that your singing saved you,
although not unscarred . . .
sometimes
we have to get angry
to get past the fear I guess.
It sounds to me
like your years of willingness
have paid off though,
and you have received an even greater gift
than your voice . . .
your courage went from ‘acting as if’
to true courage of the heart.
Thank you for taking the time . . .
namaste. ♥
🙏
After I taught my gentle yoga class a little earlier, one of my students sat next to me while I was putting my shoes back on. He told me that tree pose was a spiritual experience for him today and then proceeded to tell me a story about an old dogwood tree in his yard. How he had his son help him cut a dying branch off only to realize that the entire tree was dying. His eyes welled with tears as he talked to me about this tree, how it didn’t bloom this year and how it is going to have to come down. It was so sweet and so sad at the same time. And for an 81-year-old man to be open and vulnerable with me, well, I just felt so connected and in the moment. I told him that tree must have shared a lot of beauty with him and his family, and he smiled.
Fully listening helps me remain present.
Thank you for sharing this story – I love trees and was touched by this.
I love trees, too, and when I cue tree pose, I usually ask, “What kind of tree do you want to be today?” 🌴🌳🌲💚
If I make it to 81, it would be so good to have someone to listen to me. Wonderful encounter you both had, SunnyPatti.
It was a really nice encounter 💜 I bet you’ll have someone to listen to you when you make it to 81 🙂
awe very touching!
🥰
How beautiful
that you took the time,
dear SunnyPatti,
to hear this man’s story,
and then to share it with us.
What a lovely, gentle soul
resides in this man . . .
he must have felt something
in your loving presence
to sit
and tell you
about his tree . . .
you have been honored. ♥
I agree, Sparrow, “he must have felt something in your loving presence. “
I was definitely honored. This same man fell asleep during savasana one day, and I was honored then, too. 🙏🏼💜
Eyes to see and ears to hear! Thanks for sharing such a beautiful story.
🙂
My senses help me become more present to my life by making be thankful for each of them. Touch, smell, taste, hearing, sight, they all contribute to my daily routine and give me reasons to be grateful. They bring me closer to nature and to others. When you use all your senses you can really feel what is happening around you. You can take in every moment and enjoy all the little things happening, that we may not notice when we are busy.
With my eyes I can pay attention to what is all around me and what is right in front of me. Today I will open my eyes and awareness to the world around me, and I will be grateful. Peace and love to all.
I think I am most present when I am attuned to my senses. This mostly happens on my morning walks. Even then I can get in my head if I’m not paying attention to my senses so I can be present. Being present with others involves eye contact and listening;
It is through my senses that I perceive this life.
My senses are the thing that brings me back to the present, from the movie that plays in my head.
The “greatest hits” and the “previews of coming attractions”. I think part of this journey, is to be comfortable in the present moment. Not bored, not anxious, not regretful. Just accepting.
Being comfortable in the present moment. “Not bored, not anxious, not regretful. Just accepting”
Such peace comes with accepting. Thanks, Charlie. 🩵
This reminds me of lines from a poem by Andrea Gibson that are often shared online.
“Regret is a time machine to the past.
Worry is a time machine to the future.
Gratitude is a time machine to the present.”
–Andrea Gibson, from “Time Piece”
Love the “greatest hits” and “coming attractions” idea.
Today my eyes allowed me to take in the awesome nature all around me! Just in my friendly Neighbourhood. I’m so grateful for the lovely little yellow flowers dancing in the wind with the treetops swaying. It’s a beautiful day in the neighbourhood!
Thank you 🙏
It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood
here too,
dear Antoinette. ♥
🙏
Where do you live sparrow??
I’ve lived all over the US,
dear Antoinette,
but now
have nested in the Hudson Valley
in New York. ♥
When my senses are overloaded it disturbs my wellbeing. So I appreciate more my simplicity of life that helps me stay present.
“1 Breath=1 mind” Phil Jackson.
Senses invite me to pay attention and notice things when I’m transfixed by thought. Conversely, senses can become overwhelming–the brightness of lights and loudness of sound during a migraine, for example–and tell me how to take care of myself. Sometimes a retreat and a refresh is in order.
Wise words, Drea.