Sensory Awareness

[Alex Soto]

This sensory practice is also part of my practice with Medicine walks (Forest Therapy). It’s a very profound way to get out of your head and be present with nature. There is a mind walk I normally do that allows me to enter a sort of vision quest before I enter the park. I say a graceful prayer of just being thankful for nature always being there for us and showing us unconditional love. Then I walk slowly, very slowly noticing all around me from up above to down below nothing, everything grabs my attention. Even the people doing their morning walks. As I walk the park path, I noticed these huge trees that canopy the path as you walk. I had my hat on and something urged me to pull it off, once I did that I noticed everything much more brighter and vivid colors. That is where it came to me that the trees are wrapping their arms around us as we walk and guiding us into the beautiful landscape of the park. It felt like my oldest son who is 6’4 and wraps his arms around me telling me that he loves me, “love you pops”. I reach my sit spot and there as I sit, I notice in the rock wall in front of me a army of spot lanterns which are an invasive species to our land and our causing damage to the trees and plants. A group of people approach as they are walking by and find fly swatters on the bench seat that some kind person had left behind so we can do our part to help alleviate the growth of these insects. I had a hard time processing the killing of the insects, but then a part of me said in some way they are harming that what I love around me. So I got up and picked up a fly swatter and spent the next 10 minutes whacking them off rock wall. Once I stopped, there was a release and sweat and feeling like I did my part. Soon after that I walked back home passing through the garden to take in the world by my side. It was magical and colorful. I’m grateful each day that I can spend time with my nature family.

[Melanie]

I find this practice to be very grounding and expansive. When we finally sink into the 360 listening and focus on the silence in between the sounds, my surroundings feel lighter and more accessible. As I become more adept at sinking into this awareness, I can see how it will keep me present to whatever is going on around me, even if that is uncomfortable at times. That presence gives me tons of space and is invaluable in informing how I respond to my circumstances.

[Eileen]

I have found this mediation powerful and a great build on the sensory awareness exercises done in previous module. Taking meditation outdoors and into nature is very new to me. As I practice more regularly, I sense and feel myself going deeper into the core of my being. I really appreciate this meditation at this time since I had fallen off the tracks somewhat – good to be back.