It’s the New Moon – July 28, 2022
Five Senses and Cultivating Awareness
I’ve been thinking about the simple mindfulness practice of using our five senses to call ourselves back to the present moment. It’s come up recently in conversations with my grand-daughter and also in the online training that I do.
There are lots of variations, but most of them start with noticing five things we can see. Taking the time to truly see each thing and naming each (aloud if possible). Next we notice four things we can hear. This works best with eyes closed, listening intently and then naming what we hear. We move on to three things we can smell and two we can touch. Lastly, we do one thing we can taste. It is a great practice to use during stressful situations. Done slowly with attention, it can help us realign with the now.
The Garden Invites Us In
Obviously, you can do this five-senses activity anywhere, but a garden is a perfect setting. And the summer garden – awash in lushness, colors, and fragrance – invites us in quite naturally. It calls to us to experience its aliveness through all of our senses.
Anyone paying attention knows there is a lot of chaos in the world. But stopping to connect with a garden in this way allows us to touch peace and centeredness and it rejuvenates us for stepping up in the world in a powerful way.
It’s not about perfection. The garden itself is not perfect (well, mine is not anyway). The super hot weather is preventing tomatoes from ripening and I’m dealing with the usual July infestation of Japanese beetles. I can always make a list of things that need to be improved. However, this activity reminds us to consciously stop and appreciate the beauty and complexity before us – with all of its imperfections.
Try It
Head out to your garden or favorite green space – notice five things you can see, but take the time to really see them. Tune into the
texture and shades of color and notice the intricate patterns on leaves and bark. Move on to four things you can hear and three you can smell. With each one take the time to experience it as if for the first time. Then touch and feel the uniqueness of at least two different plants. And find something you can savor through taste. If it has not already occurred to you, this is a great way to introduce mindfulness activities to children.
Cultivating Awareness
Just like nurturing the plants in our garden, cultivating awareness begins with an intention to make it happen. It’s easy to get swept up in the “garden to-do list” or the “to-do list of life”. Set an intention to connect with the garden in this way and see what happens. In addition to finding your calm center, you may discover overlooked beauty, quirkiness, and magic.
It doesn’t get any easier than cultivating awareness in the garden.
Lunar Blog Post Series
This post is part of my lunar blog post series. Each full moon I write about one of the plants featured in my book, Growing Mindful. Each new moon I write about a topic related to gardens, mindfulness, and spirituality. For more details and a list of past lunar blog posts, click here.
Check out the notecards based on plants featured in my book at my Etsy Store – click here.
