Hi,
I'm Alex Hollanda and today I'll be leading you in a reflection on deepening connection sensory awareness.
In our 10 minute reflection session together we will carefully observe our senses and our surroundings.
This practice is meant to help you create a sense of relaxation,
Groundedness,
Peace and confidence.
Let's try it together.
Begin by taking a seat with at least one part of your body touching the ground.
This could be your feet in a chair or you can sit directly on the ground in a cross legged position.
With your eyes open or closed make little movements to get situated.
Lengthen your spine,
Lift your chest,
Tilt side to side to loosen your back.
Softly hug your belly button towards your spine.
Roll your shoulders a couple times and let them relax and rest your hands on your legs.
Take a full breath in.
Feel as softly and slowly as possible.
Notice how your body feels against your seat or your feet on the ground.
The feeling of your clothes against your skin.
Can you feel the temperature of the air around your body and the warmth of your own hands and feet?
Take a deep breath in.
Can you feel your body expand?
Exhale slowly and enjoy the feeling of being in your body,
In your unique skin.
In this moment there is peace,
Pure and simple.
Try to feel it in the stillness.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Now beyond my voice notice what you hear around you.
Maybe you can hear a ticking clock or the sound of nearby birds.
Maybe there's someone chatting in the next room.
What about the sound of your own breath?
Inhale.
Exhale.
So relaxed and present.
As you focus on what you can hear,
Imagine your ears opening up wide.
Begin to hear what is further away.
The wind in the trees.
The hum of a car or skateboarder rolling down the street.
A dog in the neighbor's house.
How far can you hear when you listen with all your attention?
Listen.
It almost feels like a superpower to hear so much so clearly.
Inhale.
Exhale.
What do you hear?
Softly open your eyes if they're closed.
Breathe deeply as your eyes adjust to the light.
Notice what you see.
Beyond thinking of things you see in words,
Notice all the qualities and details your eyes observe.
Color.
Texture.
Lines.
Edges.
Patterns.
Maybe you can see the stillness or motion of things swaying in the wind.
Observe any feelings in your body as you gaze out at your surroundings.
Are you affected in any way?
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Isn't it amazing how much you can notice when you look around mindfully?
Your eyes are a powerful means of connecting to everything around you.
Your skin,
Ears,
And eyes,
There's so much to enjoy.
A grand capacity to appreciate and connect with your world.
And still we've yet to consider your sense of smell and taste.
Slowly close your eyes.
As you breathe,
Try to remember a time when you smelled something sweet.
Think of something lovely that felt delightful in the air around you.
Imagine breathing it in right now.
A lavender plant or fragrant flower.
The smell of salty ocean breeze or a redwood forest.
Your whole body responds to the things you smell.
Some things energize you,
Others soothe you,
But all sense help you understand where you are.
What smells do you notice around you now?
Inhale.
Exhale.
From the moment you wake up each day,
Whether you notice it or not,
Your senses are engaged with the world around you.
At times there are so many things to process.
You might feel as if your attention is pulling you in many directions at once.
Yes,
It can be tiring or overwhelming.
That's a lot for your brain to organize.
In our reflection today,
You may have noticed a feeling of calm,
Peacefulness.
This is because we directed our attention to deeply notice one sense and all it absorbs one at a time.
In doing so,
We limited the stimulation from the world around us and within us,
Slowing down our thoughts,
Allowing time for our brain to process each piece on its own.
This is a practice you can use anytime throughout your day.
Even just a couple minutes can be powerful.
Your senses are an incredible part of you and a part of what makes life incredible.
When we honor them,
Embrace learning through them,
And deepen our awareness of them,
We often feel more comfortable and confident in our body and in our world.
How do you feel right now?
Inhale.
Inhale.
This concludes our reflection on deepening connection and sensory awareness.
Thank you again for joining me today.
Peace is a practice.
Peace is powerful.
Peace begins within.
Peace peace peace.
