We live in a world that is vibrant in sensory stimulation, surrounding us in every moment with a tapestry of sensations more marvelous than any human-made art. But as we age, our culture wears away at the powers of our senses, dulling them with constant bombardments of media and advertisement. This meditation practice re-awakens our senses, bringing them back toward their natural levels.
Sit in any environment. Close your eyes and imagine that you can turn off all of your senses. Then, one by one, open each sense independently and linger in that sense for a few moments. Become the sense you are in, taking the offered stimulation as if it were a symphony. You need not pick out individual instruments. Just hear the whole symphony.
Begin with taste (though you are tasting only your mouth), move in turn to smell, then touch, hearing, and sight. If your mind wanders into thought, no matter. Just attend softly back to whatever sense you are immersed in.
After you have gone through each of your senses, take a moment to awaken all of your senses at once. Open your eyes and become a sensory being. If you are feeling a new vibrancy to your sensory world, recognize that this is available to you in every moment.
For a more detailed version of this practice that includes a guided meditation, see the Meditation of the Senses on the ReWild University YouTube channel.
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