The Art of Mindfulness: Awaken the Senses
Mindfulness is a life-enhancing skill that inspires creativity. It is a meta-awareness and power of observation we all have. It is paying attention on purpose. The mind connects the body with breath in ways that exalt the spirit. We are sentient, present in the moment. A clear, compassionate mind is nonjudgemental. It is a pathway to contentment without worry from the past or anxiety about the future. Mindfulness nurtures healthful balance in the right relationship to ourselves, others, and the environment. The senses enliven with a clarity that naturally awakens creativity.
Science recognizes the benefits of mindfulness meditation. The practice makes new connections between brain cells, sparking neurogenesis. Just 10 minutes of daily mindfulness meditation improves memory and learning, minimizes stress and pain, and it markedly increases well-being. It requires unplugging from technology and tuning into an organic experience. It is a deep relaxation that happens by slowing down and taking time to be in time, to come back to the center and self. Empty the mind to become full. Less distraction creates more connection. Releasing negativity allows for positive energy and flourishing. Mindfulness is the essence of self-care.
Creative mindfulness activates the senses. What we see, hear, touch, smell, taste, and intuit imprints itself in the moment and memory of it. Sensory perception moves us to go with the flow and pure liberation of creativity. This energy makes art and life. We can practice the art of mindfulness by going to a museum, listening to music, working on a craft or hobby, making a pot of chili, taking a bubble bath, going for a walk in nature, keeping a journal, or simply drawing on the moment of what we think, feel, see, and imagine. We can go away by staying in place. Creative mindfulness is a personal and enriching process, and a way to enjoy healthy pleasures every day.
AWAKEN THE SENSES
Practice the art of mindfulness. These are sensory ways to inspire creative experience.
SIGHT - Active looking and seeing with open eyes and the mind’s eye. Perceive tones and shades of color. Observe lines, shapes, details, spaces, vistas of nature. Glimpse the light and all it illuminates. See near and far, inside and outside. Look to see to remember to enjoy.
SOUND - Active listening. Be mindful of vibrations in and around you. Listen to nature’s symphony. Make and listen to music. Resonate with life rhythms. Hear the sound of your pencil moving and heart beating. Tune-in to sound. Speak with creative true voice. Harmonize.
TOUCH - Feel with mind-body-spirit. Notice what touches you and is palpable. Smooth or rough, cool or warm, wet or dry. Touch the Earth and absorb its aliveness. Explore tactile patterns, textures, and forms. Make tangible what you think and feel. Connect.
SMELL - Breathe deeply, fill your lungs with the infusions of life. Inhale and exhale. Find fresh air and a fragrant environment. Smell the scents of the natural world with full olfactory stimulation. Fill your senses with everyday perfumes and pleasing aromas for therapy.
TASTE - Savor the flavor of what you eat and creative things you love with gusto. Taste nature’s abundance and sustenance. Satisfy your appetite for homemade delights and thirst for self-expression. Partake in the present. Spice your food and life recipe to taste.
INTUIT - Go with the sensory flow of the creative source. Observe your inner world. Be mindful, aware, sentient. Pay attention. See with your mind’s eye. Go with what you know and feel. Trust, and unconditionally open your heart to love and joy in the moment.
Learn more about the author and creative wellness at laura jaquays.com .
