The presence of sounds, sights, smells, tastes, and sensations on our skin can become an escape or refuge from everyday life. In meditation practice, we use noting—a simple label or word that we repeat—to help us stay connected to our present moment sensory experience.

When your mind wanders you can come back to the sense your selected or you can also shift to another sense if you like. When you come back to the senses you come back to the present—to what's happening right here right now. There’s no need to exert any control. It's all happening on its own.

Let go of the labels entirely and justice notice what thoughts are present in your mind. The sensory world can be a place of grounding and refuge. Of course, you don't need to formally meditate to connect with your senses. You can shift your attention anytime to sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and touches.

The labels help us focus our attention on our senses. Note that during meditation it doesn't have to be perfect. Thoughts and worries can still be there as an overlay or in the background. Just being cognizant of where you're putting your attention can give you the option to make a different choice and that is profound.

Activity: Connect to your senses through meditation

How to connect to your senses in meditation practice:

• Close your eyes
• Breathe a few deep inhales and exhales feeling the sensation of each breath maybe at the nostril, in the throat, or down in the belly
• As you do this silently repeat the label “feeling” as a reminder to feel the breath
• Begin to shift your attention outward to your external senses—each sense has a label hearing, smelling, tasting, seeing, or feeling
• Choose one sense and then see if you can stay with it. For example, if you're focused on hearing, bring your attention to any sounds that are present
• Really listen to the sounds and say “hearing” occasionally at a pace that works for you
• Shift your focus to another sense. For example, if you are focusing on feeling, bring your awareness to any feelings on your skin
• Repeating the label “feeling” on occasion at a pace that works for you.

Contact me to schedule a free phone consultation and learn more about connecting to your senses through meditation.