How to reconnect with your senses

I put on the VR headset to spend some child-initiated fun with my son and was reminded of the strengths of my senses. I was suddenly fully immersed in a whole new world. My heightened sense of sight took over and gave me an orgasmic, surreal feeling.

Later while out in the forest, I felt a light breeze on my neck, heard birds tweeting, echos of kids playing, horses trotting, and bikes riding by. Yet, there was no one in sight. It’s as if my eyes were closed to the human race, only seeing the trees, grasses, mosses, mud, dirt, and soil. My sense of hearing took over and left me calm and happy.

As I wrote offline on my MacBook, I went in and out of focus and flow as my mind randomly sensed nature again. I heard leaves rustling and saw Denver (my Maltese) sleeping in the sun's rays. The light warmed my face and hands on this Fall day. In these two instances, my senses came alive in both my home and the natural world, healing and restoring my mind and body as I slowed down and allowed them to. The benefits to my immune system, creativity, and flow/productivity abounded. I felt whole. I was one with nature.

As I removed myself from the constant stimulation of technology and stepped into the forest's quiet, my senses came alive in a way I had never experienced before.

SarahBeth, my online Yoga instructor, often asks me to close my eyes to allow my other senses to be intensified. It works; try it! I feel the stretch of my sciatica and lower back intensify with my eyes closed. Both painful and relieving.

Today’s world can be overstimulating as our senses are constantly being played with on little devices we keep in our pockets. We don’t even think to give them a break in the natural world or intentionally build space when doing mind, breath, and bodywork such as yoga.

So, I wonder, how can we holistically reconnect with our senses?

Can we slow down enough to notice how our whole body feels?