The Five Senses Game is an especially fun game to play with family and friends. Perhaps as an after-dinner treat. It’s actually a meditative exercise because it calms the mind by getting one more acutely tuned into one’s senses. And that sure makes a lot of sense to me.
Start by ringing your meditation bell. This is nothing like the sound of a school bell even though school has started and bells are ringing there. A meditation bell is a gentle soothing sound that reverberates for a long period of time. The more you hear its sound, the more the feeling of … ahhhhh. The bell’s resonation creates a deep focus of stillness and relaxation. Wouldn’t it be cool if schools replaced the unsettling buzzers with meditation bells? Imagine the possibilities with this type of focusing sound resonating through classrooms and hallways. What a wonderful world it could be!
If you don’t have a meditation bell for this exercise, no problem. Just search one out someday to imagine the potential.
And now for the five senses exercise. Everyone playing this game will need a small piece of paper and pencil to write things down. Once everyone gets that together, let’s go.
1. Let’s start with the eyes. Notice five things you can see. Try to find things that don’t usually catch your attention. Write them down.
2. Notice four things you can feel. For example, the paper you may be holding, the texture of your clothes. Count four different textures. Write them down.
3. Listen for three separate sounds around you. Find background sounds that may not be as immediately noticeable. Write them down.
4. Notice two things you can smell. The food cooking. The dog that needs a bath. Whether pleasant or unpleasant smells, write two down.
5. Finally, a taste. A sip, a chew, a swallow. Bring your full attention to one taste and write it down.
Compare your sensory notes with others. How many items are the same? How many are different? It’s fascinating on two levels – to learn how similar we are and also how different we are. No judgements. Only simple observations.
And that’s what meditation involves. No judgements + simple observations = increasing awareness.
Time for the sound of another gentle meditation bell … ahhhh.
• Joan Budilovsky can be reached at editorial@kcchronicle.com or through her website at Yoyoga.com.