Sunday, March 5, 2006


Life Lessons: Five Senses Centering


Have you ever woken up in the morning and even before your feet hit the floor, your mind is racing with all that you have to get done that day? You're behind before you begin!

For several years, I've been using five senses centering throughout the day to remind myself that "I am here, I am now." By stopping, coming to a complete stop!, for just a few seconds and truly registering the here and now through the five senses of hearing, looking, tasting, smelling, and feeling, I can stop the merry-go-'round, take a deep breath, feel refreshed, and keep going with a new/renewed calm. This is truly invaluable for me.

And so I found myself facing another frenetic morning, mentally ordering the tasks of the day, the appointments, the errands, the mundane, all starting to loom monumental - at least that's how everything began to seem at some point between deep sleep and hot shower.

Every morning after 20 minutes on the treadmill, I walk out to the mailbox to get the newspaper, no great distance, just to the foot of our driveway, maybe 100-125 feet. But now, as I step out the door, I clear my mind by saying out loud one of several things. Some mornings I quote Kahlil Gibran to the rising sun, "Awake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving." Or perhaps I remind myself that "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

Whatever I say, and it does need to be said aloud, the words never fail to re-focus the entire day, opening my five senses to the re-centering of my thinking, energies, and most of all, hopes for the coming day. It's such a gift.

Next week, we'll look at the first of our five senses for centering, looking, truly seeing... See you next week!


Mary