Sensory Explorations
We are often oblivious to what we are seeing, hearing, tasting, feeling, and smelling. We might halfheartedly sense something when we are occupied with another activity: we eat while we are driving; we interact with family members while texting. Yet our senses provide a direct connection to the flow of present moments, if we would only pay attention.
One of my earliest green world memories is running through the paths of my grandfather’s garden. The tall staked tomatoes and corn created living tunnels for me and my siblings to run through. As we brushed against the plants, the tomatoes released their distinct fragrance and the corn stalks rattled in their raspy voices. It was a full sensory experience.
Sensory explorations are a good entry point for all of us, as they immediately connect us to the natural world.
Awareness of Sight
The explorations in this section help us engage with our sense of sight. The first three explorations work well together and can be done as a series of activities. Two of them involve drawing, but they are not about creating art; they are about seeing. The process of drawing helps us tune in to what is in front of us.
Choosing a Plant
You’ll need a plant, or part of a plant, to work with for these activities. It can be a tree, a bush, or a smaller plant. When selecting a plant, I encourage you to walk around your green space and take time to look at plants as if you are seeing them for the first time. Pay attention to the shape, color, and texture. Ideally, select a plant that is calling to you in some way. You may also want to choose a plant based on the weather or your physical abilities.
Other considerations when choosing a plant:
• Are you comfortable standing or kneeling?
• Can you sit on the ground to observe a plant?
• Would you prefer to sit in a chair and have the plant be closer to eye level?
If it is not possible to stay outside to observe a plant for the entire activity because of weather, you can do this exercise with a houseplant or by bringing part of a plant indoors. And yes, these activities can be done in any season. Many plants lose their leaves in the winter, but there is much to observe on stems and branches.
Once you’ve identified your plant, you can begin.
Exploration
Tuning In
Type of Exploration: Sensory (sight)
Supplies Needed:
• Journal or paper
• A flat surface to write on (such as a clipboard or large book)
• Pen or pencil
Ideal Setting: Outdoors with a favorite plant, but this can also be done indoors with a potted plant or part of a plant you’ve brought indoors
Child Friendly: Yes
Sit or stand in front of your plant and just observe. Ask yourself what you are seeing. Often our first response is to label the plant. We think, “I am looking at a cherry tree” or “This is a rose bush.” Sometimes words get in our way and prevent us from seeing what is in front of our eyes. Let go of the names of the plants and instead use adjectives to describe what you see. Pretend you are a botanist from another planet seeing this plant for the first time and you are writing home about it.
• How would you describe it?
• What is your overall sense of the plant? (Healthy, vibrant, young, bright, energetic, etc.)
• What are the plant’s colors?
• What shape is the whole plant?
• What shape are the plant’s leaves?
• How do the stems attach to the plant?
• What do the plant’s flowers look like? (If applicable)
• Does the plant creep along the ground, or does it cling to things and climb?
• Are parts of the plant sharp, soft, fuzzy, or angular?
Take your journal and write down every word or phrase that you can think of that represents this plant. You do not need to write in complete sentences; in some ways, trying to write full sentences might slow you down. Just identify what you are seeing and capture your words and thoughts on paper. This is an example of my writing on garden sage during winter:
full, bushy, grey, green, stem-y, strong, rooted, beautiful,
distinct, soft, arrow-leaves, confident, powerful
Next, refocus your attention on a small part of the plant, one leaf, or a section of stem. How would you describe this small part of the plant? Many of your words might be the same, but not all of them should be. This is an example of my writing on one small leaf of garden sage during winter:
crinkled, soft, grey, small, curved, cave-like,
smooth, ridged edges, curling
Sit with the plant a little longer, just observing. When you are ready, record your thoughts in your journal. What did you discover? What surprised you?
Exploration
Hand to Paper #1
Type of Exploration: Sensory (sight)
Supplies Needed:
• Journal or paper
• A flat surface to write on (such as a clipboard or large book)
• Pen or colored pencils
• Tape
Ideal Setting: Outdoors with a favorite plant, but this can also be done indoors with a potted plant or part of a plant you’ve brought indoors
Child Friendly: Yes, recommended for ages six and up
The first thing to know about this activity is that it is not about making art. We are not looking for a finished product that is an accurate drawing or representation of what we are seeing. The goal is to focus your vision and really see the plant, often noticing things you’ve never seen before. Focusing on an object in this way can be a kind of meditation, to really see the object and all of the nuances, the color, the shape, the form. Let go of any judgment you have about your artistic skills. (Sometimes our drawings are quite interesting, but they are still not the point of this activity.)
I have, over many years of gardening, taken the time to do this activity with all my favorite plants. It is a way to connect and learn more about each plant. It sharpens my ability to pay attention and my appreciation for each plant’s beauty and uniqueness. When I introduce this activity in mindfulness workshops, participants are often surprised by what they find when they tune in to a plant they thought they knew.
I am very partial to using colored pencils for my drawings because they create a soft impression of what I am trying to represent. I have found that markers can be too bold, and crayons are lovely but not very precise. Experiment to see what you prefer. You can also use any type of paper, but plain white sketching paper will work best and add to the experience. The pencils and paper you use don’t have to be high quality, but if you can afford a step up from basic copy paper and the dollar store colored pencils, you’ll notice a difference in the experience.
Begin the exercise by simply being present to the plant in front of you. In the previous exploration, you made a list of all the descriptive words you associated with your plant. Now you will be tuning in to the twists, turns, and nuances of the shape of the plant. Focus on a part of the plant that interests you (stem, leaf, flower, etc.). You will not be able to draw the entire plant during this exercise.
It is helpful to tape your blank paper in place, whether to a table or other hard surface, so it does not move as you are drawing. Position yourself so you can easily see the plant. Place your pencil on the paper where you want to begin your drawing. Once you do that, you will not look at your paper for the rest of the activity. This will be challenging, but it will help you focus on what you are seeing. Remember: this is not about a finished product. This is a way to help your eyes focus on what is in front of them.
Looking only at the plant, begin to trace the form that the plant is taking with the pencil on the paper. Try to capture every small bump and turn. Do this for at least three minutes, focusing your eyes only on the plant.
Your finished drawing may look beautiful or comical. That’s fine. Return your focus to the plant. Then record your insights in your journal. Did the activity help you see anything you missed when observing the plant’s attributes? What unique features did you notice about the plant? What surprised you? What challenged you? What delighted you?
This activity might be difficult to explain to very young children. It should be possible to do with most children ages six and up. Because children can be very literal, you may want to avoid calling it a drawing activity. Emphasize that we are using pencil on paper to help us see better, which is exactly what we are doing.
Exploration
Hand to Paper #2
Type of Exploration: Sensory (sight)
Supplies Needed:
• Journal or paper
• A flat surface to write on (such as a clipboard or large book)
• Pen or colored pencils
Ideal Setting: Outdoors with a favorite plant, but this can also be done indoors with a potted plant or part of a plant you’ve brought indoors
Child Friendly: Yes, recommended for ages eight and up
This next activity follows a more familiar experience of drawing. The challenge with this is that most people feel they cannot draw and their self-judgment takes over. As with the last activity, you will have a representation of the plant on paper, but this exploration is not about the drawing. It is about focusing your eyes. Let go, if you can, of wanting the results to be artist quality.
Sit quietly and observe the plant again. If you’ve done the previous two activities, there are many features to tune in to. Find a place on the plant that you want to draw and start there. Continue drawing for at least five minutes to give yourself enough time to capture details of the plant: the curves, lines, notches, and bumps. Draw for longer than five minutes if it feels right. The goal is not to have a completed picture of the whole plant, but to have the part that you do complete be detailed with the features of the plant.
As in the previous activity, record your discoveries in your journal. Were you able to tune in to any additional, unique characteristics of the plant? What surprised you? What challenged you?
Exploration
Seeking New and Different
Type of Exploration: Sensory (sight) and movement
Supplies Needed:
• A garden or green space where you can walk
• Journal or paper
• Pen or pencil
Ideal Setting: A green space you can get to easily, as this exploration involves repeat visits
Child Friendly: Yes
Begin with a conscious intention to notice changes and things that are new in your green space. It helps to state your intention before you begin to walk, such as: “I’m aware that each moment is new and different, and I am tuning in to the newness.”
Before you begin walking, breathe in the energy of this green space and let your eyes take in the whole area. Then, as you begin to slowly walk through the garden, stop frequently and focus on individual plants. Notice their shape, color, and overall design. This activity is easiest to do in spring and summer when gardens are changing dramatically throughout the day. However, fall and winter provide an opportunity to pay more attention and hone our attentiveness and connection.
Record your observations in your journal. What discoveries did you make?
This is a great activity to do with children. It honors their need for movement and their natural curiosity. Try imagining you are explorers together.
Exploration
Treasure Hunt
Type of Exploration: Sensory (sight) and movement
Supplies Needed:
• A magnifying glass would be useful, but is not necessary
Ideal Setting: A garden or green space where you can walk
Child Friendly: Yes
Opening your eyes and being aware of all that is happening in the garden has endless variations. Before you begin to walk through your garden or green space, set an intention for what you will be observing. Choose a treasure to focus on. This is a specific plant or green world feature to search for and be aware of. This will be limited only by your garden space and your imagination. Some suggested categories are:
• Flower buds that are just starting to open
• Flowers that are fading
• Seedpods
• Plants just emerging from the ground
• Bees
• Flying insects
• Crawling insects
• Insects on flowers
• Shapes in the garden (circles, ovals, spirals, etc.)
• Patterns in the garden (all the tall plants, all the small plants, shapes of leaves, etc.)
• Specific colors or variations of colors
If you are going to observe small features, try using a magnifying glass to enhance that ability.
This activity is perfect for children, and they might have great ideas for other categories. If you are doing this activity with children, remember that ideally, it is done silently. That gives everyone time to focus. Discussing what was discovered can be done after everyone has time to observe.
Although this is a great activity for children, don’t assume it is not a deep practice. Focusing your attention on one category helps you stay present. You can appreciate subtle differences and changes in the garden.
I love this activity because it helps me attune to the smaller details in the garden. My yard has multiple beds and planting areas with many colors and shapes. When I take the time to search for specific shapes or insects, it focuses my attention. I practice this activity year round while going for walks. I search for buds forming on tree limbs and shrubs to notice the first visible signs of spring as they swell and prepare to open.
Exploration
Becoming an Alien
Type of Exploration: Sensory (sight)
Supplies Needed:
• Journal or paper
• Pen or pencil
Ideal Setting: Your garden or other green space
Child Friendly: Yes
Close your eyes for a few moments and imagine this scenario. You are an alien just visiting the planet for the first time. Everything you see is new. Open your eyes as you imagine stepping out of your spaceship into a place of vibrant color and energy.
How would you describe what you are seeing to others on your home planet? If you have no labels for plants and components in the garden, what might you say? Let go of what you think you should be seeing and describe what is in front of you. Here are some suggested concepts to consider in your journal:
• Describe the light and dark
• Describe the overall visual sensation
• Describe shapes
• Describe colors blending together on plants
• Describe how images flow together
Awareness of Scent
My dog Luna bursts out the back door each morning and runs the entire perimeter of the yard with her nose to the ground. Once she’s checked out the edges, she continues running around the yard in a zigzag pattern following scents throughout the yard. We live in an urban neighborhood with cats, raccoons, skunks, moles, and other exciting night creatures that she can detect. A dog’s sense of smell informs their world. Our human sense of smell will never be as strong as a dog’s. However, we can take the time to cultivate this sense and its ability to connect us to our world.
Scents have the power to anchor us in calmness, wonder, and presence. One of my own experiences involving a transformational scent happened many years ago when my youngest daughter was twelve. We were camping at a festival in New York. I attended a women’s healing ritual in the afternoon, where I was introduced to an essential oil blend called Sanctuary.7 During the ritual, the facilitator placed a dab of Sanctuary oil on each participants’ forehead. I resonated with it immediately. It was strong, earthy, and centering. The ritual was powerful and exactly what I needed at that time to address some chaos in my life. The scent anchored the feeling of calmness and empowerment.
Later in the evening, someone came to my tent to tell me my daughter had dislocated her knee. She had been at the pool with friends and it popped out of place. This happened several times when she was twelve; without any provocation, her knee would dislocate. As I ran to the pool, I was immediately aware of the Sanctuary oil. The scent had stayed with me all day. Rather than my usual stressed reaction, I felt calm and ready to deal with a challenging situation. A nurse on-site at the campground tried to guide my daughter’s knee into place without success, so I drove her to the emergency room, located an hour from the campground. I borrowed a friend’s station wagon so she could stretch her leg out in the back as I drove.
Driving unfamiliar country roads in the dark with a child crying in the backseat is not a recipe for calm and centered emotions. However, that was exactly how I felt! The Sanctuary fragrance was helping me tap into serenity and peace. Ten minutes before we got to the emergency room, my daughter’s knee popped back into place on its own, something that also frequently happened. While I was relieved that it had popped into place, I knew we still had to have her checked out.
Entering into a room with blazing fluorescent lights and emergency room noise was jarring, but I was again helped by the Sanctuary oil, which anchored me to centeredness. I often think of that night when I think of the power of smell in helping us be present and calm.
As with other senses, when we take the time to tune in to our sense of smell, it opens the door to the flow of present moments. Molecules of scents from the world are interacting with the nerve endings in our nasal passage to provide information and delight. If you are a gardener, you probably already tune in to garden fragrances on a regular basis. The following exploration activities offer ways to go deeper and notice the nuances.
Exploration
Tuning in to Garden Scents
Type of Exploration: Sensory (smell)
Supplies Needed:
• Journal or paper
• Pen or pencil
Ideal Setting: A garden or other green space
Child Friendly: Yes
Sit or stand in your garden or green space. You may want to close your eyes, which will allow you to focus more on your sense of smell. Inhale deeply through your nose. Stating an intention is also helpful: “I am open to connecting with the fragrances of this garden and green space. I am attentive to all the scents emanating from this green space.”
Breathe in the energy of the green space and ask yourself what you are smelling. Unless you are close to one overpowering plant, there will probably be a mixture of smells, many of them very subtle. Give yourself enough time to settle in, focusing on your nose.
In your journal, write down every word or phrase you can think of that represents the overall fragrance of the garden. This does not have to be written in complete sentences and the words do not have to be words we traditionally associate with smell. Colors, animals, shapes, songs, or poems might present themselves. The idea is to capture your experience with this sense in your garden.
Here is an example of my writing using the sense of smell in my own garden on a spring morning:
freshness—openness—sparkly—wet—shimmering—vibrant—sweet—jasmine—newness—emerald green
Continue to take in the fragrance of this space. Add any other insights and discoveries to your journal entry.
Exploration
Going Deeper with Scents
Type of Exploration: Sensory (smell) and movement
Supplies Needed:
• Journal or paper
• Pen or colored pencils
Ideal Setting: A garden or green space to walk in
Child Friendly: Yes, but watch for bees and plants with thorns, especially if exploring with younger children
In a garden, we may be overpowered by one or two strong fragrances and unable to tune in to the more subtle ones. Some plants have heavy fragrances that carry on the wind, making it hard to detect others. In the spring, my entire neighborhood carries the perfume of lilacs because they are so prolific. That’s lovely, but it also makes it difficult to be perceptive of anything else.
What we want to do in this activity is move beyond this strong surface level of smells. As you did in the activity on listening, just sit or stand quietly for a few minutes and focus on what fragrances you are taking in as you inhale. Being outdoors has a different fragrance than being indoors. Be with that. If you live in a city or on a busy street, there may be scents that have nothing to do with a garden or green space, and yet here they are. The practice of being present means taking those scents in as well and just noting your dislike. Let go of judgment for the most part. Use common sense. If smells are toxic or there is an air pollution alert, it may be best to stay inside that day.
This activity differs from the previous one in that we begin to move slowly through the garden and put our nose close to flowering plants and inhale. (Watch for bees or other pollinators as you are doing this.) Many flowers have a light fragrance that is only noticeable when we get close. Flowers have a wide variety of fragrances, all with the intention of calling pollinators to them. There is a whole spectrum of smells; some we will love and others, not so much. I happen to love the musky fragrance of clary sage and the slightly acrid tinge of marigolds. Many people do not. There are ornamental pear trees planted in my son’s neighborhood that give off a strong scent for a few days every spring that I find disagreeable. But the trees are gorgeous, and the smell is part of who they are. This activity is not about liking and disliking, although we can note those responses. It is about tuning in to plants, their personalities, and their vibrations.
Like getting to know something new about a friend, taking the time to tune in to smells connects us more deeply to these plants. Walk slowly through your garden or green space and lean in to smell the flowers of different plants.
Leaves and stems also have fragrances, especially the leaves and stems of culinary and medicinal herbs. Usually we need to brush against a plant to release the scent. For this part of the activity, make sure the plant you are brushing up against is not an allergen for you and does not have thorns, tiny hairs, or stinging parts. You can also use gloves to do this activity. If you don’t have your own garden space and are using a public garden space, touching is usually allowed as long as you are not damaging the plants in any way. Just be conscious of that as you walk.
Try this activity at different times of the day. Some plants depend on night pollinators and do not release their fragrance until evening. The fragrance of nicotiana, for example, is imperceptible by day. At night, as the plant is calling out to evening pollinators, it has a strong jasmine-like smell.
When you’ve finished your garden walk, capture your experience and discoveries in your journal.
Exploration
Creating a Fragrance Game
Type of Exploration: Sensory (smell)
Supplies Needed:
• Scissors
• Small containers (jelly jars, baby food jars, cups, etc.)
• A tray for setting the containers on (optional)
• Journal or paper
• Pen or pencil
• Tape
Ideal Setting: A garden or other green space where you have permission to snip parts of plants
Child Friendly: Yes
We can create a scent awareness game for ourselves or to share with others. This one is especially fun with children. The distinct fragrance of culinary herbs is a good place to start. Clip leaves of lavender, dill, basil, rosemary, summer savory, lemon balm, mint, or similar plants. As you clip each one, express gratitude to the plant for sharing its fragrance with you. Rub the leaves to release the fragrance and place each snippet of plant in its own small container. Write the name on tape and affix to the bottom of the jar. Wash your hands in between plants so the fragrances don’t mix. Try this with six to ten plants to start. If you are doing this with small children, start with four or so.
Once the plant snippets are in jars, wash your hands thoroughly so you don’t have any herbal fragrance on your hands when you begin. Find a place to sit quietly and lift each jar to your nose to breathe in the fragrance. Ideally, this should be done with eyes closed. Another option is to have the top of the container covered with a tissue so that there are no visual clues. Breathe in each plant and see if you can identify it by smell alone.
All plants and leaves have fragrances, but many are subtle. As you refine your sense of smell, you can tune in to lighter fragrances. Using snippets of vegetable leaves like tomatoes, beans, okra, and arugula (and weedy plants you may be pulling up anyway like dandelion, ground ivy, bindweed, and burdock) will make a more challenging game. You can also repeat the game with flowers.
This is a fun activity for children. They can help set up the game by choosing herbs and plants along with you. What child does not like tiny containers and games of smell?
Record in your journal any insights and discoveries.
Exploration
Creating a Fragrance Garden
Type of Exploration: Sensory (smell)
Supplies Needed:
• Planters
• Potting soil
• Seeds or cuttings from a friend’s garden
Ideal Setting: A garden plot or near potted plants, whether they are on a patio or indoors
Child Friendly: Yes
Creating a fragrance garden is a long-term project, not unlike setting up a meditation area in your home. It may be something you want to consider. Planting fragrant herbs along a walkway where you will brush against them as you walk by can remind you to be present. You can also choose one area of the yard or garden to be a focal point for fragrance.
You can research plants that do well in your area or talk with someone at a local garden center to decide what you’d like to plant. Some common and easy-to-grow herbs include lavender, rosemary, sage, thyme, basil, mint, and lemon balm. Be aware that mint and lemon balm will spread rapidly, so you may want to sequester them in large pots or their own beds.
There are many fragrant flowers as well, but the advantage to growing fragrant herbs is that the perfume is in the leaves and will be around for the entire season. Some plants, like sage and lavender, hold on to their fragrance throughout the winter as well.
Apartment dwellers can also create a fragrant indoor garden with potted plants. Rosemary, thyme, and basil all do well in sunny window locations.
Once you’ve established which plants you want to pot, the key part of this activity is allowing the fragrance to be a reminder of mindfulness. Like the ringing of temple bells calling everyone back to the here and now, we can make a commitment to practice mindful awareness whenever we brush against the plants and release their fragrance.
I recommend using your journal to record ongoing observations with this practice.
Exploration
Capturing Fragrances
Type of Exploration: Sensory (smell)
Supplies Needed:
• Garden herbs
• Scissors
• Garden twine
• Small squares of cotton fabric
• Ribbon
Ideal Setting: A garden or green space where you have permission to collect herbs
Child Friendly: Yes
Many culinary and medicinal herbs hold on to their fragrance for a long time. Finding ways to include these sweet-smelling plants in our lives can reduce stress and help us practice attuning to the present. There are many essential oils that capture the fragrance of plants. Creating essential oils requires some expensive equipment and many plants, but anyone can capture scents in an accessible and straightforward way by drying them.
Some of my favorite plants to dry are lavender, basil, sage, clary sage, rosemary, and thyme. You can look up the requirements for specific plants, but a basic procedure for drying herbs is as follows:
• Remember to thank the herb that you are using before you start to cut.
• Clip small bundles of herbs early in the morning after any dew has dried.
• Tie the stems and hang them upside down in a cool, dry place for a few days until they are completely dry. Drying time will vary depending on your location. Alternatively, the herbs can be laid out on a tray in a cool, dry place.
• Once completely dry, package the herbs into glass jars. Canning jars work well.
The herbs I suggested can be used for tea and to flavor your food. They can also be made into small herbal charms to keep nearby. Use a four to five–inch square swatch of cotton fabric. Place a generous amount of dried herbs in the center of the swatch. Bring the four corners together and tie them with a ribbon. Instantly, you have an herbal charm to take with you or to keep on your desk or dashboard. Squeezing the charm lightly will release the fragrance and remind you to practice awareness.
Awareness of Sound
The first time I visited Rocky Mountain National Park with my family, we hiked through a grove of aspen that looked just like I’d always imagined a fairy forest would look. The slight cream-colored trunks, mottled with grey, held branches of shimmering light-green leaves. The sight was beautiful, but it was the sound of the leaves gently rustling that completed the magic. Like thousands of papery windchimes, they created an enchanting soundscape. As other hikers rounded the path, there were notable gasps of awe. The composite of sight and sound was all encompassing.
Our gardens may not offer such an over-the-top experience, but that can be a good thing as we can stretch to sharpen our awareness of this sense. Seeing and smelling might seem like the easiest senses to tune in to in a garden. Focusing on sounds requires a little more attention. As a start, put away the earbuds and headphones for a while, and tune in to the space around you.
Exploration
Tuning in to the Garden Soundscape
Type of Exploration: Sensory (hearing)
Supplies Needed:
• Journal or paper
• Pen or pencil
Ideal Setting: A garden or other green space
Child Friendly: Yes
Sit or stand quietly in the garden and begin to pay attention to the sounds you are hearing. It may help to do this with eyes closed, if you are comfortable with that. It is also helpful to state an intention: “I am open to connecting to this garden/green space through sound. I am attentive to hearing all the sounds emanating from this green space.”
First pay attention to the most obvious sounds you hear. Some may be in your garden and others might be sounds enveloping your garden. You may hear leaves rustling, prayer flags flapping, the buzz of bees, or hummingbird wings. You might also hear a neighbor’s lawn mower, a dog barking, or conversations happening elsewhere. Notice those sounds and accept them as part of this soundscape. Don’t push anything away. Just meet the sounds with curiosity and without labeling. I live in a cityscape, so neighborhood sounds are part of my garden sounds.
As you sit, allow sounds to wash over you. Become an open and receptive receiver of sounds, great and small. As you settle into listening, focus your attention on quieter and more subtle sounds. What sounds have been below your conscious awareness? What is the space between the sounds?
Give yourself some time to experience this activity. It’s easy to walk away after a few minutes. Challenge yourself to notice the subtle sounds and silence. Sit for a minimum of ten minutes. See what you discover, then record it in your journal.
Exploration
Going Deeper with Garden Soundscapes
Type of Exploration: Sensory (hearing)
Supplies Needed:
• Journal or paper
• Pen or pencil
Ideal Setting: A garden or other green space
Child Friendly: Yes, although very young children might get impatient
This activity is an extension of the previous one. Pick a subtle sound to focus on. This could be leaves or corn stalks rustling, bees buzzing, or hummingbird wings flapping. It will be helpful to sit close to these happenings. For example, sit near a tree or close to flowers where bees are pollinating. In the summer, my garden buzzes with pollinators, but if you don’t have a lot of flowers in your green space, you may have to visit a place that does.
Tune in to your chosen sound. It might ebb and flow or it might be a steady sound. If it ebbs and flows, be aware of the emptiness between sounds.
As in the last activity, let the sound wash over you. Become a receiver for this sound. It can act as a mantra, helping with focus and single-pointed awareness.
Consider how the sound is happening. When we hear rustling leaves, they are rubbing against each other, moved by air currents. Air currents are created by the sun, our burning star, as it heats the atmosphere. Currents form with warmer air rising and cooler air sinking. Air begins to flow and moves the leaves. The leaves touching each other cause vibration in the air, traveling to our ears and our brains. It’s a magical process. Whether it is leaves, hummingbird wings, or our neighbor’s dog barking, the process of hearing is equally amazing. As with the last activity, stay with this exploration long enough to settle in and allow discoveries to happen.
Record your experience in your journal.
Exploration
Creating Rhythm
Type of Exploration: Sensory (hearing)
Supplies Needed:
• Journal or paper
• Pen or pencil
• Small drum or flat surface that can be used as a makeshift drum (optional)
Ideal Setting: A garden or other green space
Child Friendly: Yes, for children old enough to discern rhythm
This activity involves creating a rhythm along with nature sounds. As a hand drummer, I tend to hear rhythms where none were intended. I’ve found it enlightening to sit in the garden with my eyes closed and let a rhythm present itself to me. I am open to the idea that rhythms are happening in any space—I simply need to turn my awareness to them. It is interesting to sit quietly and allow the disparate sounds to reveal themselves as a rhythm.
Drumming on your thighs is an easy and accessible way to do this. You can also use a small drum or any flat surface that can serve as a drum, like the arm of a lawn chair or the side of a planter. If using an actual drum, tap out the rhythm quietly so you don’t overpower the sounds in your green space.
Begin by being still and tuning in to the sounds in your garden. Give yourself enough time to shift into a comfortable awareness of the sounds. It may be helpful to state an intention: “I am open to co-creating a rhythm with the sounds in this garden.”
Listen with the intention of finding a rhythmical pattern. Making patterns out of stimuli is something we do quite naturally as humans, often with visual patterns, but we can do it with sound as well. When you feel like you have a rhythm to match the sounds, begin to tap it out softly on your thighs or makeshift drum. There is no right or wrong here. Whatever you create will be perfect in this moment, a co-creation with existing soundscape. It is not as much about the rhythm created as it is about the rhythm you are tuning in to.
Stop periodically to listen to just the sounds created by the green space and adjust your rhythm if you want to. This is an interesting activity to do with children as they may tune in to completely different sounds. Stay with this for a while; it is a subtle and profound way to listen deeply.
Record insights and discoveries in your journal.
Awareness of Touch
The soft, downy leaves of the ornamental lamb’s ear plant are a favorite with my grandchildren. They love touching the plant, picking the leaves, and rubbing them against their faces to feel the soothing silkiness. As infants and children, we are all about exploring the world through touch. As we get older, we are more cautious, and although that’s not a bad thing, it sometimes limits our interactions with the natural world.
Smooth, soft, rough, prickly, bumpy, scratchy—there are hundreds of ways a plant can feel to our touch. Taking the time to be familiar with the texture of plants is another way to be present and get to know each plant. Even gardeners may not have a familiarity with plant textures if they routinely wear gardening gloves.
A caution: Some plants can cause dermatitis or an allergic reaction, which is one of the reasons some gardeners wear gloves. In the two activities in this section, use plants that you are familiar with, look them up, or touch them cautiously at first. The plants included here are generally safe, but every person is different, so pay attention to any reactions you may have.
Exploration
Tuning in to Touch
Type of Exploration: Sensory (touch)
Supplies Needed:
• Journal or paper
• Pen or pencil
Ideal Setting: A garden or green space
Child Friendly: Maybe. Adults should explore the area first and supervise children if there are plants in the area that they should not touch. Some plants are scratchy and would be fine for adults to explore, but not small children.
This activity is about exploring the garden through touch. Some plants can cause dermatitis and other allergic reactions. Take some time to make a positive identification of a plant before touching. If you are new to gardening, get the input of an experienced gardener, a plant identification book, or both.
As with the other senses, it can be good form to begin with an intention. “I am open to tuning in to tactile awareness in this garden. I am open to learning more about this green space through touch.”
Begin to walk slowly through the garden and gently run your hands across plant leaves, flowers, stems, and branches that you are familiar with. Use your eyes to observe what parts are safe to explore. For example, it is fine to touch rose petals and leaves, but the stems have thorns. As an adult, you may want to gently explore the thorny stems, but this is not recommended for children. Similarly, raspberry leaves are textured and interesting, but raspberry stems are quite scratchy, and you may want to avoid them. If you are growing any type of hot pepper, don’t handle the peppers with your bare hands, as they will burn. Also watch for bees and other pollinators.
Plants that are generally benign to touch include: marigold, calendula, dandelion, lemon balm, parsley, chamomile, fennel, mint, and most leafy greens. Dinosaur kale is especially interesting because of its bumpy texture.
Don’t rush. Allow the tactile awareness to sink in. Exploring the tactile nature of plants is a matter of paying attention. Plants will surprise you; visually, you may expect one sensation and find the opposite when you touch the plant. Take your time and explore.
Record observations and discoveries in your journal. What, if anything, surprised you?
Exploration
Creating a Game of Tactile Awareness
Type of Exploration: Sensory (touch)
Supplies Needed:
• Scissors
• Small containers (jelly jars, baby food jars, cups, etc.)
• A tray to set the cups on (optional)
• Masking tape
• Journal or paper
• Pen or pencil
Ideal Setting: A garden or other green space where you have permission to snip parts of plants
Child Friendly: Yes, if the adults have made sure the plants are safe to touch
You can create a tactile awareness game for yourself or others. This is similar to the fragrance game in the Awareness of Scent section. The idea is to challenge yourself to identify plants by touch alone.
To begin, choose the leaves of plants that are safe to touch and have different textures to them: rough, smooth, feathery, soft, bumpy, mildly scratchy, etc. Avoid plants that are common allergens. Leaves to start with might include lamb’s ear, rose, fennel, kale, cosmos, dandelion, marigold, chard, and lady’s mantle. These are plant favorites in my garden. You can choose your own as long as they are safe to touch.
As you are clipping leaves off of your chosen plants, remember to thank them. Place each leaf in a small container and write identification on the bottom of the container. Begin with six to ten plants to start. Once the cuttings are in the jars, sit quietly and close your eyes. Pick up one plant cutting at a time and allow yourself—with eyes closed—to explore the feel of the plant, the nuances, dips, valleys, and bumps. Try to identify the plants by touch alone.
You can also repeat this with flowers from different plants: nasturtiums, cosmos, marigolds, dandelions, roses, lilies, etc. This may be an easier activity because you’ll be relying on shape as well as texture.
Record observations in your journal. How hard or easy was it for you to identify plants by touch? What did you discover?
Awareness of Taste
My garden is a grazing garden. I’ve been intentional about including fruits and vegetables that are easy to pop into my mouth as I’m wandering about. My grandchildren love being able to nibble on plants as they move about the garden. In spring there are leaves of young dandelion, overwintering kale, violets, and chives, followed by strawberries and peas. By summer there are raspberries, currants, goji berries, cherry tomatoes, nasturtium, borage, and other edible flowers.
Mindfulness when tasting food involves surrendering to that sense to fully experience the flavor. We can of course practice this with fruits and vegetables we’ve purchased, washed, and prepared in some way. However, tasting a raspberry or tomato moments after it has been picked connects us to that plant immediately, and this is a great way to appreciate a garden.
Exploration
Tuning in to Flavor and Taste
Type of Exploration: Sensory (taste)
Supplies Needed:
• Journal or paper
• Pen or pencil
Ideal Setting: Your own garden or a garden where you have permission to pick and taste plants
Child Friendly: Yes, with adult supervision
This activity involves expanding our awareness of the flavors in our garden and green world. Because it involves ingesting plants, I caution you to start with common fruits and vegetables you know are safe to eat.
If you have your own garden, you might feel that you are already well-versed in its flavors, but you can always go deeper. Begin by attuning yourself to the garden space. Take some slow deep breaths. It is helpful to begin with an intention: “I am open to tuning in to taste awareness in this garden. I am open to learning more about this green space through flavor and taste.”
Your choice of available plants may be limited by the seasons. Look around the garden and decide what plant you’d like to sample. Choose something small that will be easy to put in your mouth. As you pick the fruit or vegetable, thank the plant for providing sustenance.
Before placing it in your mouth, stop and consider this unique moment. A plant growing in the earth, nurtured by your energies, supported by the soil, water, air, and sun, is now ready to taste. Appreciate the moment and be fully present as you place it in your mouth. Notice the texture and weight on your tongue before you begin to chew. There might be only a slight flavor before you begin to chew. Tune in to that flavor. Then slowly begin to chew the plant, releasing the flavor into your mouth. Allow yourself to be fully immersed in the flavor as if experiencing it for the first time. Does the flavor change as you chew? Does the flavor stay in your mouth after you’ve swallowed? How would you describe it? Is it sweet, bitter, tangy, juicy, tart?
Record any insights in your journal.
Exploration
Going Deeper with Flavor and Taste
Type of Exploration: Sensory (taste)
Supplies Needed:
• Journal or paper
• Pen or pencil
Ideal Setting: Your own garden or a garden where you have permission to pick and taste plants
Child Friendly: Yes, with adult supervision
This activity is an expansion of the previous activity. It is a way to branch out and explore the taste of plants we’ve never considered before and maybe didn’t even know were edible. Many common weeds and garden flowers are edible. This does require some research on your part to make sure the plant you are tasting is nontoxic. Be sure you have a positive identification for any plants you are tasting. You can also enlist the help of an experienced gardener.
While doing this activity, let go of what you think plants should taste like or the idea that you must enjoy everything you taste. Once you’ve confirmed that a plant is safe, allow yourself to experience its unique flavor in a nonjudgmental way.
I have a goumi (Elaeagnus multiflora) bush in my yard. It produces beautiful golden berries that turn bright red when ripe. The berries are edible, but they are not my favorite. They are very astringent and have an aftertaste that leaves my tongue feeling fuzzy. There is also a large seed in each berry, so there is not much fruit to enjoy. I leave most of the berries for wildlife, but eating a few berries is a way for me to appreciate and connect with the plant. This idea can be adopted for any edible plants in our green space.
Some common edible flowers are borage, calendula, lavender, nasturtium, hollyhock, clover, and day lilies (NOT Asiatic lilies). Common edible weeds include dandelion, burdock, shepherd’s purse, lamb’s quarter, clover, and chickweed. The young leaves of these plants are usually tastier. Many plants get bitter and harder to chew as they mature.
Once you have identified a plant you’d like to try, proceed as you did in the previous activity. Begin with an intention and be intentional as you taste and experience the plant.
Record discoveries in your journal.
Reflecting on Sensory Exploration
Engaging our senses in the garden is a fun and beautiful way to develop and strengthen our mindfulness practice. Gardens almost automatically invite sensory awareness. We can challenge ourselves to go deeper. Fully tuning in to our senses opens the door to greater connection to each moment and to the infinite. It’s a matter of stopping and being present. When we are present, our senses will gift us with a connection to our flow.
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