Awakening Our Senses #3: Rest in the Gap

As I have sought to be more aware and awake to sensory input and the sensuous nature of our surroundings in recent days, I continue to gain experiences like these:

(By the way, sensuous is a perfect word here: relating to or affecting the senses rather than the intellect. Getting me out of my head and my propensity for overthinking. Just what I need!)

*the smoothness of water as I take a drink and feel it in my mouth and then going down my throat

*the brightness of early morning sun, welcome but somewhat unwelcome to a driver’s eyes when at a direct angle

*crisp air, cool to the skin, needing a sweatshirt is one of my favorite features of fall

*from crisp to wispy, the wispy high clouds, white blending gently and naturally with the blue

*feeling tiredness in my eyes, a dryness, reminding me to take care of myself and my eyes

*my hands telling me the air is cooler and drier as I rub them together for warmth and add soothing lotion, moving slowly to rub it in and around my fingers, palms, and the backs of my hands

*doing a breathing meditation and following the suggestion to “rest in the gap” between one breath and the next

“Rest in the gap.” I will bring these words with me today.

Thank you to those who joined us at last evening’s Rivertown Gratefulness Gathering. We had wonderful sharing and discussion about our five senses, and left with our curiosity piqued. That leads me to pay more attention this morning, as I move through a quiet, somewhat chilly house. One of the most intriguing questions to me: Do blind people have visual images in their brains, and if they do, how?

Rest in the gap a few times today. Consider the question above, or any others that surface. Questioning our senses means we are tuned in and paying attention to them. Awake, aware, and questioning with curiosity.