How to Experience God’s Wonder by Waking Up Your Senses
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“A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’ Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.” – Matthew 8:2-3
“And wherever he went – into villages, towns or countryside – they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.” – Mark 6:56
Wonder is waiting for you everywhere. Use these tips to help you wake up your senses.:
Wake up your sense of vision. Go to a busy public place and watch people for a while. See how much interesting information you can learn just by watching them. Visit a local park and capture your impressions of the natural scenes there. Take photos or draw what you see that inspires you. Visit an art gallery with a friend and discuss each other’s observations of the artwork.
Wake up your sense of sound. Sit outside and close your eyes. Listen to sounds and make note of the different kinds – from traffic noises to bird calls. Enjoy a wide variety of music genres (rock, jazz, country, classical, etc.) rather than sticking just with your favorite type of music. As you listen, see if you can identify each of the different musical instruments in each song. Before you go to sleep, when your mind is relaxed, notice which sounds you hadn’t noticed before.
Wake up your sense of smell. Enjoy a meal with family and friends. While you’re eating, discuss the aromas of the food and why those aromas are appealing. Spend some time in a candle store sniffing the many different varieties of candles there. Which ones do you like the most? Which ones do you dislike? What memories do the scents trigger in your mind? Take a walk outside right after it rains, when the air is freshly clean. Pay attention to the various odors you smell and consider how those scents make you feel.
Wake up your sense of taste. Each time you buy groceries, buy a kind of food or drink you’ve never tasted. Whenever you discover something you like, buy more and share it with your family. Eat out at different types of ethnic restaurants. Learn about various cultures around the world by eating their cuisine. Cook some new meal recipes regularly to enjoy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Wake up your sense of touch. Hold hands with someone you love for at least a few minutes (perhaps while taking a walk together). Then discuss how loving touch broke down barriers between you and gave you a fresh appreciation for each other. Enjoy some uninterrupted time petting an animal and savoring the pure unconditional love that animal gives you through a sense of touch. Spend some time walking barefoot through your home. Pay attention to the sensations you feel as you do so – from soft, bumpy carpet to cold, smooth floors.
Learn more about how to wake up your senses in my book Wake Up to Wonder.
Photo Credit: Unsplash/Leohoho
