One of the reasons that I love the garden as a part of my creative life is that it is a delight for the senses. I feel the soil in my hands as I put the dahlias in. I eavesdrop on the birds telling their stories. I rub some sage between my fingers for the scent and then bring some in for a meal. The flowers grab my eye and I grab my camera.
Our senses are doorways to our creativity.
As we develop our awareness of the world around us, we gather inspiration for our lives, our work and our hearts. People waiting for the bus are transformed into a ceramic sculpture. The lively chihuaha you saw on your walk becomes an embroidery pattern. The look in your loved ones’ eyes becomes a poem.
Through awareness and creation we come to know and understand ourselves and our world. As we sketch our friend, we see details about her we’ve never noticed before. As we pay attention to colour, we discover that this summer the world is in love with brights. As we write our morning pages, we finally understand that our sadness is telling us it’s time to brave a change.
And when we share what we create out of discovery and awareness, it can bring discovery and awareness to others as well. You turn that heartbroken night by the lake into a song and find when you sing it, your healing more borken hearts than your own.
This glorious creative journey can begin with the simple act of paying attention – and paying attention can start with your senses. To help you start a practice of paying attention to your senses, I’ve created a downloadable journal sheet to help you awaken your senses. through paying attention to the moment and through gathering your delights. Here are mine.
My Compendium of Sensory Delights
I love the taste of
raspberries
our New Year’s mushroom risotto
my mom’s ham and barley soup
popcorn
champagne
I love the sight of
the sky
white flowers
monochromatic colour schemes
studios
people when they’re all lit up
I love the feel of
the wind
tThe coolness of early springtime, when the windows are all open and the breeze is strong
my bare feet on sand, grass or hardwood floors
my mom’s hugs
being tucked into the cozy, heavy blankets while getting a facial at the spa
I love the smell of
coffee
fresh-cut grass
fresh-baked cookies
my honey
spring
I love the sound of
joyful conversation
just the right music at just the right time
bird chatter at the end of the day
purrs
silence
I love the sensation of
Moving my body
Sensing something wonderful is about to happen
Synchronicity
The electric connection of a shared experience, like being at or in a show, concert, special event
The aliveness of performing
What do you delight in?
Remember, I’ve created a journal sheet for you to gather your delights. You can download it here.
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