Today as I was jogging in my neighbourhood, I got to thinking why I like to jog - is it because it helps me feel energetic, it loosens my body, it gives me a sense of working towards my personal well being....yes it is all these things...and yet more than that... it is ALSO how much I actually love to jog....and then I got to thinking how it really feels in all my senses.... the touch of the red sand on the track, the wind and sun on my skin, sweat (the good kind!) dripping on my neck, the strain on my leg muscles that tell me they are getting activated.....the sight of diverse dash of green with bursts of Gulmohar reds and Amaltas yellows - and the birds flying (if I am lucky I spot rufus treepies and barbets!)...the sun's rays streaming through the denseness of the forest...the sounds of the steady beat of my feet touching the ground, the birds, the rustling of leaves, kids laughing and the temple bells, the smells of the freshly watered earth or the flowers (oh the champa!) and the occasional curry....the taste of the water that feels sooo sweet after a jog!
And it is so ironic that the more I would tap into my experience of jogging, the more my mind opened up with new ideas/ perspectives/ questions ....
This got me to thinking how all this relates to how I feel when I facilitate - yes I love facilitation for all that it creates, inspires, nourishes, connects and strengthens....and yet it is so much the sensory experience of facilitation that I love......
The sounds of informal banter when people meet each other - when they work in smaller groups - when the break starts....the sound of my bells and the silence...the sound of music that just comes in at the right moments.....the sound of laughter....the sound of my own heart beat as I feel tense in moments of "not knowing"....
The touch of people when we hug/ shake hands/ put hands around the shoulders, the touch of the markers, paper, shells, leaves, stones and other objects that I bring into the space..the touch of the chair and ground when I mindfully sit with presence...my bare feet on the floor....
The sight of beautiful visuals (including what people call "messy" drawings/ scribblings) - a powerful glimpse of the wisdom and will in the room, nature in the room, seeing people engaging in all their emotions, the changing nature of the light as it streams into the room, and of course the food/ drinks....
The smell of the earth when we do sessions outside, some fragrant oils and of course the food/ drinks!!!!
The taste of the water, coffee/ chai and nourishing fruits when we refuel in breaks (of course along with the occasional samosas!)
And also inviting people to use the senses to visualise the future state that brings in so much more depth, richness and nuance!
The past 2 years we have tried our best to make our virtual experiences also as "sensory" as possible - taking extra care to not just set up our own spaces as facilitators but also inviting participants to set up their spaces so they can also deepen their "sensory" experience of the space...engaging with body, mind, spirit and emotions as much as is possible...
As we are slowly getting back to the physical world, I look forward to saying with everyone "yes senses!"
