The Praise of 100 senses...curiosities, or how to be curious to the magic of the world. a release of control, a praise, a humility
July 2023 - January 2024...ongoing

Look at the leaves. Watch them as they change. Spring and Autumn can be the best time for this in the Northern Hemisphere but really there are small changes at any time. How do the colours change, how does the canopy contract and expand, opening up to let light in or hoarding it under bough? Their leaves, they whisper..or sometimes the branches remain silent in winter. Easily done from your front porch, your window or anywhere you can meet with a tree.

Pay attention to your feet. Feel them - where do they touch the ground? They take you so many places, your soles to the soul. Be curious about what it feels like to walk, to run, to stand, put your feet in new positions. If you are brave, touch your feet or get someone else to touch them. What touch feels good?

Breathing. There are so many breathing exercises it’s crazy. But is it really crazy, because we breathe every moment of every day! Take a moment to listen to your breath, your own personal wind. Your bellows. How does it live within you? How is it connected to the actions you do in a day? When do you tend to breathe in, breathe out, or hold your breath when you pick up something heavy, when you make a cup of coffee, when you receive bad news, when you say hello?

A sound you like. Did you just hear something you really enjoyed? Maybe it’s the fog horn in the harbour, or maybe it’s just one instrument in a song you really love. Zone in on that sound, play it over and over and again. Let it reverberate through your body. Let yourself play with the sound, let it become a part of your interior landscape, just by listening.

A food. Your favourite fruit or vegatable. Where does it come from? LIke really come from, who grows it what does the seed look like how much care does it need to arrive to your mouth? Look at the sticker label on the grocery store. Find out if it is grown near you. If not, the internet helps. If yes, be a detective and see how close you can get to the source.

Clothes. Fabric. What is your coziest piece of clothing? What do you feel safest in? Get that item. Hold it, feel the texture. The weave and weft of it. If you have time to explore deeply, ask yourself: What are you wearing today? Why?

Cold. Are you a cold water splashed on the face kind of person? What does a cold shower feel like? Ice cubes on skin. The cut of -20 air in your nostrils. What kind of responses does it raise for you?

Warmth. Where are sensations of warmth today? The sun, a warm drink, a fireplace, another being...what are the qualities of warmth?

Wooden objects. Notice something wooden. A fruit bowl, hand carved. A deck post slowly peeling and coming apart. Touch it. Are there grooves? Is it painted? Has it been shaped by human hands? Can you move it? Imagine where this wood came from, how it got here, how long it will be here. How do you relate?

Summer rain. Go step into the rain. Do it in a way you wouldn’t normally do. Take your hood down. Experiment with foot wear, or if you feel safe enough, no footwear at all. What does it feel like to tread the wet earth? How does the rain make your skin feel? When do you reach out to touch something, what are you drawn to in this dewy globe you find yourself in? Do you notice any different creatures as compared to a sunny day? Follow up with a warm beverage and share your sensations with a friend.

Smell. Christmas candles. Or any candles at any time of year. Go to a local shop and stick your nose in so many smells. Allow yourself to have visceral reactions. Bring a friend for added enjoyment. Don’t feel pressure to buy, just to feel. Loose leaf tea shops are also great for this. If you are allergic to scents, perhaps a spice shop or multiple restaurants.

Smell. Choose a restaurant just for what it smells like.

Sing. Play with humming. You can pick a song in your head or just let the sounds wander. Feel the vibrations in different parts of you - where do you feel it? Play with when you want to open your mouth and let sound out, vibrating within you and just outside of you.

Name. When you interact with someone new in the world, if you feel a good moment of meeting, ask their name and offer yours in return. Sometimes they are even wearing a name tag (depending on where you are) ;)

Name. Choose something/someone you have an affinity for, that you like or want to understand better: a feeling, a concept, a creature...discover how they are named/called in another language, how they are perceived. Taste the new name as much as you can in your mouth. Think about your own connection to what you have chosen. Share your discovery with someone.

Teach. Share a simple process with another human that they may have never done before. Tying a shoe, making a cup of tea just so, baking cookies, putting air in your tires, spreadsheet budget template...Take your time. Listen. Be open to new ways of doing the process.

Hands. The next time you cut your nails, give yourself a hand massage. Where have your hands been over the years? What have they helped you do? Who have they reached out to?

Sunlight. Have you stood or lain in the sun lately? what does it feel like on your exposed skin, in the air around you, behind your closed eyelids? Think of this celestial giant so far away...what comes to mind? Where do these thoughts come from in your lived experience? How do they take root in this moment?

Touch. When do you touch others? What part of your body touches theirs? How do you touch their skin, their muscle, their bone? Why the touch or lack of touch - do you want to give, to receive, to ask a question, to protect yourself? Experiment and try to touch someone in a way you never have, or initiate a friendly touch to someone new. The approach is very important; just start by asking.

Snow. Have you ever seen a snowflake? Sometimes the conditions are just right that they sit delicately on top of each other and if you get close enough...you can see all the fractals spiraling out into the world. Sometimes they’ll just land on your mittens. Sometimes you can’t even see them, because they come so fast and furious and you see them through the sensation of frost bitten kisses on your cheeks. There are so many ways to play with snow. Next time you go out to shovel, have a good romp first.

Reflection - From Summer to Autumn to Winter, these praises come out in fits and starts. I go through a few days where I create a daily practice, other times I sit with myself and they come out in a rush. 100 is a gathering, an accumulation. Through the action of praising, 100 becomes nothing to rush towards or squeeze out. Praise needs its time and space, to be truly here, within me, in all my capillaries. Not just in bits of me. I don’t often praise through writing. Writing is a way to share. A ritualized recipe book, a recorded offering...

Sharing. What are the things, events, emotions that you share with others? Where are the spaces that hold our co-mingling? Pick something you normally do by yourself, and invite someone to do it with you. How does the process change? How do you both change?