Grounding the Body as a Source of Solace
Our bodies ground us.
With so much (so very much) threat and anxiety being channeled on the global scale right now, from the devastation that is unfolding in Ukraine to the questionable shift of COVID status from pandemic to endemic, it can feel like the world is spinning at an alarming rate with no way to find stillness.
Grounding the body has been for me a solace.
I imagine it like this:
Threat and anxiety? Chaos and waving of arms. Looking out.
Grounding the body? Hand on heart. Hand on belly. Eyes closed. Looking in.
It’s a world of difference.
So, this week I’d like to share some perspective from the Ayurveda tradition about the five senses as a way to ground the body. Let me start with the connection that the senses are also exactly how every one of us learned to experience wine and spirits, back when we were first introduced to the methodical sequence of what to do with a glass in our hand. First we look. Then we smell. Then we taste. Then we touch and notice texture in our mouth. Some of us also think we can listen and hear what a wine wants to say.
Our five senses, in other words, are a curious bridge between what we do as part of our everyday lives in this industry, and the tradition of Ayurveda.
Here are a few of my favorite learnings from Ayurveda about the five senses. I hope they help you, also, feel more grounded in your body.
The Senses are Gateways
Our five sense organs – ears, skin, eyes, tongue and nose – are the gateways through which the outer environment enters our inner environment. Ayurveda teaches that the senses are the “gateways” to the mind, so that there has never actually been a disconnect between body/mind. We only make it so, when the looking-out, chaos-and-waving-of-arms takes over.
We Digest Our Environment. Literally.
Everything we take in through the five senses contributes to a state of balance or imbalance. Not only do we perceive the environment through our senses, but we digest it as well. Just as the food we eat and drink can either nourish or weaken our bodily tissues, the impressions we take in through our senses can have either a nourishing or a harmful effect on our bodymind. Careful, mindful daily practices keep all of our sensory openings healthy, so that we can more accurately perceive and digest sensory information.
The Three S’s and the Two T’s
Smell. Sight. Sound. Those are the three S’s of the senses, and they’re the sense organs located from just beneath the nose to the top of the head – nose (smell), ears (sound) and eyes (sight). Ayurveda teaches that focusing on them will balance the mind.
In practice, I experience this when I sit in meditation in a quiet place and close my eyes. There isn’t much fluctuation in the smells around me. There isn’t a lot of noise. And my visual intake is restfully limited. Removing the external stimulations from those three senses immediately stills the mind which, very soon while sitting in that state, offers a sense of rest and relief. Which does indeed bring it into balance.
As a counterpart, Ayurveda teaches that the two T’s of the senses – Taste and Touch – balance the body. Those are the organs from the nose down – mouth (taste) and hands (touch). In practice, these are tangible effects. We can taste physical things. Our hands and skin touch physical things. Naturally, these sensory experiences ground the body. The key is to notice that it’s happening.
That’s worth repeating: The key is to notice that it’s happening.
Our senses are literally part of us. We don’t need to go out and “find” them. We do, however, need to pay attention to them, notice them, love them, and acknowledge the value they bring to our lives.
The biggest value of all, in this moment of time for sure, is the senses’ ability to ground us. Hand on heart. Hand on belly. Turn inward. Get grounded.
That’s where the solace is.
On a final note, our hearts, minds and support go to our industry colleagues, community members, and the families and friends affected by the events in Ukraine. With numerous ways to support the relief efforts, donating to World Central Kitchen supports #ChefsforUkraine and the teams who are helping to provide meals directly to those impacted by the crisis.
Namaste,
Cathy
What We’re Reading:
Here's what has piqued our interest this week in the world of wine and mindfulness.
A Trauma-Informed Meditation to Uncover the Potential for Healing - Mindful.org
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teacher John Taylor offers a five-step meditation for finding a greater sense of peace and freedom after trauma.
Letters from Kyiv - Olga Lapina for JancisRobinson.com
Olga Lapina of the Ukrainian importer Good Wine, shares the devastating reality of the situation in Ukraine with readers of Jancis Robinson.
Ukrainian wineries: what is happening to them after the invasion by Russia - The Buyer
L.M.Archer hears from key Ukrainian wineries and wine associations about how the war with Russia is changing the winemaking landscape
Surrendering to yin yoga – WellbeingAustralia.com
Diving into the practical and philosophical elements of surrendering to yin yoga is a deeply enriching and insightful experience.
