Pause: Take a Journey Through Your Senses
The human mind is truly extraordinary. A single image, sound, or scent can instantly transport us across time and place—back to a cherished memory, a moment of beauty, or toward a felt sense of ease and comfort. We experience this all the time without even trying—when the smell of something warm baking in the oven carries us back to our childhood, or when a song suddenly ushers in vivid details of an experience we hadn’t thought about in years.
Today’s “Take Five” 5-minute guided meditation—“Journey Through the Senses”—invites you to embark on an inner journey that is both delightful and restorative by using your imagination to re-experience things you love to smell, touch, see, taste, and hear.
Katie Dutcher—the therapist, mindfulness coach, and qigong teacher who created this meditation—loves discovering the unique places her imagination takes her each time she practices. “I rarely conjure the same sensory detail twice,” she explains. “One of the unexpected gifts of this practice is realizing the abundant sources of pleasure in my life. When asked to think of a favorite scent, the possibilities are endless—from fresh pine trees to a specific cookie or perfume.”
Because imagination is a form of creativity—and creativity is largely a function of the right brain, in contrast to anxiety, which is often a product of the left brain—this sensory journey can also feel like a vacation from our concerns and fears. As Katie puts it, “Engaging your mind in this way can be deeply refreshing. My hope is that this short journey leaves you feeling happy, grounded, and nourished—with fewer worries and more peace.”
