Sensory Awareness
Sensory Awareness
I didn’t think it could get more intense than our last sensory awareness day where we found ourselves doing a barefoot, blind, “find the drum” stalk in a shrubby cedar grove. Today makes that seem like kid stuff. When we showed up at school today, we found a sign posted at the trail entrance to Malalo, our designated meeting space for the day. “Welcome. Please put on your blindfold, meet in Malalo as planned and get a friction fire going. Keep your blindfolds on until further notice.” Further notice turned out to be the end of the day, a full 5 hours. Amazingly, we did get a fire going and cooking hot in less time than it sometimes takes us with our vision. We also met the various other challenges we faced throughout the day, including lots of bushwhacking, animal forms exercises, following a scent trail, plant/tree identification through touch and taste, and sit spot time. Not surprisingly, there was some frustration among us, but what I will remember more is the laughter. The recurrent, spontaneous, contagious laughter of people who know each other well enough to joke and sing and feel our way together and relax into whatever reality we happen to find ourselves. When we finally welcomed back our sight, alone and silent now in the forest, the colors and slow movement of moss on the sunlit vine maples was mesmerizing. Even now, as I write this while stealing glances out my window, everything I see seems brighter, more vibrant, full of beauty. As are we.