Mindfulness weekly idea September 13-19

Dear lovely 35plus community

Have you ever heard about the Dutch photographer Dick Van Duijn?

He is very talented at capturing the beauty of wildlife. Among his recent pictures there are a few of a squirrel smelling flowers… They are so cute and mesmerizing, and they also remind us something very important: how powerful is our sense of smell. Think about how the smell of freshly baked bread can often evoke a sense of comfort, for instance. Or how the smell of smoke can alert us to danger. Sadly, we often do not even realize when our noses are stimulated. But if we train mindful smelling, we will start to notice when our sense of smell is being activated and understand its impact on us.

So here comes an activity that will engage us in mindful smelling.

Select a few items that have distinct smells, like lemongrass, peanut butter, coffee beans, vinegar, scented candles, essential oils, etc.

Spend some time exploring the smell of each one, with your eyes closed.

Pay close attention to what happens in your nose, and what feelings these scents evoke.

For every scent, ask yourself if it brings back a memory. Try to also complete this sentence: Smelling ____________________ makes me feel ____________________ .

Questions for reflection and discussion

How is mindful smelling different than the smelling you do automatically?

How many smells do you notice in an average day?

If you slowed down, do you think you would notice smells?

Do you think some smells make you calmer or more agitated?

As always, I would love to read your feedback!

Cheers from France

Valeria

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