August through the Senses
A time to pause before fall and all that comes with it
Autumn will soon be upon us, and along with that propulsive energy (and attendant anxiety to go with it) that seems to embody the final four months of the year.
So time to pause for a moment, wouldn’t you say? Take things in.
Engaging our senses is a great way to find grounding when life is throwing us punches. So here are three ways to “get sensory” right now.
1. A morning sound check in (~5 minutes or less)
After you wake up and get the essentials out of the way, pour yourself your morning drink of choice and either step out the door or stand near an open window.
Close your eyes, and listen to the sounds right beyond your door.
If it’s raining, really listen to the rain. If it’s not, are there birds? Squirrels? Lawn mowers? Neighborhood children? Dogs? Distant traffic? Wind? Other human or non-human sounds?
2. Take a walk and look for signs of change (~20-45 minutes
It’s still summer and it’s still hot in most places. And yet, there are small changes afoot.
The sun is setting sooner and rising later. Summer flowers are making way for the earliest of fall seeds and berries. There’s a lot of activity from squirrels who are taking advantage of this moment’s bounty as they feast on fruit trees, sneak bites from garden vegetables, and begin gathering and burying the walnuts that are now ripening.
Consider taking your walk in a prairie or forest where changes might be more evident. How talk are the grasses in a meadow right now? What does the forest understory look like? What evidence of animals or insects can you find?
3. Keep on savoring the flavors of summer (~1 hour or more if you bake or cook with them)
I’m one of those people who gets so excited for fall that I start to crave apples and pumpkin around this time even as my garden beckons with tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, and summer squash.
So I’m sharing this advice as much for myself as for anyone else. We are all going to miss this season dearly in a few months, so now is the time to practice gratitude in the form of a simple, lovely, delicious tomato sandwich.
Unless you don’t like tomatoes, of course. Then how about some zucchini bread? Or blackberry yogurt parfait? Or green salad? Or pickles made from scratch?
And keep on saying “yes, please!” when a neighbor offers you extras from their garden or fruit tree. Soup season will be here soon enough.