All Senses Awareness Meditation is a form of mindfulness practice that helps one to look inward and know themselves by centering their five senses(1).
The self-controlled soul, who moves amongst sense objects, free from either attachment or repulsion, he wins eternal Peace.
-Lord Krishna
All Senses Awareness Meditation involves paying attention to all your senses: sight, touch, sound, smell and taste(2). This technique is really helpful when it comes to centering yourself and feeling at home within yourself(1). Through this process, you can align yourself and begin to feel joy(1).
Like many other awareness-based methods, All Senses Awareness Meditation also has the ability to teach you how to be more attentive towards your subconscious impulses(1). By feeling everything more fully using each of your senses, you have the power to create your reality and become familiar with your real self(1).
History/Origins
A number of awareness-based meditation practices called Dharana can be found in the text Vijnanabhairava-tantra(3). These practices emphasize the importance of awareness in meditation. References of these can also be found in Malinivijayottara which describes meditation as a state of pure awareness versus the state of the mind when it’s absorbed in an object of contemplation(3). By nature, awareness-based practices are similar to Vipasyana: a Buddhist technique of insight meditation(3).
Benefits of All Senses Awareness Meditation
According to a research paper by Edo Shonin and William Van Gordon(4)All Senses Awareness Meditation have the ability to help you improve work performance, well-being, and the ability to take responsibility for your own spiritual growth. Another paper published in the Journal of Religion and Health(5) suggests that this meditation method can also improve psychological well-being by reducing stress and enhancing one’s mood.
References
- Lulu Publishing Services | Five-Senses Journal: Access the Present Moment and Rediscover Your Wonder and Curiosity by Claudiu
- mindful.org | A Meditation for Exploring Your Senses by Cara Bradley
- Oxford University Press | The Oxford History of Hinduism: Hindu Practice by Gavin Flood
- Mindfulness | Volume 6 | Managers’ Experiences of Meditation Awareness Training by Edo Shonin and William Van Gordon
- Journal of Religion and Health | Volume 53 | 2014 | Meditation Awareness Training (MAT) for Improved Psychological Well-being: A Qualitative Examination of Participant Experiences by Edo Shonin, William Van Gordon and Mark D. Griffiths
