Lesson 5 – Awakening your sense of smell

Introduction
What you will learn
Awakening smell
Action steps
Your field activity
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Introduction to this lesson

Hello and welcome to lesson five – Awakening your sense of smell.

Previously, we explored what nature awareness actually is, the benefits of spening time in Nature and how to begin connecting to nature through your sense of touch. Now it is time to discover the world and connect to nature through our sense of smell.

What you will learn:

In this masterclass you will learn:

Why developing your sense of smell is important
How to interact with nature through your sense of smell

So, are you ready? Let’s get started!

Awakening your sense of smell

In our previous lesson, we practiced using our sense of touch and now, we will move on to awakening our sense of smell – yet another rarely-thought-about but very important sense.

In fact, this sense comes as a two-in-one package, – both taste and smell together, because, we need our sense of smell to enhance our sense of taste. And, while we might not at first associate these two senses with Nature connection, there is definitely something satisfying about the smell of Nature.

Just thinking about the smell of wild flowers, herbs, cut grass or rain-dampened earth immediately transports and makes you smile. See, it is true, isn’t it?

Your action steps

To begin this activity, find somewhere safe and calm outdoors – perhaps a park, garden or somewhere in the countryside, then start warming up with the following routine:

Relax and take a beautiful breath in, then out
Shrug and relax your shoulders and put on a beautiful smile
Close your eyes
Take a deep breath in
Slightly part your lips

Aim to spend about 5-10 minutes on this activity all together, including the field activity below. Remember, these exercises can be done any where – even in the city. Perhaps you can fit it in while waiting for the bus, or while taking a tea break or lunch in an outside area.

Your field activity

Now, close your eyes, breathe deeply and pay attention to the air rushing into your nose and over your tongue. What can you taste? What can you smell?

Begin by focusing on the general taste and smell in the air – is it dry, damp, fresh or salty?
Then move your attention to the weather – can you smell rain, snow or hot, sunbaked earth?
Next, think about geographical features – can you smell water nearby – maybe a river, lake, canal or even the ocean or sea?
Finally, concentrate on finer details – can you smell any flowers, trees, soil or earth?
What does it make you think of and feel?

Really pay attention to the tastes and smells you experience and how they make you feel. Then think about your emotional reponse to these tastes and smells – are they pleasant, unpleasant, do they bring back memories, do they make you shiver or smile?

Really pay attention to the sensations and emotions you experience, then note your thoughts and feelings down in your workbook. We will be diving deeper and getting hands-on with nature in the next module.

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