My Daily Ritual: Using The 5 Senses

One of my favorite things about the morning is how quiet everything is making all other sounds that come through seem as if the world is waking up. I am writing here with my coffee, with my thoughts slowly waking up with each sip. During this time, I do not look at my phone, because it will just distract me. This is a sacred time that I have chosen for myself, and need to be in the present moment as much as possible. Another term for this is called grounding.  Just me, myself, and my daily ritual.

I call it a “ritual” because it’s an everyday action I take with meaning. According to Google, a ritual is a sequence of actions, words, or ceremonies performed regularly in a precisely prescribed manner, often holding symbolic or religious significance. Anyone could call anything they do a “ritual” if it’s an everyday action with meaning. For example, taking a walk, journaling, greeting your pets or loved ones can be a daily ritual. My daily ritual is significant to me because it is with intention for my mind, body, and spirit. It helps me process my day before jumping into the hustle and bustle of everything I have planned. Yet, anyone can have a daily or weekly ritual any time of their day, mine is (almost) every morning. 

Through this daily ritual of mine, I use all 5 of my senses to ground myself. Here’s how: 

I feel the ground, the plants, or just the warmth of my coffee in my hand. I am a barefoot girly so often, I’m walking around the yard without shoes and socks to really feel a connection with the ground. I often always start off each morning first thing (before this writing or coffee) to embrace my cat, Mushi and my dog, Moro. I hug them tight, tell them good morning, and give them a thousand kisses to feel their soft fluffy fur on my cheek. It gives me so much joy every single day. 

I taste water to hydrate myself first thing. Then, it’s a smooth, delicious, warm cup of coffee. I think about every sip and how lovely it tastes. Each sip wakes my mind up a little more as my thoughts & ideas start to pour in, my eyes & body awaken more. 

I observe by sitting outdoors and watching the details of nature, how it moves and flows. The morning sunlight filters softly through the leaves, hitting the backyard shed, and the dew on the grass, making it sparkle so beautifully. Or the way the wind blows and moves the trees as they sway so peacefully.

I listen to the birds, because they are the most prominent noise I hear in my backyard. They sing so proudly together, creating a sea of tweets and whistles in the trees. I notice the rhythm and sound of each bird is different. Sometimes I’ll try and count the number of different bird tunes I hear so I know how many bird species are in the area (shoutout to my birders out there). As the morning light gets brighter, and life begins to awaken, I hear the occasional car engine, train, or siren off in the distance — the kind I hear living so close to the city. But it makes me feel alive as I wake up, and the rest of the world does too. 

I smell the fresh air, and often crouch down to the herbs in my garden to feel and smell them. There’s nothing like smelling fresh, fragrant plants. I’ll smell my coffee, smell the morning air, and just breathe. In and out. In and out. Letting oxygen flow to my brain and lungs.

All of these things are my personal daily ritual to help me start each day off right. Again, a term for this is grounding, though some call it footing, or anchoring. These forms of grounding give me breathing room between sleep and work, to help me transition into it all. I love the mornings for this reason, because my mind & body are waking up, processing things, although grounding can be done anytime of the day. 

Grounding is important to do in nature, but can be done in various different ways, especially if you don’t have access to nature or something living. Some examples are like the ones I gave above, being outdoors, yet anything living works. Hugging a loved one, and truly feeling their embrace (their smell, their touch, the “mmm” comforting sound they make), eating a delicious healthy meal, touching a houseplant, or quite literally touching or hugging yourself, the clothes you’re wearing, and really feeling the sensation. This way, it gets you out of your mind and into your body a little more. Those with anxiety or depression that have/had a therapist have most likely been recommended this simple practice. 

I believe it’s essential for every person to do some form of this grounding in their daily lives, because today’s world, and American culture specifically, tries to tell us that we are separate from nature, yet it is quite the opposite. We move, flow, and freakin’ function with nature! In fact, we are nature!  It was essential to our ancestors (especially for survival) to live, breathe, and sustain themselves from the earth. Humans today living in a first world country have more privileges that have cut our ties to nature, which makes us have to try a little harder these days. I love connecting with nature for its connection to life and living. I’ve never felt more uplifted than looking from the grass to the trees, and up to the stars. It reminds me that my little human worries aren’t so bad in the grand scheme of things. Life moves and flows. Bad times pass. Good times always come back around and when they do, I am observing even more to remember, live, and be in those moments. And most importantly, nature always prevails. And we are all nature. 

For some of you where grounding isn’t a familiar or known practice, it may sound hippie or woo-woo to hear the term “grounding” because of the stigmas and stereotypes. For those analytical minds, grounding has actual science behind it, with magnetic poles of the earth and our bodies aligning and connecting. Those that have a more negative stereotype around grounding, let me explain why you do – Modern society (this patriarchy) doesn’t want you to be in your mind & body. It wants you to keep your head glued to your phone, tablet, computer, and work to function 24/7 in society. Not live. Saying this, I’m not trying to shit on technology. I use technology every day to work, edit my photography, or connect with loved ones and strangers across the world with the internet. Yet, I live my life with balance (& that is a HUGE KEY) so I don’t lose myself in one thing over the other. I create boundaries for myself with my phone, my laptop, etc. because at the end of the day, I am a human living a human life. I must live!  And I must stay connected with the earth, the movement and flow we call life, to remind myself why I am here, what I’m doing, and what matters most to me.  

So again, I encourage you to use your 5 senses daily. Stop, disconnect from technology, work, material things, whatever is distracting you, and just notice with your 5 senses. Grounding yourself can really help with that work, life, and social balance.  Especially creating a daily ritual to do so. Let this be your wake up call and a chance to rebel a little in today’s society with some grounding. You will find out amazing things about yourself. Your body, soul, and mind will thank you. Your ancestors will thank you. The earth will thank you. For just noticing and living. 

I’m curious to know what other’s daily rituals include. Do you have one? I’d love to hear. If not, tell me what you plan to do after reading this. 

If you don’t have a daily ritual like this, put it on your daily calendar, or make a post-it-note reminder on your mirror – whatever way you have to to remind yourself. Because I promise you are worth taking the time for. In doing so, and taking time to yourself, it will bring you back to your true nature. Your true self. Your reason, feeling, and passion for living this beautiful life. 

Because, if no one has told you today, just know that you are worthy. You are worth taking the time to care for yourself, you are beautiful, and you are like myself and all others, freakin’ human. And what a lovely thing it is to be one.

With Love,

A.M.D.

P.S. This is my dog, Moro. Her daily A.M. ritual after breakfast is to go to her favorite spot outside and take a nap. Zzzz