Sense Organ Care: Ayurvedic Wisdom for Sensitive Souls

Why does it all feel so overwhelming?

Our Lady of Loreto picture frame with candle

The last few years have really showed me how loud the world is. Everyone is on their devices, by themselves, yet it all feels like too much. Information is available at the touch of a button. People seem to have lost their filters and the idea of keeping things private is a novel concept. Thoughts and feelings that were once left for discussion and processing in the privacy of our homes, with the ones we love have now become available to everyone. Children are struggling with boundaries and self control. Adults seem to have lost a sense of decorum. It seems impossible to escape the happenings of the world.

For us sensitive beings, this becomes very overwhelming, very quickly. I have always been sensitive to what is happening around me and this has made me conscientious of others. In fact, I love watching videos on etiquette and creating beautiful environments and moments for those I love. I find beautiful environments life giving and have always sought beauty as medicine.

I did not know that there was a science to all of this until I started studying Ayurveda. It was wonderful to learn that beauty IS medicine that there are very specific ways we can feed ourselves this healthy medicine within the body. And that is through sense organ care.

The sensitive soul in a chaotic world

Why is modern life so overwhelming for sensitive and spiritually attuned people? We live in an age of constant input. We can see what is happening in the world at any time of the day, we have constant notifications pinging us, a lot of the stimulation we receive may not even be consciously chosen by us.

If our nervous system is already taxed due to past or present trauma, fatigue, unhealthy relationships or unhealthy diet, this additional stimulation can throw us over the edge. We all have a window of tolerance – which is the optimal level of arousal that we can handle. If our nervous system is balanced, our window expands, but if our nervous system is struggling, our window of tolerance shrinks.

If our nervous system is well balanced, we:

Are calm.
Able to handle stress.
Respond instead of react to unexpected events.
Think clearly.
Are engaged in the world and feel connected to others.

If our nervous system is out of balance, we:

Get angry, anxious or overwhelmed easily.
Have racing thoughts and are unable to focus. We tend to jump from one activity to another and are unable to focus.
Can have brain fog, depression or low energy.
We can have difficulty in making decisions or thinking clearly.

Our goal is to bring the nervous system back into balance, so that we can face the world in a healthy and nurturing way. If we are still, we can hear our inner voice and act from that place of peace, instead of acting from a place of fear.

Be still and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10

Ayurvedic insight: Samskara and the seeds of the mind

Samskara is a term used in Ayurveda which refers to the mental impressions that are left by thoughts, actions and intentions. These translate as psychological impressions. The root of disease starts in the mind, so the impressions that are sitting in the mind contribute to the thoughts we have, which in turn contribute to our beliefs.

Our beliefs drive our actions and our actions create the reality we live in. So, taking care of the root – the mind, is incredibly important.

The movies we watch, the words we hear, the images we see, the music we listen to, the conversations we have, even the smells we ingest, all contribute to samskara – the mental impressions in our minds. It is critical to focus on sense organ care, as the sense organs are the entry points into our psyche.

If we do not take care of our senses, they become dull and clogged over time. It becomes more difficult to keep them working optimally. We are creatures of habit and habits become ingrained over time, the more we practice positive self care and nervous system regulation, the easier they are to keep.

Keep in mind that like attracts like, we are naturally drawn to doing more of the same, so if we do not practice positive self care, we will become more and more depleted and our window of tolerance will start to shrink more and more.

The five sense gateways: Simple rituals for nervous system regulation

Sight: Let your eyes embrace beauty

Consider the things that you are watching, be it on TV, the newspaper, the magazines you read, the videos you watch, your Instagram feed, even the view on your daily commute. Consider the state of your home and whether it looks beautiful to you. How much time do you spend looking at things in and of nature? Consciously choose to look at things that are beautiful and inspiring to you. Seek out beauty in the form of inspiring art. The Catholic church understood this when building all the beautiful churches and cathedrals over the last 2000 years. Beauty is elevating and lifts us up to higher reams.

Protect your eyes and do not spend too much time looking at devices. Try to limit the use of blue light in your home. This comes from all overhead lights and devices. Use candles in the evenings and spend as much time outside in the natural light as possible during the day.

Hearing: Soothe your ears

What kind of conversations are you having? Are they fear-based, or are they uplifting and designed to elevate your experience? Is the music you listen to jarring to your cells, or does it feel soothing to you? Are you making the time to listen to the birds outside? What about the people in your home? Do others respect your sense of hearing? There is a reason that children are taught about “inside voices” and “outside voices”. I try to model respect for others in front of my children by using a quiet voice when I am in a restaurant or speaking away from others when I am on my phone in public.

What about the words you speak? Are they kind and necessary, or are you just mindlessly spewing what is in your mind without considering how this affects you and those around you? Do you swear, are your words crude, or do you consciously choose words that are uplifting to yourself and others?

The words you speak become the house you live in.
Hafiz

Touch: Reconnect to your body

How do your clothes feel on your body? Are they rough and itchy, or are they comforting on the skin? I like to wear natural fabrics because they feel the most aligned with my body. Do you touch your body? Do you massage your skin? In Ayurveda and most Asian cultures, it is understood that a daily massage is incredibly beneficial to the nervous system. There are many wonderful body oils that are designed specifically to balance a sensitive nervous system.

I especially like warmed coconut oil, but sweet almond is lovely for all constitutions. If you tend to run cold, black sesame oil can be helpful. All of these are more effective if they are warmed up before applying to the body.

Are you touching others? Did you know that we need 3 hugs a day just to survive? And we need 12 hugs a day to thrive!

I love praying the rosary with beads, the tactile connection of the prayers and the repetition is not only spiritually uplifting, it is also calming for the nervous system. There is a connection between the hands and the heart, so praying with the beads directly expands and heals the heart.

Smell: Scents that uplift and heal

Consider the smells in your environment. Is your home clean? I like to use essential oils to clean my home. Bathing every day is an important practice which gives us the chance to anoint ourselves with beautiful smells and textures.

I love using lavender, frankincense and orange oil at the moment. Do you bring the smells of nature into your home? Fresh flowers are wonderful, but what about pine leaves or eucalyptus branches?

What about the perfume you use? Does it make you feel good? Do you open the windows to let the fresh air into your home so that the smells stay fresh and circulating?

Taste: Nourish with intention

What kind of food are you eating? Are you eating food that is fresh and organic if possible? Does the food you eat make you happy? Ayurveda suggests that we eat food which is sattvic. This is food that is fresh and as close to nature as possible. Food should be prepared simply and with a light heart. There is a reason that food made by someone who loves us tastes better. Leftovers don’t taste as good as food that is freshly made, the reason for this is that old food has lost its life force or prana.

Are you eating food of your ancestors? Our cells have memories and eating the food of our ancestors, prepared in a loving way is incredibly healing. Eat food that you love the taste of and if something doesn’t taste good to you, don’t eat it. Your body is speaking to you, trust it.

Did you know that if you receive Holy Communion in the Catholic church, that you are actually receiving the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ? Even though I was raised Catholic, I did not realise this until I came back into the church! If we follow the saying that we are what we eat, we realise that we become more and more like Christ every time we receive Holy Communion. This is why I try to go to Mass as often as possible, and not just on a Sunday, which is an obligation for Catholics.

“This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Luke 22:19

If you would like to see scientific evidence of the communion wafer becoming the body and blood of Christ, through a process called transubstantiation, I highly recommend The Eucharistic Miracles of the world, curated by Blessed (soon to be Saint) Carlo Acutis. It covers over 100 Eucharistic miracles from all over the world dating all the way from the early church.

Creating a daily sense ritual

Here are some ways to nourish the senses throughout the day:

Morning:

Guard your eyes in the morning and let them see beauty. Make sure your bedroom is decluttered and tidy. Have something lovely, like fresh flowers, or a family photo next to your bed.
Go outside and if possible touch the grass outside. Take in the sunlight, listen to the sounds of the morning and breathe in fresh air.
Have a nourishing bathing ritual. This may include a light massage with warmed oil or your favourite body moisturiser. Use scents that feel invigorating. I love citrus scents in the morning.

Midday:

Go for a walk in nature after lunch. Feel the oxygen in your lungs, allowing the prana to fill your body and give you vitality. Gentle walking is the most underrated exercise, the health benefits are incredible.
Phone a friend and tell them you love them. Hearing the voice of someone we love makes us feel connected in a disconnected world.
Eat something nourishing and light. Fresh fruits are full of life force and give us a natural boost for the rest of the day. I love apples in winter, mangoes in the spring time, juicy lychees in summer and plums in the autumn.

Evening:

Do some gentle stretching in the evening while listening to some peaceful music by candlelight. Feel your body on the ground and allow your nervous system to settle for the evening.
Wear beautiful cotton or silk pyjamas that make you feel beautiful.
Drink a lovely cup of chamomile tea with honey and have a square (or two!) of chocolate. The chamomile and honey calm the nerves and the chocolate contains magnesium, which is soothes the body and mind.

Sacred body, sacred life

Our bodies are a gift that we get to tend to every day. We wear many hats during the day and in our lives. If you are like me, I am sure that you want to show up as the best version of yourself for the ones you love. Practicing exquisite self care through taking care of the gateways to our inner being is so profound and brings inner peace and wellbeing. Not only to ourselves, but to those around us.

Remember that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). It is not your own, it has been gifted to you and you get to tend lovingly to it on a daily basis.

Healing the nervous system is important work and allows us show up fully in our lives.

Need more support?

If you are feeling tired, overwhelmed and in need of support, feel free to reach out for a free discovery call where we can work out a plan that can help you to find balance in your life by taking care of the sense organs through gentle and natural ways.

We will look at your diet, lifestyle, habits, relationships and dreams. We will work together to create a health plan that is nourishing, easy to implement and spiritually fulfilling.

To conclude: Come back to your senses

Sense organ care seems so simple, yet it is so profound. You will be amazed at how one small change, like putting fresh flowers on your desk once a week can start to change the whole trajectory of your life.

I encourage you to look at your daily routine and add one new practice that will nourish your sight, your smell, your sense of touch, your hearing or your sense of taste.

I would love if you could share it in the comments. What is one small thing that you will change, or what is one small thing that you have changed in your life that has had a massive impact on your life. I know for me, it has been my morning prayer, I wonder what it is for you?