Multi-sensorial prayers

[Windsmith]

It's becoming increasingly obvious (both as in "apparent" and as in "well, duh") that, the more of my senses I can appeal to in my spellwork, the more effective the results are - and the more fun I have doing it.

My wife and I have been pretty depressed lately, so this week we did a spell to clear out the depressed, listless energy that's been clinging to us and to put active, engaged energy in its place. After we centered and invoked, we did a sage cleansing (smell, sight [we watched the smoke carry our depression away], and sound [that cool crackling sound burning things make]). Then we put one of our favorite songs for dancing to, A Perfect Circle's "Counting Bodies Like Sheep," on the stereo really loud (hearing) and danced around the living room (touch and...kinetics, which isn't its own sense but feels like it should be) until we basically sweat out all the negative crap. Then we ate ourselves some chocolate bread pudding, the ultimate comfort food (taste).

It was a fantastic experience. I can't remember when I last felt that good after a spell or ritual. And I'm not saying that we immediately ran out and frolicked in the snow. Depression takes time to work through, and magic's a tool, not the silver bullet. But we do feel better. More...cared for. Like we give a damn about what happens to ourselves (more than I can say for before we did the spell). I feel like I'm finally getting the hang of this "magic" thingie.

Cynthea Jones of Diana's Grove Mystery School says, "Ritual is a multi-sensorial prayer that lays down new patterns in our souls." I like that as a definition for magic, too. I've known the quote for years, but only now does it make sense to me.

How do other people incorporate their 5 (or more) senses into magic and ritual? Do some things work better for you than others? Do certain senses respond more than others? What have you experienced with this?

[Zephyrstorm]

I get all of that while I work in my container garden. There's the scent of the soil, the way the light and colors play, the sound of the birds griping at me about being too close to the feeder (and chickadees tooting about how brave they are when they eat above me without harm), the feel of the wet and rich soil in my hands, the scents of the plants, and the physical effort of kneeling there - something I pay for later in pain, but do so gladly.

Ideally, rituals should engage all those senses, but its easy to slip away from some of it. I think that engaging the senses would be part of the reason for some of our tools.

[mtpathy]

How do other people incorporate their 5 (or more) senses into magic and ritual? Do some things work better for you than others? Do certain senses respond more than others? What have you experienced with this?

ive been tentivley working with clairaudience ever since i bought my singingbowl, and even before then i unknowling practicedclairaudience when i worked with mantras and mudras/sign language within meditation, trance, spell work.
what i thought was going to be a tool to integrate into my magickal practices, i have instead found a complete foundation from which to practice magick through.
clairaudience is still proving to be illusive in some ways, but in other ways it has already taken place of my "normal" magickal practices.

[Brigid Rowan]

Reading this made me come to a powerful realization..

Before I was pagan, when I was long ago married to a VERY conservative man, leading a christian lifestyle, I had a pregnancy that was difficult. I found, by chance, that going into my herb garden, walking barefoot in the grass, breathing the night air, preparing a cup of raspberry leaf tea fresh picked from the raspberry bushes in the yard and allowing my thoughts to wander and rest there...well, did WONDERS for my pregnancy and my discomforts.

I didnt really ever think back on that time till now, reading this thread and both of your posts that I think even then, the senses and the sense of being safe and free of the dscomfort of the moment really all was my first delving into earth/pagan centric things.

My first ritual was done, in that space and garden, without me realizing I was in prayer.

Thanks for this thread. It gives me a chance to thank publically my Goddess Mother for nurturing me, even before I was aware of her touch and love.

[Teresa]

Many of my workings are down in the center of my garden! I love working in it and also walking through it and being in it. The smells of nature, the feeling of the ground under my feet, the wind and the stars or sun on my face are things that all make my soul smile from within. These times replenish me like none other. Often times that is where I go for sanctuary when problems arise. My mind clears and the solutions seem to come easier.


There are times that I will travel to a local crossroads or a long walk through the woods and I even find comfort in a cemetery. It really depends on what is going on. Basically though I love being outside day or night. I am comfortable basking in the beautiful moonlight watching the stars in the sky as much as the sun's rays warming my face. The scent of honeysuckle, magnolias, gardenias, and wild roses are some of my favorites.

[cheddarsox]

A few years ago, a friend and I created a large labyrinth in my yard, that had five "stations" in it, one for each of the senses. I feel that the senses are very important, that the body is more than a shell for the soul, it is in complete partnership with the soul, what affects one, affects the other. Some faiths seem to have a grudge against the body, even referring to it as a prison, for example.

In order to help people appreciate and integrate their body experience with the soul experience, we had the labyrinth. It was amazing. Even though I planned and created it, going through it, as a four dimensional prayer, was a new revelation to me. And when I got to the center, I was overcome with emotion, with love and appreciation, with how rich an experience we have due to the gift of our senses. Several people expressed similar experiences.

At the end we had out art and writing supplies for people to "process" their experience and share and talk if they chose. It was a wonderful evening.
At the beginning we saged people before they went in, and gave them the chance to wash their feet. We handed out papers explaining the labyrinth and a little history about it.

It was amazing.

On the simpler side...I use essential oils daily as "perfume" and I choose them according to what is going on in my life, what I wish to focus on, etc. So all day while I smell them, they are a prayerful spiritual reminder and experience.

I have some walking prayers and chants I like to do, and body motions that go along with them, a bit like a walking yogo or tai chi.

I have a collection of huge earrings, and they are chosen for meaning, and when I feel them dangling, and hear them, they also remind me, and are a prayer.

I sing at work, a lot. It doesn't bother anyone else over the thrum of the machines, but it does me a great deal of good, and feels like I am praying.

And when I get a slow moment, I love to let the rolling bars of the conveyor tickle my fingertips, or place my hands on the machine and absorb the vibrations, and be reminded of the Divine co-operation of which I am a part.

And don't even get me started on food...lol

I'm a sensual junkie

cheddar (who, based on the general opinion that the tub of birdseed in the "touch" station of the labyrinth was "amazing"...placed 900 pounds of seed corn into a pool and invited people over to play in it, wade in it, bury themselves in it, wrestle in it, watch the eclipse in it and, oh yes, sip bourbon and laugh in it.)

[Heart of All]

These all sound so wonderful. And I don't really have much to add, except a bit about kinesthesia.

I am a dancer, and I consider most of my dancing to be prayers/offerings, etc. to my gods, usually Freya. And yes, I think kinesthesia is a really great sense to incorporate, especially if you think about it. That's why it hasn't been on the list of senses for so long, because people so rarely pay attention to it.

Anyway, kinesthesia was actually added to the senses by psychologists recently. As are balance and synesthesia. So you're right, Windsmith, kinesthesia is a real sense.

[Windsmith]

Oh, wow, y'all, this is fantastic stuff.

I've never been all that interested in gardening, but reading some of these posts makes me think I ought to reconsider!

cheddar, your labyrinth idea sounds brilliant. My wife and I are planning to build a labyrinth in our back yard this spring; I can see us incorporating these "sense altars" into the work we want to do with it. 900 pounds of seed corn sounds like a bit more than we can handle, though (but I love the idea of smaller amounts...makes me think of Amelie, which is one of the reasons I occasionally stick my hands in bins of dried beans at the grocery store).

And HeartofMoon, I'm so excited by your post. I wasn't familiar with the word "kinesthesia," but it's perfect. I need to start using it all the time now!

Very exciting stuff!