Step Four on the Path of Nourishment: Create Sensory Memories for Each Essence
Introduction
Welcome to Step Four on the Path of Nourishment. If you haven't yet, review Steps 1 to 3. In the last step, we delved into 'Anchoring' essence in our routines.
This step introduces the creation of sensory-based memories. Cognitive Psychology, Neuropsychology, and other fields use this concept. Sensory Integration Therapy in Occupational Therapy also applies it. The popularity of aromatherapy is rooted in the effectiveness of this approach.
Sensory-based memories connect with our five senses - sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. They're raw data of our experiences.
Think of the taste of your grandma's special cooking or a specific smell in nature. Remember the feel of ocean waves or a special song? These are sensory-based memories.
These memories are vivid and stir deep emotions. They can trigger nostalgia, joy, sadness, and other emotions linked to past events.
Creating sensory-based memories is intentional. You can focus on sensory experiences during an event and repeat the exposure to sensory stimuli. This is a potent way to weave essence into your life, beyond just understanding—it becomes a real, tangible embodiment.
In this post, we explore using all five senses to connect with and integrate essence. At the end, you'll find a BONUS list of essences and my favorite sensory associations. Enjoy!
Taste and Flavor
Taste, an evocative and personal sensory experience, is a profound bridge between our external and internal worlds. It is a sense tied intimately to memory, emotion, and our primal instincts.
When we taste, we engage fully in the moment. The experience can whisk us back to a particular time and place, to an emotion, or even to an understanding. Using taste as a sensory tool, we can create a link between specific flavors and the essence we want to cultivate.
Start by reflecting on the essence you want to embed in your memory. Perhaps it is the peace of type 5, the joy of type 7, or the strength of type 8, or any other Enneagram essence. Now, think about a flavor that encapsulates this essence for you.
Remember, this is a deeply personal process. What might taste like joy to one person could be completely different for someone else. The key is to find a flavor that resonates with you and the essence you are focusing on.
Once you've chosen a flavor, immerse yourself in the tasting experience. As you savor it, bring to mind the essence you've linked it to. Visualize this essence filling you, permeating your body and mind. Do this exercise repeatedly to solidify the association.
The goal here is not only to engage your senses but to forge a deep, visceral connection between the flavor and the essence. This way, even a simple act of tasting can act as a potent reminder of the qualities you want to embody.
In doing so, you are effectively transforming a basic, everyday experience into a powerful tool for personal growth. Over time, this intentional sensory memory creation can help you integrate these positive essences into your life, gradually nourishing the challenging traits you wish to release.
By crafting these sensory memories with taste, you're inviting the essence you seek into your daily life in a tangible, enjoyable, and entirely personal way. Savor the journey and enjoy the process.
Smell and Scent
Our sense of smell is intricately linked to memory and emotion, thanks to the brain's olfactory bulb's direct connections to the areas of the brain that process emotions and memories. A single scent can whisk us back to a specific moment in time, stir up powerful emotions, or evoke deep-seated memories.
Smell offers a profound way to create sensory memories. The beauty of this sense is its pervasiveness. It can subtly permeate our surroundings, gently nudging our consciousness and creating profound associations.
Just as with taste, begin by contemplating the essence you want to anchor into your sensory memory. Once you've identified it, search for a scent that encapsulates this essence for you. This could be a fragrance that already carries certain associations or a new scent that you deliberately choose for this purpose.
The scent could come from essential oils, incense, a particular food, a loved one's perfume, or the fresh, earthy smell after rain. The choice is vast and deeply personal, hinging on what resonates with you.
Once you've chosen a scent, consciously inhale it while visualizing the essence you are associating it with. Envision this essence radiating through you, transforming your inner state. Make this a repeated practice, allowing the connection between the scent and the essence to solidify.
In times when you wish to evoke this essence, or when you find yourself veering towards undesirable traits, consciously expose yourself to this scent. The aroma should act as a gentle reminder, coaxing you back towards the essence you wish to embody.
Creating these sensory memories with smell allows you to seamlessly weave the nourishing essence into the fabric of your daily life. It's a sensory journey that's as transformative as it is enriching. Enjoy the scents, savor the memories they bring, and appreciate the growth that comes with them.
Symbol and Icon
Our world is brimming with colors, shapes, and symbols that can evoke strong emotions and associations. They are potent tools for creating sensory memories aligned with the essence you seek to embody.
Colors evoke a spectrum of feelings and associations. Warm hues might stir feelings of passion and energy, while cool shades might elicit tranquility and peace. The key is to identify a color that resonates with your chosen essence.
Shapes and geometric patterns have long been used in various cultures to signify deep psychological and spiritual truths. A circle could signify wholeness, a square stability, and a spiral growth. Select a shape or pattern that aligns with your essence.
Symbols, be they cultural, religious, or modern icons, can encapsulate complex ideas in a single form. Consider symbols from different cultures, religions, or even modern iconography. What represents the essence you're working with? Is it a yin-yang symbol, signifying balance, or maybe a tree, representing growth and resilience?
Once you've chosen your visual symbol — be it a color, shape, or symbol — incorporate it into your surroundings. Every time you see it, let it remind you of the essence you're integrating. Visualize this essence filling you, influencing your state of being.
By using visual symbols to create sensory memories, you're grounding your chosen essence in a tangible form. These visual cues serve as daily reminders of the traits you aspire to embody, enriching your personal growth journey with color, pattern, and symbolism. Enjoy this visual exploration.
Music and Sound
Music and sound are powerful carriers of emotion and memory. They can be powerful tools in creating sensory memories tied to the essence you're striving to embody.
Find a piece of music or sound that embodies your chosen essence. It might be a melody that sparks joy, a nature sound bringing tranquility, or a rhythm that symbolizes stability.
Integrate this chosen sound into your daily routine. As you listen, consciously link it to your essence. Visualize this essence filling you, influencing your inner state.
Through repetition, this association between sound and essence will strengthen, embedding your desired trait in a sensory memory.
Incorporating music and sound into your practice not only brings emotional depth but also rhythmic reminders of the essence you wish to embody. Let the soundscapes guide your journey, making it a truly resonant experience.
Touch and Tactile
The tactile world offers a wealth of sensory experiences. Our sense of touch is intimate, immediate, and can generate powerful emotional responses. It's an excellent medium for creating sensory memories linked to the essence you wish to embody.
Start by identifying a tactile experience that resonates with your chosen essence. Perhaps it's the feeling of a smooth stone in your hand symbolizing steadiness, the sensation of water flowing over your fingers representing fluidity, or the texture of a specific fabric that evokes comfort and warmth.
Once you've selected a tactile symbol, integrate it into your daily routines. As you experience the chosen sensation, consciously associate it with your chosen essence. Imagine this essence filling your being, influencing your state of mind and emotions.
Repetition will strengthen the link between this tactile experience and the essence, embedding this positive trait into a sensory memory.
Incorporating tactile experiences in your practice provides a tangible reminder of the essence you're seeking to embody. It's a practice that connects you more intimately to your journey, inviting you to feel, quite literally, every step of the way. Enjoy this hands-on exploration.
Conclusion
Sensory memories—deeply intertwined with our emotions and experiences—are a powerful tool in the Path of Nourishment. Each sensory experience holds the power to evoke and reinforce the essence you wish to embody.
This exploration is deeply personal and transformative. As you navigate through tastes, scents, visuals, sounds, and textures, remember that the journey itself is as important as the destination. Embrace the process and let your senses guide you in cultivating the positive traits you aspire to.
I encourage you to experiment, explore, and immerse yourself in the sensory world around you. Find what resonates with you, what stirs your essence, and let it permeate your daily life. This practice is not only a pathway to personal growth but also a celebration of the rich sensory experiences that make up our lives. Enjoy the journey!
BONUS—my favorite sensory associations
Taste (loose leaf tea)
Type 1—Lemongrass & Fennel
Type 2—Rose & Vanilla
Type 3—Cacao & Sweet Orange
Type 4—Jasmine & Wild Strawberry
Type 5—Peppermint & Lavendar
Type 6—Holy Basil & Sage
Type 7—Hibiscus & Cinnomon
Type 8—Elderberry & Rosemary
Type 9—Chamomile & Ginger
Smell (essential oil)
Type 1—Palo Santo & Lemongrass
Type 2—Rose & Vanilla
Type 3—Cacao & Sweet Orange
Type 4—Ylang Ylang & Rosewood
Type 5—Peppermint & Pine
Type 6—Clary Sage & Myrrh
Type 7—Frankenscene & Cinnamon
Type 8—Rosemary & Black Pepper
Type 9—Chamomile & Lavendar
Sound (from nature)
Type 1—The sound of a crystal clear river flowing steadily
Type 2—The gentle cooing of a dove
Type 3—The harmonious dawn chorus of various bird species
Type 4—The intimate whisper of a gentle breeze
Type 5—The tranquil sound of a calm forest at night
Type 6—The steady rhythm of waves washing up against the shore
Type 7—The cheerful chatter of squirrels
Type 8—The strong thunderous sound of a storm
Type 9—The calming melody of crickets chirping in unison at dusk
Touch (from nature)
Type 1—The sturdy, resilient feel of a robust tree trunk
Type 2—The gentle softness of fresh moss
Type 3—The intricate structure of a seashell
Type 4—The delicate touch of cool morning dew on a leaf
Type 5—The calming sensation of fine sand slipping through your fingers
Type 6—The sturdy and dependable sensation of holding a solid acorn
Type 7—The playful rustle of autumn leaves underfoot
Type 8—The coarse, unyielding surface of a mountain rock
Type 9—The soothing touch of smooth pebbles found at a river's edge
Next Steps for your Sensory Exploration
Discover our Curated Essence Materials: Explore our essence collection, carefully crafted for each Enneagram type. Discover our unique loose leaf teas, perfectly blended to evoke your chosen essence. Indulge in the flavors that resonate within you. Immerse yourself in our essence sprays, infusing your surroundings with scents aligned to your chosen type.
Engage with visuals and tactiles: Use our essence cards as daily reminders, placing them around you to anchor the essence's energy. Hold or carry our essence stones for tactile connection.
Immerse in the Essence Box: Dive into our full transformative box, included in our certification program. Along with all the sensory materials, receive guided exercises and meditations to deepen your connection with each essence. Embrace the wisdom and integrate it into your being.
Create your own sensory rituals: Explore practices from a variety of traditions. Use our guided meditations and exercises as inspiration—feel empowered to curate your own unique rituals.
The Enneagram of Essence is a rich tapestry of sensory experiences waiting to be explored. Take the next steps on your journey to fully embrace the transformative power of your Enneagram essence.
