Imagine yourself sitting in a big concert hall, lights dimming as the audience is turning quiet. On stage, there are six musicians, each with their unique instrument, each ready to play their part in harmony. But as the performance begins, you notice something peculiar: one instrument, the trumpet, is too loud, often overpowering the others!
This orchestra is a metaphor for our six senses—feeling, hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling, and thinking. Our life experience is always a combination of these 6 senses. Like instruments, each sense contributes to the richness of our experience. But in the symphony of our perception, the “trumpet” of thinking often blares so strongly that we lose touch with the subtler notes played by the others. Let’s explore this six-instrument band and learn how to listen to each “instrument” with greater awareness.
The Instruments of our human experience are our six senses
· Feeling – feeling is like the deep, steady hum of our physical body. It tells us where we are in space, how the ground feels beneath our feet, and whether we’re comfortable or uncomfortable. Our sense of touch connects us to the raw, physical reality of being alive. Note that we always feel, the senses never switch off, but the amount to which we are aware of it, varies greatly.
· Hearing – Our hearing is tuned into subtle shifts in the world around us—the rustling of leaves, the cadence of a loved one’s voice, the hum of distant traffic. Hearing grounds us in an acoustic space, reminding us that we are surrounded by and interconnected with others.
· Seeing – sight brings detail and colour to the orchestra, i.e. to our experience. Vision offers clarity and focus, letting us observe our surroundings and navigate them.
· Tasting – our sense of taste brings an immediate richness to our moments. Tasting doesn’t require us to be fully aware all the time, but when we do notice it, we’re drawn inward, savouring the pleasure (or distaste) of flavours. It’s grounding, bringing us into direct contact with the here and now.
· Smelling – smell enhances our experience quietly, connecting us to a deeper, often unconscious part of ourselves.
· Thinking (including mental formations like emotions) – assertive, and ever-present, thinking is like the trumpet of the orchestra. Thoughts demand our attention, drawing us away from the other senses as they weave stories, analyse situations, and speculate about the future. The trumpet’s volume can drown out the other instruments if not carefully managed, leaving us detached from the richness of the present.
When the Trumpet Plays Too Loud
In a balanced orchestra, each instrument plays its part in harmony, neither overpowering nor shrinking into silence. Yet, the trumpet of thinking has a habit of taking centre stage. Often, our minds are filled with thoughts, judgments, worries, and plans, drawing our attention away from our other senses. We may find ourselves lost in thought, no longer hearing the other instruments. Similarly, when we live too much in our heads, we miss out on the fullness of experience that the other senses bring. We may feel disconnected from our bodies, disconnected from our environment, and even disconnected from ourselves. The balance of our “orchestra” is disrupted, and the richness of life can fade into the background.
Bringing Balance to the Orchestra
So how do we quiet the trumpet and listen to the full orchestra of our senses? Here are some ways to bring harmony to our inner orchestra:
· Practice Mindful Awareness – Start by consciously tuning into each sense. Notice how your body feels, listen to the ambient sounds around you, observe what you see in detail. By gently directing your attention to the other “instruments,” you can balance out the loudness of your thoughts.
· Give Each Sense Time to Shine – Just as an orchestra conductor might feature a solo instrument, give each of your senses a moment of focus. Spend a few minutes appreciating a meal with your full attention on taste. Or try a “sound bath,” where you listen deeply to all the sounds in your environment without judgment or labelling. Over time, these practices help each sense grow in presence.
· Cultivate a Friendly Relationship with Your Thoughts – The goal isn’t to silence the trumpet, but to bring it into harmony with the others. When thoughts arise, acknowledge them without getting lost in them. Recognize that thinking is just one part of your experience, not the whole. This way, the trumpet of thinking can play in harmony with the other instruments.
· Use Breathing to Ground Yourself – Breathing is an excellent conductor for the orchestra of our senses. When you find your mind racing, take a few deep breaths. Notice how the air feels as it enters your nose and fills your lungs. This simple practice can help ground you, quieting the trumpet of thought and allowing the other senses to rise in your awareness.
Listening to Life’s Symphony
Just as in a well-orchestrated symphony, the goal of life’s experience is not to mute any one part but to bring them together in a balanced, harmonious whole. Feeling, hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling, and thinking each add depth and colour to the symphony of our lives. By learning to recognize when one “instrument” is playing too loudly, we can gently bring ourselves back to a state of balance, where every sense contributes its unique melody to the present moment. As we listen to life’s symphony with mindful awareness, we can begin to appreciate the beauty of the entire orchestra, realizing that each sense plays an invaluable part in the symphony of our human experience. We may not always silence the trumpet of thought, but we can learn to let it play in tune with the rest, creating a life filled with richer, more harmonious moments.
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