On awareness - our most powerful sense

Each summer we select audience favourites from The Gist archives to share with all of you. This year we are doing a throwback to our early days with a series on the senses and their impact on our collective well-being. Not just our five physical senses but also our awareness which allows us to develop better habits of mind, feel more compassion for others and practice grateful living. Given the degree of upheaval and hyper-partisanship around the world there is no better time to revisit how we can think about and respond more critically to everything going on within and around us. Whether you've been with us from the beginning or are new to The Gist, we hope you enjoy this summer selection.

We have been exploring John Kabat-Zinn's book Coming to our Senses, with particular attention to one sense each week. When we put all of them together they form what John calls the bodyscape. The bodyscape forms our sensory experience which is ultimately interpreted into a message, maybe even a narrative in our minds - what John calls the mindscape. The bodyscape is really part of the mindscape which houses our sense of awareness.

John notes that 'when we become aware, when we rest in the knowing, we are resting in the deep essence of the mindscape, in the basic empty spaciousness that is awareness itself. It is its own sense. Perhaps the ultimate sense.' See full transcript.

Photo Credit: Ante Hamersmit