Smells and Bells

      Coming fresh out of a pandemic, I believe one of the most important claims in the books we have read is Classen's in which she describes the importance of touch and tangible experience. Why do humans see concerts in person, when they could stream the same music online without spending nearly as much money or time? The answer is obvious —we are willing to pay a price to be part of a shared, tangible experience or to connect to someone special.       You might not think that for students as stubborn to participate and uninterested in learning as us that being in a classroom is preferred over zoom. Actually, upon coming back to campus, I heard endless remarks of those being happy just to be back in the classroom setting. They couldn't figure out why. Agreeing with Classen, it's because we need this tangible experience to learn effectively. You've probably heard about the "zoom fatigue" experienced by many during this time, and I have to agree. The r...

If someone came into my room and found me on the floor, blindfolded, with one arm tied to my shoulder, the other hand raised into the air, both ankles bound, with noise-canceling headphones on, they would probably assume something very strange was happening. Meanwhile, I would be in a blissful state of nothingness, filled with peace and serenity and a great deal of happiness. I wouldn't feel stupid or silly -- no matter how I might look in that moment. Sensory deprivation is a key part of my meditation practice. The blindfold and noise-canceling headphones have clear purposes, while the bondage limits, though it can’t fully suppress,  my sense of touch. I might also smudge some essential oil directly under my nose, having the same effect that the bondage does, but on my sense of smell rather than touch. This type of meditation can be a time for creativity and problem-solving, allowing me to think through essays or stories without any kind of distraction. It can be both elevating --...

     As the semester is coming to a close, I’m realizing how fast it seemed to go by. That’s why I’m glad I was able to take this course and really think about sensory experiences in a way I hadn’t before. I really enjoyed learning about each of the senses, the science and culture behind them, and their religious contexts. It’s pretty fascinating to see how different religions use the senses in a myriad of ways, and how distinct religious traditions value certain senses over others. When looking back at all my blog posts, I recognize that I wrote about each of the senses in slightly different ways, depending on how I felt when writing them. I remember feeling particularly connected to my first touch post and my post about sound and Anne Rasmussen’s book and I feel like that is when my voice and passion comes through in my writing the most.      After having participated in the banquet, I feel really grateful that we were able to hold the banquet in person a...

I was unsure what to think about a class named “Smells and Bells” but I am very glad that I took this class. I had never taken a religion class in my entire life. I was somewhat scared going into a 300 level religion class with no knowledge, but I liked the connection that was offered through the class and I was intrigued to do it. I mean, who doesn’t like food?  At first in this class, I didn’t enjoy it very much. The class size was very large and the classroom shape didn’t seem to work for the style of class that it was. With the large class size, I felt intimidated to speak up in class, which was something that I have never dealt with before in my life. The conversation also seemed to move too fast for me to handle.  Everything changed after I presented, alongside some of my fellow classmates, in the smelling group. I had a lot of fun working with my classmates on the ideas for our presentation and I've also always liked presenting in class. In high school I did theatr...

As I am reflecting on this past semester I have been finding myself thinking of the things that I miss about being on campus. I miss being around my friends, even when it would be finals week because doing all this work on my own is very productive but not that fun. At least at Wheaton, I could take a break and take a walk down to Bagels and Cream. I also miss walking around just looking at all the beautiful nature all around campus. I was just talking to my mom about the smell of the flowers on campus this time of year. I just loved walking around and smelling them as well as seeing the blossoms on the trees and "snowing" on the ground. In Green's book The Aroma of Righteousness: Scent and Seduction in Rabbinic Life and Literature  she talks about how some smells can be relaxing or comforting. I think the smells of campus around this time of year are so comforting when studying for finals. I like being able to go for a walk between assignments and really get to enjoy t...

I've found peace in small amounts throughout my life. The type of peace that allows me to think about nothing and everything all at once. I used to only find this kind of peace through small amounts of meditation each day, but with this class and the current situation that we're all facing I've found this time increasing. When I would meditate I would mainly focus on touch. The clothes touching my body, my feet in my shoes touching the ground, and the air against my face. I would feel this heightened sense of touch as I took a minute or two at a time to think about nothing except what I was feeling. I started this meditation practice because with classes, work, swim practice, and dance practice I often found myself overwhelmed, and even when I wouldn't be doing anything, my mind would be racing. This caused me a lot of stress and exhaustion because even when I stopped I was never really stopping. So in between, I found moments to take a break. When walking to class I ...

I think having the opportunity to take Smells and Bells and then experiencing a worldwide pandemic came with good timing. Oftentimes, we’re so rushed to get from one one place to another that we miss out on what happens around us. We’re so accustomed to the lifestyle of being busy that it has become the norm for many of us. However, the pandemic has forced us to slow down. We’re now appreciating everything that we had previously taken for granted and noticing things in our surroundings that we have never noticed before.  Take this quarantining/social distancing as an opportunity to be more aware of what you experience through the senses. I don’t think my senses have necessarily heightened over the past 5 weeks, but I am actively making the choice to pay more attention to what I see, hear, touch, taste, and smell. I like going on nature/mindfulness walks and basking in the sunshine out in my backyard. This morning, I could hear a faint noise from the wind, hear the birds chirpin...