Smells and Bells

The Power of Sound What is sound to a person who cannot hear? It is the absence of annoyance but also the yerning of connection. The author of, A Natural History of the Senses, has the idea that sound is what connects us upon all else, for what is community without audible communication? Truely, “If you lose your sense of hearing, a crucial thread dissolves and you lose track of life’s logic. You become cut off from the daily commerce of the world, as if you were a root buried beneath the soil”, Diane Ackerman . As a person that has a sensory issue in regards to hearing I have some understanding of this, everything that I hear causes me to have a physical reaction. The rushing of water flowing down a river makes me breathe in deeply hoping for the smell of earth and a light misting of water on my face. While the sound of chewing disgusts me to the point of jerking away.  But the most magical thing that sound has been able to do to me is to take me to places that are n...

Blog 6             Hearing is one of our most important senses. It is one of the first senses we use in the womb. When a baby is in the womb it can already detect their mothers voice. That’s why in the womb the doctor advises you to play music and talk to your baby. When puppies are born their eyes are not developed, however they communicate with their mother and littermates through small squeaks. Hearing allows us to communicate with not only other humans, but other animals in general.         When I was training my mini labradoodle puppy, I used only positive reinforcement. I used a clicker and all natural treats to train. When she did something correct, I clicked the clicker, fed her a treat and lots of pats. She learned the clicking noise was positive because she associated the noise with treats and pats. This is how noise can help us communicate with our beloved pets. And ...

Pixabay photo One of the main reasons people say a blessing before eating their food is to take a moment of mindfulness. It’s important to take breaks and be thankful and grateful for what you have.  It doesn’t have to be a religious blessing to pause and be thankful for your life. I was recently at a sporting event on campus and they played the National Anthem before the game started. I thought that this could also be interpreted as a moment of mindfulness. Everyone is silent and calm. There is no way to tell if everyone is thinking the same thing, but even just taking the moment of peacefulness allows the mind to rest and be still.  Taking a pause before the game allowed to players to gather their thoughts and mentally prepare before the game started. Mindfulness before the game starting probably allowed the players to perform better during the game, just like how eating the food would’ve felt and tasted better after pausing.  Mindfulness can enhanc...

Hearing is one of the senses that is very important to daily rituals of the church. Confession: When an individual confesses their sins to a priest privately. The priest can not repeat what that individual said to anyone. It is like a cleansing of the soul. The priest can not repeat what has been said to anyone. As you say your sins out loud you are being washed clean again. Music: During every mass songs are chosen for specific times. We sing as the priest and the alter servers go down the aisle and as they leave. We sing when we are receiving communion. We also sing certain prayers or hymns during mass. Marriage vows: The vows of marriage in the Catholic Church are supposed to be sacred. If a couple end up getting divorced the church wont see them as ever being married. When the vows are said they are said in front of God. You are making a vow and a promise to God and the people watching. You will cherish and be loyal to this person standing across from you Confirmation: ...

 Suggested to listen with headphones.  Sounds of increasing frequency to test the listener's ability to hear particular pitches. Ranging from 20 Hertz to 16000 Hertz. The higher the pitch, the less likely it is for people to hear it.  Something interesting about hearing, and all of the senses in general, is how our choices can impact how we experience them. Unpacking this more, the choices we make can alter how we hear and that's something that I think is incredibly interesting. Being in a concert for extended periods of time can severely damage your hearing yet we do it anyway. It's interesting how our body cannot communicate  the distress we put in under.  Conceptually it's interesting. When we think of putting our bodies at risk for a thrill you think of skydiving or looking at the sun: an external concern is what we think about. When we think of risk and danger, we thin more corporally, what's on the outside. But when do we think about our ea...