You’re entering the door. The smell. The lighting. The whole atmosphere makes you remember. Remember how it once felt. How it felt a long time ago. Is it possible that a place can feel so far away even though it has been so close to for you such a long time?
Memories are coming back. All these emotions. All these nights you have spent chatting about life with friends, laughing about the most childish jokes and sitting on the balcony, smoking, listening to music and watching the sunset over the lake. All these days you have spent on the corner sofa in the arms of the one, the one you once loved so much. Reading books and watching these comedy movies you once enjoyed so much. You close your eyes. You can visualize the imagery in your mind, almost like a movie trailer. You have to hold back a smile. As you can hear the wind blowing, you open your eyes again. Outside the huge glass windows in the living room, you can see the lake getting rough. Watching the waves makes you feel like nothing has changed. Like you are still the same person you were years ago. These years you have lived in that house by the lake. This house that once was your home. A harsh shiver ran down your spine. Home.
How is it possible that a feeling of home can change so easily? Well, most of us are familiar with it. Being abroad or moving out, establishing a new life somewhere else often changes our perception of home. I know this is one of these themes of every second super ‘deep’ Instagram or Pinterest quote. But be honest with yourself. It does trigger a feeling deep inside you that makes you miss home, right?
Luckily, researchers discovered groundbreaking insights into our brain’s processes and display the surprising power and reach of our senses. In this context, our brain uses the subtlest information to perceive the world. It uses forms of perceptual information, which we are not even aware of. To get into the spirit of the perception of home, it might be helpful to discover methods that can facilitate arousing your senses and to focus. Knowing where to direct your attention, to make you feel at home anywhere.
#Sense of Sound
Turn on one of your favorite playlists or an album of your favorite artist. This artist that you used to listen to at home. Close your eyes, and focus on the music. Listen to the instruments and the lyrics. Take in all these sounds and catch your imagery of home.
#Sense of Smell
Light up some candles. Buy yourself some flowers that make your room smell, like it used to smell at home. Use this particular room- spray your beloved perfume to shed a fragrance. Close your eyes and focus on the smell, to let this sense develop powerfully.
#Sense of Sight
Use a cozy evening to watch this show or this movie you usually watched with your loved ones at home. This one show that was part of a weekly routine with friends and family. Concentrate on the visuals and the imagery.
#Sense of Taste
What about a potluck dinner with your friends; everyone brings one dish to share, one dish from home? Even though we can get food from almost everywhere in the world no matter where we are, it is often not as good as we are used to. So… just prepare it yourself and share it with your friends! Taste is a powerful sense and can evoke vivid memories, memories of home.
#Sense of Touch
Take your humification to another level and further explore the outside world. Take this little walk- around your neighborhood. Knowing your surroundings can provide you a feeling of belonging. Being greeted more personally at your local gym, supermarket or café can create such a tangible feeling of home. PS: whenever possible make your WIFI connect automatically.
These are just very general ideas of how to use the power of your senses. You can use this canvas and create an individual version for yourself. I need to end this post a bit corny… It should be clear by now that home is not a place, rather a state of mind, so apply these insights to finally bring back home to you.
Author: Antonia Benecke
Editor: Kat Nivera