The Spiritual Senses

The Spiritual Senses

John Honner
We commonly talk of five senses – touch, taste, smell, sight, sound – which we experience through our bodies. Sometimes we talk about a “sixth sense”, when we become aware of something new through a kind of interior intuition. Even experimental scientists talk about their theories coming through reflection on experiments rather than through the experimental observations themselves. Einstein, for example, discovered his theory of relativity by imagining he was travelling on a light beam. Theories are like revelations of new knowledge. Indeed the word “theory” may have a connection with another ancient Greek word, “Theos”, or the God who beholds all things. In other words, if we can go beyond our bodily senses we may get closer to seeing what God sees, tasting what God tastes.
In Christian tradition, notably in the writings of St Bonaventure, this interior experience is described as “the spiritual senses” or the “eyes of the soul”. Through our spiritual senses, it is said, we have the capacity of perceiving spiritual realities.
Our spiritual senses can be tuned and developed. We can do this by giving time to prayer and meditation. These “spiritual exercises” actually improve our capacity to be spiritually sensitive.
For example, musicians who have played and listened to a lot of music can easily hear whether a musical chord is major or minor or diminished or augmented. That is because they have done a lot of musical exercises. A person who has not done musical exercises, on the other hand, would not have a clue. Their ear is “untuned”. Or a good chef can taste all the spices that have gone into a dish, whereas a novice cook might only pick one or two obvious spices. They have not developed their palate. Or again, in business management these days, people talk about emotional intelligence being as important as common sense or professional skills.
So also with spiritual senses: they are as important as our bodily senses and we can develop them through becoming spiritual people. Just as it takes time to tune a musical ear, so also it takes time to learn to be spiritual. That is why the Zen masters insist on practice, practice, practice.
A teacher or spiritual director can be of great help: not necessarily someone who knows a great deal about spirituality, but someone who lives a spiritual life. They will usually be wise and gentle, with good spirits. They will have experienced suffering, and will be open-minded and encouraging. They can tell you when you are on the right track, and when you may be getting confused.
So spend some time every day in spiritual space … offer each day to God, say grace at meals, give thanks at night. Delight in creation and the gift of life. Hope. Know God is already there with you. This is grace. This is joy. This is living spiritually.