The Sensate: Encountering God Through the Senses
“The senses are the gateway between the internal and external world. Sight, sound, touch, taste, and hearing give us a constantly changing inner matrix of the world around us.”— Andrea Judith, Eastern Body Western Mind
A particular holiness is found in beauty—one that does not demand words or logic but invites the heart to be stirred and the spirit to be awakened. For those who walk the sacred pathway of the Sensate, as described by author Gary Thomas in his book Sacred Pathways, the presence of God is most vividly encountered through the five senses. Incense curling into the heavens, candlelight flickering in a quiet chapel, the resonance of sacred music reverberating through the soul—each is a door through which the Holy Spirit is made tangible.
I experienced this viscerally during an incense ceremony in Berlin. The air, thick with the aroma of precious woods, transformed the space into something otherworldly. As the fragrance ascended, it felt as though my prayers rose with it, mingling with centuries of devotion. The scent clung to my skin, lingering as a reminder that worship is not only spoken—it is breathed, touched, seen, heard, and tasted.
For Sensates, aesthetics are not mere ornamentation; they are conduits to God’s presence. The aroma of anointing oil recalls the sacred rituals of old, a piece of sacred music can move the heart to weep, a stained-glass window drenched in morning light can speak of resurrection without a single word. The physical world, rather than distracting from God, becomes the very means through which He is experienced.
This path echoes the biblical understanding that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Just as the ancient Israelites meticulously crafted the Tabernacle to God’s specific instructions, rich in incense, so too can we cultivate spaces where the senses and worship intertwine. The Sensate pathway invites us to engage fully in embodied spirituality—allowing sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch to guide us deeper into communion with God.
Perhaps, in a world that often dulls the senses with distraction, we are invited to recover a richer, more immersive way of worship. To light a candle before prayer. To listen deeply to the harmonies of a choral hymn. To inhale the scent of rain-soaked earth and whisper, "Surely, the Lord is in this place" (Genesis 28:16).
May we never take for granted the ways in which God meets us through the senses—through the sacred incense rising, through the touch of cool water in baptism, through the taste of communion bread breaking on the tongue. For the Sensate, to encounter beauty is to encounter the presence of the Divine.
How has God revealed Himself to you through beauty, fragrance, sound, taste, or touch? Take a moment to reflect on a time when your senses drew you into a deeper awareness of His presence. How might you intentionally cultivate sensory experiences in your spiritual practice of refilling?
Inspiration from the pages of Loto Living magazine
Recovering from physical, emotional, and spiritual burnout often involves embarking on a journey of self-discovery. This journey helps us identify activities that deplete our energy and those that rejuvenate us, reconnecting us with God's presence.
Author Gary Thomas highlights nine spiritual pathways, representing the different types of activities that resonate uniquely with each of us. These pathways are designed to infuse us with life, which can be challenging when we’re burnt out from activities that only drain us.
Each issue of Loto Living provides inspiration for several of these pathways, encouraging you to find the ones that speak to your spirit. To find out your spiritual style, take this test.
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