Blindfold Hike
Time Allowance: 30 Minutes
Equipment Needed: Blindfolds
Steps
1. Each person takes turns as a guide for every six to seven blindfolded participants.
2. When these players have lined up behind their leader and have blindfolds on, the leader can take them on a short walk, helping his followers to sense their environment more fully.
3. Concentrate first on the sense of hearing. Relax, listen to the sound of walking. Can you tell what you are walking on -- grass, asphalt, gravel? What noises do you hear? First try to identify the source of the sound. Imagine trying to write the noises you hear. Now turn off the labeling part of your brain. „Feel‰ the sounds with no thought of how they originate. Imagine yourself in the middle of a symphony orchestra.
4. Next, walk into a shaded area. Can you feel the difference between the shade and sun? Can you feel a change in temperature? Touch rocks, trees, the soil, and anything else within your immediate environment.
5. Now concentrate on your sense of smell. Smell bark, crushed needles, the soil. Smell the air. Can you identify pleasant aromas? Are any of the odors familiar? Do they remind you of anything?
6. Next concentrate on your sense of taste. Roll a pine needle or a blade of grass with your tongue to determine its shape and texture. Bite into it. Is the taste stronger than you expected? Try a needle from another kind of tree or blade from a different grass. Is the taste different? Could you differentiate between these two trees or grasses by taste alone? Try a berry from kinnikinnik, juniper, or some other plant known to be safe. Many wild animals like these berries. Do you?
Processing Issues
Cooperation
Trust