By Heather Parsons, Founder of ENERGYBODi Sensation
At ENERGYBODi Sensation, we do more than just move—we awaken the senses. Our name itself reflects this philosophy: ENERGYBODi embodies the dynamic connection between movement and vitality, while SENSATION is a tribute to the power of our senses in shaping our physical, emotional, and cognitive wellbeing.
For me, sensation is everything. As a deeply tactile person, my journey has always been about feeling—whether through movement, touch, sound, light, or scent. This is why, over the last 30 years, I have created a space where movement is an art form, a practice of fine-tuning the senses like an artist working with colors, textures, and compositions.
Though my background is in art, it was through movement that I found my true creative expression. The human body is an exquisite canvas, and our senses are the brushstrokes that bring life to it. Through ENERGYBODi Sensation, I guide my clients to refine their sensory awareness, just as an artist hones their craft. In doing so, we cultivate strength, emotional balance, and mental clarity—all through the power of the senses. Lets explore what it truly means to have Mind Body Movement in a Fitness session.
THE POWER OF SENSES IN MOVEMENT AND WELLBEING
Every experience we have is shaped by sensory input. The way we see, hear, touch, and smell the world informs not just our movement but our emotions, cognitive health, and sense of presence. At ENERGYBODi Sensation, we use multi-sensory engagement to fine-tune movement and wellbeing, helping clients reconnect with their bodies, minds, and emotions on a deeper level.
SCENT: The Essential Oil of the Day
Smell is the most primal and direct of all the senses. It bypasses the usual pathways of thought and goes straight to the emotional and memory centers of the brain. This is why scent has the power to shift our mood, influence our state of mind, and even enhance movement.
Every day at our studio, we feature an Essential Oil of the Day, carefully chosen to stimulate, calm, or energize based on the needs of our clients and the rhythm of our sessions. Currently, we use:
Bay Laurel Leaf – Invigorating, empowering, and deeply grounding. It helps clients feel strong, courageous, and mentally sharp.
Thyme – An ancient herb that clears the mind, boosts mental focus, and supports respiratory function, making it perfect for breathwork.
Orange – Uplifting and joyful, orange oil brings in a sense of warmth, optimism, and creativity—perfect for dynamic movement sessions.
Lavender – The scent of peace and relaxation, lavender soothes the nervous system, enhancing recovery, mindfulness, and deep connection to breath.
Cinnamon- Stimulates the immune system, alleviate digestive discomfort, help relieve cold and flu symptoms, support healthy inflammation response, support healthy circulation
These carefully curated scents don’t just create an atmosphere—they activate the brain and nervous system in ways that enhance motor function, emotional balance, and neuroplasticity. This is science-backed sensory training, woven into our holistic movement experience.
Interoception – The sense of the internal state of the body (hunger, thirst, heartbeat awareness, respiration, etc.).
Proprioception – The awareness of body position and movement in space.
Vestibular Sense – The sense of balance and spatial orientation, mediated by the inner ear.
Thermoception The ability to sense temperature (both external and internal).
Nociception – The perception of pain from physical damage or injury.
Heart Field Resonance-The heart’s electrical activity produces a magnetic field, measurable with magnetocardiography (MCG).The heart’s field is about 100 times stronger than the brain’s and can be detected several feet from the body. Positive emotional states improve Heart Rate Variability (HRV), which is linked to better stress resilience and overall well-being.
and more are emerging all the time!
🌿 The Science of Touch: How It Affects Your Nervous System
Touch isn’t just a surface sensation—it directly impacts how your nervous system functions.
✔ Gentle, intentional touch stimulates afferent nerves, which send signals to the brain that help regulate stress and muscle tension.✔ The slow, mindful strokes used in somatic practices can lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels while increasing oxytocin (the connection and bonding hormone).✔ Exploring light touch—like rubbing fingers together or softly stroking the skin—awakens sensory receptors, improving body awareness and proprioception.
💡 Simply paying attention to the sensation of touch can help shift your body into a calm, centered state.
LIGHT & COLOR: Creating an Immersive Atmosphere for Wellbeing
Light isn’t just about illumination—it’s about energy, emotion, and sensory connection. I have always been fascinated by mood lighting, projector lights, and color-changing lamps, and at ENERGYBODi Sensation, we use color therapy as a vital part of the experience.
Cool blue hues invite a sense of calm and focus, helping clients move with intention.
Vibrant oranges stimulate energy and passion, bringing warmth and movement into the body.
Soft purples and greens create an atmosphere of harmony, perfect for balance work and relaxation.
Through color and light, we shape the space around us, much like a painter layers color onto a canvas. When combined with scent and movement, it creates a deeply immersive experience that transforms how we feel, move, and think.
SOUND & MUSIC: The Heartbeat of Expression
Music has been my lifelong passion, my way of expressing everything that happens inside me. I, surprisingly dont play an instrumetn but have always said my body is my intrument as I dance. Just as most artists would take take care of their guitar of flute etc, keeping the body well tuned is important.
At ENERGYBODi Sensation, we use carefully curated soundscapes to enhance the body’s natural rhythms:
Lyrics- I chose each track with awareness of the lyrics and what words are allowing to into our subconsious.
Energetic beats to uplift, desire to move and feel good.
Resonant frequencies that support the nervous system and create an inner focus.
Flowing instrumental tones for deep breathwork and sensory integration.
My playlists have a beginning middle and a completion. Over the decades I have shared these playlists. Who rememebers our Christmas gatherings where I would burn 30 C.D's as a gift for everyone at our meal out!
Because music is processed in the same brain regions as movement and memory, it enhances neuroplasticity, helping clients retain new movement patterns, sharpen their cognitive function, and elevate emotional resilience.
When we move with sound, scent, and light, we are training our brains to be more adaptable, our bodies to be more fluid, and our emotions to be more balanced.
WHY THIS BENEFITS YOU
This multi-sensory approach isn’t just about making a session more beautiful or enjoyable—it’s about optimizing the body and brain for deeper transformation and long-term wellbeing.
1. Enhances Movement & Coordination
Sensory awareness improves motor control, balance, and spatial intelligence.
Training with sensory stimulation refines movement skills faster and more effectively.
2. Supports Emotional Health & Stress Reduction
Certain scents, sounds, and colors help calm the nervous system, reducing stress and anxiety.
Sensory engagement activates the limbic system, which improves emotional resilience.
Since sensory input is the first step in cognitive and motor function, training environments that integrate sensory stimuli can significantly enhance learning, coordination, and mental agility.
3. Boosts Cognitive Function & Mental Clarity
Smell, sound, and light stimulate neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to adapt and grow.
Multi-sensory training has been shown to improve memory, focus, and problem-solving skills.
4. Deepens Mind-Body Connection
When we refine our senses, we become more attuned to our body’s needs and rhythms.
Clients learn to move with greater awareness, control, and ease.
MOVEMENT AS ART, THE SENSES AS OUR BRUSHSTROKES
For me, movement is my art, and the senses are the tools I use to refine and sculpt it.
Like a painter blending colors, or a musician weaving notes into a melody, we at The ENERGYBODi Sensation, guide clients to fine-tune their sensory perception, unlocking new layers of movement, expression, and wellbeing.
This is more than just fitness. This is a sensory experience, a journey into the body, mind, and senses, where every breath, every movement, and every sensation brings us closer to balance, strength, and joy.
🌿 Are you ready to awaken your senses and move like never before? 🌿J
At ENERGYBODi Sensation, we know you are all artists, developing your body literacy, developing a growing respect for yourself, as a body, as an instrument for expression, your senses as your guide.
🌀 Feel it. Move it. Live it. 🌀
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