The Calendar of Sensory Return

A Journey of Reconnection: Reconnecting with the Five Senses in a Digitally Saturated Age

Author: Charlotte Walker (Mimi)

Special Topics in American Studies I, Sophia University

Publication permission was granted on 5 August 2025

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Digital life brings too much information and too much focus on vision. This dulls our senses and cuts off our connection to the real world. This calendar, the "Sensory Return Calendar," focuses specifically on taste, smell, and touch. These senses are difficult to put into words and are among the most challenging to replicate in the digital space. This calendar reveals how these senses are overlooked or distorted in everyday life. It presents a process of consciously awakening the senses to recover the physicality of "being here and now" and reconstruct a deep connection with the material world that surrounds us. It goes beyond the usual appeals for nature conservation and digital detox. Still, it goes into the structure in which digital mimics the sensory experience itself and robs us of authentic experience, and is a calendar for noticing this deception. Below, I will first explain the overall structure and the issues I am concerned with for each day with the content of the classes. Based on that, I will then go into more detail on the message I have incorporated into the calendar as a whole.

Instead of the usual twelve months, my calendar is composed of three periods. These represent the three stages that our senses go through in our relationship with the digital world: passive, active, and integrated. The first period is The Age of Oblivion. This is a period in which we become aware of sensory experiences that have been lost or replaced without us realizing it, due to the widespread use of digital devices. We question how our senses have been robbed or dulled by the digital world. The visual representation of this period is young fruit at the base of a tree, representing immaturity. This shows that our senses are not yet fully utilized. The second period is The Moment of Awakening. This is a period in which we intentionally regain our lost senses. It is a time to practice using our senses in our daily lives. We consciously distance ourselves from the digital world and emphasize direct contact with the physical world. The visual representation of this period is fruit approaching the sun and beginning to ripen, showing that our senses are awakening and growing. The third period is The Echo of Coexistence. It is a period of reconstructing the relationship between self, nature, and others through the reactivation of the senses. This period approaches the senses from the perspective of human-earth symbiosis, as suggested by the Anthropocene (Ellis) and environmental ethics (Attfield). It connects the awareness gained through the five senses to larger environmental and social issues. The visual representation of this period is fruit that has ripened and fallen to the ground, and is used or waiting to be used by humans and animals. This indicates the integration of the senses with the community and the larger world.

Each period is made up of ten fruits. The number ten is the number of fingers and toes on both hands, and is a strong symbol of physicality. In this calendar, each fruit (day) is dedicated to a particular sensory experience or awareness. Our ten fingers represent the most direct contact of the body with which we perceive, touch, and create the world. Each fruit also focuses on a different sense (or a combination of senses) to explore the diversity and depth of sensory experience.

Next, I will introduce the fruits of each period. 

First, in the first period: Skin of Illusion: This day is about the loss of the opportunity to experience the diverse textures of natural objects (the roughness of a tree trunk, the dampness of soil, the softness of fabric) due to the domination of the smooth glass of smartphones and the hard tactile sensations of keyboards. It brings awareness of how the simulated haptic feedback of digital screens (such as vibrations) replaces real touch and disconnects us from reality. Furthermore, the shift to smooth digital surfaces mirrors how oil devalued handwork and craftsmanship (Orr 381). When the glass on our phones replaces the rough bark of a tree or the soft weave of fabric, we lose the direct feedback that guides our hands and sharpens our problem-solving skills. This loss of real touch weakens our ability to learn by doing and makes us depend on simulated vibrations instead of genuine sensory connections.

Fragmented Soundscape: This day is about missing out on the complex organic soundscapes of cities and nature (whispering wind, dripping rain, distant conversations) by being trapped in the artificial sound “bubbles” our headphones provide. We consider how digital technology flattens the sound world and robs it of its richness through noise cancellation and compression. Just as Orr argues that oil has shaped our modern mindscape by speeding up life and valuing accumulation over depth (380-381), digital audio technology has reshaped our acoustic mindscape by speeding up and compressing sound. Noise-cancellation and data compression force every sound into a flat, uniform layer, much like oil’s focus on speed erodes our sense of community; digital filters erode the richness of natural sound. In my view, this creates a poverty of attention: we no longer notice the subtle rhythms of rain or the soft murmur of a crowd, because our headphones have taught us to expect only perfectly mixed, bite-sized audio. We can see that both oil and digital sound tools trade genuine complexity for artificial simplicity, cutting us off from the full experience of the world around us.

Flavorless Sustenance: This day is about how we have become accustomed to the homogenized taste experience brought about by delivery and processed foods, and have fewer opportunities to consciously savor the original flavors of ingredients, the aromas created during the cooking process, and the seasonal flavors. We question how the visual consumption of food through digital media (such as food photos on social media) inhibits the actual experience of taste and smell. It shows how invisible chemicals poison our immediate physical experience, revealing the dark side of social choices that impair our senses and rob us of our ability to live. In my opinion, our habit of judging food by glossy photos and relying on uniform delivery meals has dulled the very skills of keen observation and analysis that once connected us deeply to what we eat. Just as the poet uses careful differentiation to notice each subtle shift in nature (Rogers 1,2), we could train our senses to detect the crisp snap of fresh vegetables, the warmth of herbs blooming in a simmering broth, or the gentle sweetness of a perfectly ripe peach. By losing these observational skills, we forfeit the richness of seasonal flavors and the true artistry of cooking.

Visual Overload: This fruit shows how we are consumed by the constant stream of perfectly edited, “beautiful” images and videos on social media timelines and video streaming services, while missing the lived visual experience of the real world, with its nuances of light, the complexities of shadows, and the subtle color changes. We become aware of how the “ideals” created by digital filters dull our sensitivity to the diverse beauty of reality. This represents what Ellis describes: how human actions are profoundly transforming our planet and our perception of it. Humans have become a great force in nature (12-14), and this force reshapes not only our physical environment but also our sensory experience. It suggests that a critical consciousness is needed to build a “good Anthropocene” (Ellis 2-4, 15).

Desert of Words: This day is about how we have become accustomed to simplified communication through short messages and emojis, and have lost the original multi-layered sensory information that words have, such as the tone of voice, the weight of silence, the handwriting of handwritten letters, and the texture of paper when reading long texts. Users of this calendar will consider how digital communication has impoverished the delicate transmission of emotions and thoughts. Additionally, this resonates with the message of “Knot,” because it signifies liberation from a life bound by existing classifications of the world and their linguistic expressions (Rogers 2). In our integrated relationship with nature, we can question the categorization and words that have become commonplace and reexamine our linguistic environment from a new perspective.

Artificial Warmth: This day is about how, surrounded by the comfortable, uniform room temperature created by air conditioners and heaters, we have become less conscious of the diverse sensory temperatures that climate and environment bring, such as the coldness of natural winds, the warmth of the sun, and the flickering of fire. We will reexamine how the "comfort" provided by technology weakens the body's natural ability to adapt to its environment. Surrounded by the steady warmth or coolness of our air-conditioned rooms, we forget how living “in necessity” forces us to tune into the simplest changes around us. Just as Dillard learns from the weasel to follow pure instinct without overthinking (155-159), we too could relearn to sense natural shifts, such as a sudden draft under the door or the soft heat of a lamp, if we let go of constant temperature control.

Virtual Transit: On this day, we will discuss how, as we become immersed in driving simulators and VR travel, we lose the complex sensory experiences that come with real travel (walking, cycling, riding the train), such as the shift in our center of gravity, the impact on the soles of our feet, the resistance of the air, and changes in the sounds around us. We will consider how virtual "travel" replaces the physical and mental richness of real travel. In the same way that the weasel’s wildness through unfiltered instinct—biting and holding on without overthinking (Dillard 155-159), real travel allows our bodies to respond freely to shifts in terrain and sound, creating a deep, unrefined connection to place that VR cannot match. Virtual simulators, by contrast, tame every sensation, stripping away the raw feedback that makes real journeys unforgettable.

Untouched Presence: On this day, users will discuss how we get to know people mainly through digital photos and online profiles, and the presence we feel with our five senses, such as a person's body temperature, the texture of their clothing, the strength of their handshake, and the subtle smells that float in the air, has become diluted. We will consider how relationships through a screen suppress the tactile connection between people.

Digitalized Memory: This day is about photos, videos, diaries, etc. being stored on digital devices, and the sensory clues that evoke memories, such as the physical texture, the smell of paper, and the visual depth of ink, are lost. We will question how digital archives have diluted the experience of memory itself.

Uniformity of Time: This day is about how digital clocks measure time in seconds, and the quality of time felt by the five senses, such as the changing of seasons, the change in the length of days, or the rhythm of nature (flowering of plants, activity of animals), tends to be ignored. We will be aware of how digital makes us perceive time linearly and uniformly, depriving us of the sense of cyclical time that is inherent to life. Moreover, this emphasis on uniform, second-by-second counting highlights how we privilege an artificial measure of time over the “non-artificial” cycles that truly shape our lives (Attfield 15). By relying on digital clocks, we disconnect from the seasons’ natural ebb and flow, when daylight lengthens in spring or when animal activity peaks in summer, treating time as a straight line rather than a repeating circle. As a result, we lose sight of time’s intrinsic value and the lessons it offers about growth, rest, and renewal.

Next, the fruits of the second period are as follows:

Footprint of Earth: This day is about intentionally walking barefoot on the earth or grass, and feeling the temperature, humidity, hardness, and softness transmitted from the ground. Freed from digital devices, the soles of the feet reaffirm a fundamental connection to the earth. This is similar to Dillard's message in which we are asked to fully devote ourselves to feeling the world with our whole bodies to connect with nature as carefully as a weasel and find a deep and wild connection (155-159). Her call to live from pure will (155-159) proposes a radical shift in perception away from anthropocentric distractions and toward an instinctive, physical engagement with nature, and is an important critique of modern alienation.

Song of the Wind: This day is about opening the windows without any purpose and listening to the gradations of nature's sounds: the wind rustling the trees, the birds chirping, and the raindrops hitting the roof.

Scent of Memory: This day is about consciously searching for a specific "scent" - an old book, a certain plant, freshly baked bread, asphalt after rain - and immersing yourself in the emotions and memories it evokes. You will rediscover the power of scent, which can never be replicated digitally. This idea connects with Dillard’s concept of “living in necessity” (155-159). When we pause to truly notice a smell and how it makes us feel, we step away from constant human choice and overthinking. A familiar scent can take us back to a moment when we simply existed—like a child playing after rain or visiting a grandparent’s home—without judgment or plans. In that moment, we are not trying to control life, but just experiencing it fully, through our senses. Rediscovering scent is a way to return to the careless senses Dillard describes: living simply, physically, and with presence, even if just for a breath (155-159).

Seeker of Light: This day is about putting down our smartphones and consciously observing how light changes throughout the day (the gradation of a sunrise, the strong light of midday, the softness of twilight, the darkness of night) outside your window or outdoors. People will focus on the shapes of shadows created by light and the shifting colors, and rediscover the richness of vision captured by the naked eye.

Dialogue of Silence: This day is about consciously creating silence time and listening to internal and environmental sounds that you usually miss, such as your own breathing, your heartbeat, or faint sounds in the distance. We explore the dialogue of sound that exists in silence, not information.

Story of Hands: This day is about creating something by hand (kneading clay, knitting, carving wood, writing a letter) without using digital tools. We rediscover the creativity of the hands and the joy of direct dialogue with matter through the resistance, temperature, shape, and texture of the material transmitted through our fingertips. Furthermore, as Orr focuses on the essential humane teachings of craftsmanship (381), it develops our intelligence by forcing us to solve practical problems in real time. When we knead clay or carve wood, people must pay attention to feedback, how the material bends, cools, or resists, and adjust our actions accordingly, learning far more deeply than we would by simply reading instructions.

Temperature of Water: This day is about consciously touching water of different temperatures (cold, lukewarm, hot) and concentrating on the difference in the physical sensation. We also compare tap water with natural water, or water from a different place (spring water, etc.), exploring the subtle differences in taste and texture. This is a reminder of our ecological ignorance of our vital resources (Orr 379-383). It reminds us of the natural world. His critique highlights the hydrological illogical cycle of our society, where we are dependent on but disconnected from natural systems. This calendar attempts to repair that sensory and intellectual disconnect through direct engagement.

Distant Gaze: This day is about extending your gaze from a nearby screen to the distant horizon or sky, slowly shifting users’ eye focus as you look at the distant landscape. By consciously using our eye muscles to sense depth and breadth, we are freed from the fixed perspective that digital screens impose.

Breath of Material: This day is about wearing clothes and fabrics made from natural materials (cotton, linen, wool, leather, etc.) and consciously feeling the unique smell, texture, and breathability of the materials. Humans experience the natural breath of the materials with their body, which is different from synthetic fibers. Reflecting the poem, two stanzas show the speaker’s skill of keen observation and analysis of natural elements (Rogers 1,2). By feeling the gentle breath of cotton against the skin, noting how linen cools with a soft rustle, and sensing wool’s warm embrace, users differentiate each material’s unique texture and scent. This careful attention reveals how wearing natural fabrics connects us directly to the living world around us.

Memory of Feet: This day is about consciously choosing to walk on unpaved roads (gravel, dirt, grass, sand, etc.) and carefully feeling the unevenness, slope, and changes in material of the ground transmitted through the soles of your feet. People will be aware of the sensory information blocked by the soles of their shoes and awaken the innate perceptual abilities of their feet. 

And the third period has the following meaning:

Bounty of the Earth: This day is about choosing seasonal ingredients at the local market, touching them with your hands, checking their shape, hardness, and aroma, cooking them yourself, and tasting them with all your senses. Through taste, people will think about where food comes from, how it was grown, the environmental ethics behind it, and the role of humans in the Anthropocene. Attfield advocates valuing non-human nature to avoid anthropocentrism (9-11). The sensory experience of local food makes this ethical stance physical and personal, challenging social structures that promote distance from food sources and their environmental costs. The calendar aims to foster this embodied ethical consciousness beyond abstract concepts.

Resonance of Community: This day is about interacting with friends and family in person, not through devices, and feeling the non-verbal resonance of their voices, their breath, the movement of their eyes, the warmth of their hands. We rediscover the depth of human connection that digital, simplified communication robs us of.

Fabric of Ecology: This day is about using all five senses to observe the weave of ecosystems in a park, forest, or even in our own backyard, experiencing their subtle connections: the intricacy of the veins of a plant, the microscopic movements of an insect, the smell of the soil, the feel of different materials. We gain the humbling realization that we are a part of them. This is similar to "The Knot." The poem shows how everything is tightly “wired” together in a large, complex system (Rogers 2). It celebrates the complex and often invisible connections in the natural world. The calendar encourages detailed sensory observations to help recognize these knots and fosters a critical understanding of ecosystems as complex interconnected webs, not just individual resources.

Scent of Locality: This day is about consciously exploring the unique smells of users’ local area (the smell of a particular plant, the smell of the factory, the smell of the earth, the smell of the sea, etc.) and how they are connected to the local history, industry, and natural environment. Through smell, they will gain a deeper understanding of the ethical issues and characteristics of the place. By focusing on smell, we can also uncover hidden environmental problems. For example, a bird flies into chemical fumes and immediately falls into the water, paralyzed but still alive. The smell of those toxic chemicals is not just unpleasant; it signals real danger to both animals and people (Hochschild n. pag.). This shows that smells in a local area can reflect deep ethical issues, such as pollution caused by industry. Paying attention to local scents, for instance, the sharp odor near a factory or a strange smell in the water, can help us understand what has happened to the environment over time. It also reminds us that what we breathe in is connected to health, justice, and responsibility.

Journey of Food: This day is about taking a closer look at the packaging of the food humans eat every day, researching its origins, ingredients, and producers, and tasting it while imagining the environment in which it was grown and the process by which it was made, if possible. It brings sensory awareness to the socio-ecological aspects of the labor, environmental impact, and supply chain behind food. As Orr notes, we sometimes neglect to connect with the hydrological non-logical cycle of resources we depend on (379-383). The fruit helps us critically engage with the material reality of resource consumption by bringing sensory awareness to the hidden aspects of the food chain.

Sound of Circulation: This day is about listening to the sounds of the cycle of human society, such as the sound of running water in the home, the sound of a garbage truck, or the faint sound of soil being created in a compost pile. By being aware of the soundscape of the cycle of consumption and waste, we sense the finiteness of resources and their impact on the environment.

Communal Touch: This day is about participating in communal activities such as community cleanups, working in a shared garden, or a craft circle, sweating with others, sharing tools, and having conversations. Through the physical solidarity that comes from working together and the tactile pleasure of feeling each other's presence, we deepen our sense of community and our commitment to social justice. This overlaps with the courageous attitude of Sherman in exposing the truth (Hochschild n. pag.). By actively engaging with the community, we can be stimulated by people with diverse experiences and values, and develop a multifaceted perspective.

Traces of the Past: On this day, we visit old buildings, stone monuments, or historic trees in the area, touching and observing the texture of the materials, the engraved patterns, and the moss-covered surfaces with our hands and eyes. People sensorily interpret the connection between history and the environment from the traces left by past people's activities and the flow of nature over time.

Scent of the Future: On this day, we visit environmental restoration projects underway in the area (e.g., reforestation sites, biotopes, composting facilities) and consciously sense the smells emanating from them. From the smell of healthy soil, the smell of vibrant plants, or the smell of unresolved environmental problems, we use our sense of smell to capture hopes and challenges for the future.

Alarm of the Body: This day is about consciously listening to the body’s “alarm bells” (strained eyes, stiff shoulders, indigestion, lack of sleep, etc.) that come from excessive use of digital devices and unhealthy lifestyle habits, and not ignoring these sensations, but instead resting and adjusting according to the body’s voice. This recalls Lee Sherman’s body showing signs of environmental pollution (Hochschild n. pag.). His experience highlights how environmental injustice directly leads to sensory degradation and physical victimization, and forces a critical consciousness about how society’s choices affect our fundamental connection to a healthy environment. This allows us to experience how our personal health and the health of the planet are inextricably linked.

With this in mind, I will now explain the intention behind the design and specific ways to use it. In the first period, there are fruits at the base of the tree, still new and immature. In the second period, there are fruits closer to the sun and beginning to ripen. In the third period, all fruits have ripened and fallen to the ground, and are being cherished or waiting to be used by people and animals. The image of the tree is a metaphorical visualization of the meaning of each period. 

Moreover, the fruits are not colored, but only have black and white outlines. This is to respect the sensibility of the person using the calendar and to value the initiative and activeness of creating the calendar by oneself. Specifically, first, the user is asked to assign a color to each of the five senses. It is important to value the individual's aesthetic sense of what color image each sense has. Then, for the fruit chosen each day, the user is asked to think about which of the five senses it corresponds to (= color), and to paint the fruit with that color. It is okay to use not only one color, but also a gradient or many colors. In this way, the calendar is created as a unique, personal memory of the senses that expresses one's senses. 

In addition, this fruit is shaped like an apple. This is because apples have long been used as a symbol of the fruit of wisdom. The reason why there are illustrations of people and animals in the third part is that, unlike the first and second parts, the third part values relationships with people, communities, and the larger society. Additionally, the illustration of the basket is meant to encourage the collection and accumulation of wisdom and awareness from each fruit, and to apply and utilize them. Furthermore, there is no order in which fruit begins in each period, and the order of numbers such as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. is not written. This is to allow users to decide which fruit to choose based on their sense of the day. It is also to avoid being bound by numbers or existing cycles. When the third period comes, we return to the first period again. This is to ensure that we are not satisfied with reaching the third period and always critically reexamine our lives to see if it is digitally dependent. Therefore, the image is based on the overall life of a tree, including the ground. It represents the cycle of fruit being born, ripening, falling to the ground, and being used by people, and some of the remainder becoming fertilizer to create new fruit. It visually expresses that the senses that tend to be divided by digital are organically connected and interact with each other to create rich experiences. In addition, by imitating the growth cycle of nature, it suggests the process of our senses being nurtured and matured.

In conclusion, the Calendar of Sensory Return presents a profound philosophy of life that goes beyond being a simple time management tool. By intentionally reactivating our five senses – taste, smell, touch, hearing, and sight - it invites us to resist the sensory impoverishment that digital life brings. It is a call to be fully present in the present moment and to forge authentic connections with our surroundings. And it asks us to continually consider our role in shaping a more sustainable and sensory-rich future for all. This calendar offers a path for humanity to build a “good Anthropocene” (Ellis 4) where people use their whole body senses to coexist with the Earth in deeply thoughtful and compassionate ways. Through this project, I have been able to critically understand environmental ethics as a deeply embodied experience, not just an abstract concept. By emphasizing our direct sensory connection with our world, we can challenge the isolating nature of digital saturation and foster a more conscious and responsible engagement with the Earth and our communities. This ongoing cycle of sensory reengagement and critical reflection is essential to navigate the complexities of a human-altered world.

Works Cited:

• Attfield, Robin. Environmental Ethics: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford UP, 2018.

• Dillard, Annie. “Living Like Weasels.” Literature and the Environment, edited by Lorraine Anderson, Scott Slovic, and John P. O’Grady, 2nd ed., Pearson, 2013, pp. 155-159.

• Ellis, Erle C. Anthropocene: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press, 2018.

• Hochschild, Arlie Russell. “Lee Sherman and Toxic Louisiana Bayou.” The New Press, 2016, www.thenewpress.com.

• Orr, David W. “Reflections on Water and Oil.” Literature and the Environment, edited by Lorraine Anderson, Scott Slovic, and John P. O’Grady, 2nd ed., Pearson, 2013, pp. 379-383.

• Rogers, Pattiann. “Knot.” Literature and the Environment, edited by Lorraine Anderson, Scott Slovic, and John P. O’Grady, 2nd ed., Pearson, 2013, pp. 143-144.