The use of our senses in survival and preparedness

UbiqueContributor - April 24, 2021

AdviceSkills

Rene Descartes wrote: “The senses deceive from time to time, and it is prudent never to trust wholly those who have deceived us even once.”

A careful hunter knows to double check what he sees in his sights before he pulls the trigger. His vision relays movement, form, and color to a buck fevered brain. Moose! He takes a breath and double checks what he thinks he has seen and discovers it is actually another person walking in the woods.

“Better to miss the shot, then kill a person,” he thinks.

This happened to someone I know who used to guide and teach people to hunt. He used it as an example of how even a seasoned hunter is capable of making a mistake and that mistakes are not an option when you could kill a person and not what you are hunting.

This incident is an example of what Descartes wrote about our senses and deception. Our senses work both ways. They help us perceive the present while also being capable of misinforming us at the same time.

We have five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch that gather information about our environment. This information is then interpreted by our brain.

Our understanding of this information is based on the lessons from our previous experience and information that comes from a combination of each of our senses.

This process produces information to which we respond almost automatically. Like other animals, this sensory information is significant to our survival. 

Sense dominance varies between animals. Hunters recognize this in their prey.

Each sense provides different information, with our dominant sense being sight. Hearing is our most sensitive sense because of the range upon which it operates.

Smell and taste are the oldest of our senses and are needed for avoiding danger, mating and feeding.

Age and illness can blunt taste and smell. Loss of smell affects appetite rendering food less appealing. This is a contributing factor to poor nutrition in the aged.

When we prepare for emergencies or disasters, our senses and how they work to protect us should be considered.

For example, is it better to use scented products for personal care over unscented during an emergency?

If you are trapped, perhaps the smell of your deodorant or cologne might reach the olfactory senses of the rescuers faster?

Or is it dangerous to use scented products if you are hiding from a predator during a crisis and he can smell you?

Smell alerts us to the presence of others, tells us if food is bad or if food is cooking on some campfire miles away or simmering on the stove of the house next door.

In a disaster the smell of our food or the food next door can draw a human or animal predator to our position. 

Our garbage can also leave a smell that might attract unwanted visitors including rodents. It is a big issue in surviving long term disasters especially in an urban area. 

It is better to plan for this problem before a disaster happens. Consider the food debris left inside a can or which foods smell up the garbage the fastest.

How do you rinse a can if water is being rationed?

Do you use a can crusher to compact garbage and then seal the remains before disposal? How do you eliminate garbage when there may not be services and discretion is necessary? 

Sight is critical for nonverbal communication. If you are approached by someone, what they communicate can guide your decision to trust them or not. Think of how that can apply to navigating a long duration crisis.

Sight is how we navigate, hunt and survey the world around us. We can see the sky take on a greenish cast before a tornado. We can see that our vegetables are ready to harvest.

If our vision is or became impaired during a crisis, how can we plan ahead for that when constructing our preparedness? Are night vision tools something to include in our preps to help us see in the dark?

Does our security preparedness include the ability to black out our home? Have we checked in the evening to see how far away a single candle or light can illuminate our home? Can we reduce our visibility or disappear from the sight and attention of predators in a crisis?

Taste is a digestive aid and is part of the way we can determine if something is good to eat. Consider the SAS instructions for all the steps used to determine if something is safe to eat in the wild.

Hearing is part of how we communicate with other people and our environment, especially at night when our vision doesn’t work as well.

A twig snapping can signal the presence of another human at night. Bird song that suddenly stops can also signal the same presence during the day.

Hearing can inform us that someone is in distress. It can warn us of an impending disaster as in the thundering sound of a storm or tornado.

Touch can tell us if someone is ill with a fever. It warns us if our environment is too hot or too cold and protects us from overheating and from freezing. It prevents us from picking up a hot pan and burning ourselves.

We are alerted to pain through our sense of touch. If we are examining ourselves or another person for injury during a disaster, think of how touch plays a major role in correct assessment.

I use touch to feel when a cake is done or if my bread dough is kneaded enough.

This is a small sampling of examples of how our five senses become critical components to consider when planning or organizing our preparedness.

A final point about our five senses is to consider the power of our senses to elevate our mood and well being.

How might a crisis impact our psychological well being? Why not prepare and construct a “five sense first aid kit” to bolster well being during a disaster?

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Good morning Ubique,

In reply to questions;

A crisis can activate the body into “fight or flight” mode.  Blood chemistry can change. So, too, sometimes respiration and ability to sleep.

My five sense first aid kit contains some psychological first aid “ointments”. Packed in it (actually starting with a 4 inch plastic file folder cut from the regular size with this folder already in pocket of a field shirt) are 2 mini-books of glossy pictures of famous art I like to view. Also in this section of kit is a large print copy of my favorite poem by an artillery Sergeant Major (“The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe). In between the 2 poem pages are small pictures of family.

Next to aforesaid kit in pocket is space for 2 favorite chocolate bars. No longer carry binoculars due self-imposed weight restrictions. Near this file folder kit section is small AAA battery size AM-FM-SW radio for my mental health. I already know the weather. I like the scent of some Avon and Mary Kay products but do not carry for evac.  They are here in shack. 

The only thing that really soothes me is the fur of a German Shepard but do not have. My preps are insufficient.

I was taught and practice to never use scented products when out in field … eg the bug sprays must be unscented.

Part of my psych kit but primarily for other purpose is moth balls (camphor) for bug repellant around garbage. The camphor vapors keep me alert. 

No can crusher here. When SIP, after 2nd plastic bag filled, stuff might be buried, situation dictating.

Re impared visibility during crisis; In shack for all doors are lengths of paracord to loop over door handle and excess loosely draped over something ~ waist level.

My other physical kits – and they are mostly vest pockets and pouches on load-bearing suspenders – contain some moth balls (camphor) for bug repellant around some emergency foods, etc.

Dwelling already prepped for blackout.  Dominion Energy assists and plans are to minimize light use; will wait for daylight less time-sensitive matters like wounds, window glass damage.

Last; Based on conscious thought, for evac mode when going out into the unknown, I only pack flavored dental floss and a couple of small stringe size (~ 3 cc) ointments loaded with menthol. My RX mouthwash is peppermint and it is a must. 

 

Good afternoon Bob,

I like your 5 sense first aid kit. What is your favorite artist(s)/art? I use Watkin’s camphor salve. That was the panacea for everything around our farm. Watkin’s and Buckley’s cough syrup.

Mine 5 sense kit is nature, and if I could have it, a journal book and pen so I could write for the psychological well being. I had a 30 year writer’s block and much time to make up for.

We used to burn our garbage or put it in the dump at the farm, but here in this town, burial is not an option. I am trying to minimize garbage creation in my preps. The cans would be the big one and occupy less space if crushed.

Paracord navigation lines indoors are a good idea! My dental gear is full deal also.

I thought non-scented was the best option if trying to avoid detection.

Scent is nice to have but can be found in nature, cedar and balsam boughs, cloves and cinnamon, and wild roses.

I couldn’t function as well without dog fur to pat.

Sidebar: I was doing research for a fictional work years ago and one of the characters was a Vietnam Veteran. In my research, I ran across an open message board for the Vietnam vets who had been dog handlers. I respectfully stopped reading and left that site because it felt like sacred space. All these years later and I’m still tearing up as I type this. They suffered then and continue to grieve the loss of their dogs.

I think of them when I pat my dog.

 

Good morning Ubique,

My favorite art is a specific category of landscape art known as sublime Romantic landscapes. I like pictures of vines, other botany covering olden ruins. Edmund Burks said this art depicted the greatness of nature beyond calculation.

If time permits, look at “An Avalanch in the Alps”. It warns that nature will defeat the industralists.

See “Moonlit Landscape with Bridge”.

A contemporary picture is “Sun Tunnels”.

Extremely sophisticated with hidden meaning is presented in Maya Lin’s Vietnam Veterans Wall. Freud and Otto Rank would know.

Some of the best modern writings are from field journals; Darwin’s notes on vessel Beagel, Edgar Allen Poe’s short stories get involved in this, …

I know about the Vietnam Veterans’ dog handlers. Their training program started when I was there. The location was Malaysia for school. The program was tailored to be a great experience. Recruitment was sought from throughout the ranks of the combat arms. The reason for this great program involved the shelf life of the handlers and their dogs.

There are still various views on scented versus non-scented products re evading detection. It depends much on the culture in potential confrontations. During Vietnam War, Viet Cong were known to smear US brands of tooth paste on their clothes. The lingering vapors of menthol cigarettes on a sub-continent Indian’s clothes are noticeable smells on other side of a room. 

 

Good morning Bob,

Re Scent – You made a very important point about cultural conditions and scent. Scent can disguise oneself or be used by another.

We also get accustomed to scents, so that is something I plan to give more thought to as it relates to survival/preparedness.

I think sight and hearing can also become accustomed/sensitized and that is something else to consider in a crisis/disaster.

When car alarms first became available, I remember the sound seemed so piercing and noticeable. A neighbor’s car alarm went off recently and I barely noticed it.

Sight is not something that becomes sensitized for me. I am very visual and notice the slightest change in my environment. But it could affect other people.

I also just thought about how we can have quirks within our senses and it is worthwhile to note that in our prepping.

For example, I can identify people by the sound of their footsteps.

I have overlooked field journals and plan to remedy that oversight. There is much to learn from that narrative and method of recording history. Thank you for the reminder about that form of writing.

A very interesting style of art. The viewer observes nature reclaiming her landscape. J.M.W. Turner’s “Fishermen at Sea” – nature reclaiming the fishermen and removing them from her landscape.

An Avalanche in the Alps has a second figure on the far right that I almost missed. Moonlit Landscape has great moody colors – all secrets and shadows. Sun Tunnels was amazing – I am going to spend more time with that later. It reminded me of Maya Lin’s Eclipsed Time. 

I saw an aerial photo of Maya Lin’s Vietnam Memorial- and the wounding depicted by the shape of the memorial and how it rises out of the earth. She is brilliant. She has a “What is missing?” project referencing the environment that I want to check out.

Thank you for telling me about it. I really enjoyed looking at the different paintings and found more to enjoy later.

 

Good morning Ubique,

My favorite art is a specific category of landscape art known as sublime Romantic landscapes. I like pictures of vines, other botany covering olden ruins. Edmund Burks said this art depicted the greatness of nature beyond calculation.

If time permits, look at “An Avalanch in the Alps”. It warns that nature will defeat the industralists.

See “Moonlit Landscape with Bridge”.

A contemporary picture is “Sun Tunnels”.

Extremely sophisticated with hidden meaning is presented in Maya Lin’s Vietnam Veterans Wall. Freud and Otto Rank would know.

Some of the best modern writings are from field journals; Darwin’s notes on vessel Beagel, Edgar Allen Poe’s short stories get involved in this, …

I know about the Vietnam Veterans’ dog handlers. Their training program started when I was there. The location was Malaysia for school. The program was tailored to be a great experience. Recruitment was sought from throughout the ranks of the combat arms. The reason for this great program involved the shelf life of the handlers and their dogs.

There are still various views on scented versus non-scented products re evading detection. It depends much on the culture in potential confrontations. During Vietnam War, Viet Cong were known to smear US brands of tooth paste on their clothes. The lingering vapors of menthol cigarettes on a sub-continent Indian’s clothes are noticeable smells on other side of a room. 

 

I LOVED THIS! You cover everything from being stalked by someone because of your smell to simply burning your hand on a hot pot. We take our senses for granted and just go through life without taking the time to feel, smell, taste, etc like a new born baby does to understand their world. Take a minute right now close your eyes and shut out the world. Then feel the texture of your pants, now your shirt, now your skin, then your finger nail. All of those are different and unique but we just brush against those all day and never think of them any more. What if you were blinded by something and that is now how you interpret and understand your world?

In jungle survival movies or I’ve even seen it in war movies the person covers themselves in mud as they navigate trying to remain unseen. I can see this camouflaging yourself in with the natural surrounding colors visually, and also mask your scent somewhat. Do you think this really works?

 

Liz, I’m glad you enjoyed this! It is fun to add this into the mix of preparedness.

Our five sense are a journey through mindfulness. They all impact our perceptions of the world. 

When you wrote about if you were blinded, I thought of Helen Keller. She had the most amazing spirit and quotes. This one came to mind as I read your reply:

“Smell is a potent wizard that transports you across thousands of miles and all the years you have lived.” – Helen Keller

I also thought of the person in mud and using nature to camouflage themselves. I believe that I would do that if needing to hide my scent and physical self. 

I do think it would work and can’t see how it would hurt anything. I believe that people who have been lost in mosquito or insect infested areas have also used mud to shield themselves from being bitten. 

 

Another thing that comes to mind is the energy you give off. Dogs, horses, and other animals are really in-tune with the energy we give off. If you are nervous and scared when trying to get up on a horse, they will sense that and might be more skittish as well. How do these animals pick up this energy? I think they use all their senses. They can see your facial expressions, maybe smell and feel your heavy breathing, maybe we give off a certain scent when we are nervous. I also think there might just be a hidden sense that we all have to feel someone’s energy. In a disaster when we are trying to trade items with someone, they might be able to pick up on our nervous or tense energy and then be more cautious as well. Learning how to remain calm, assertive, and confident are important traits to learn and practice now so you can “mask” your energy if your life depends on it.

 

Hi Liz, 

Yes, absolutely animals pick up on our energy. When I greet horses, I bend in close to their muzzle and gently exhale into their nostrils. I began doing this after raising quarter horses and observing how they greeted each other. Some time later, I discovered that a famous trainer of horses from the Middle East does exactly the same thing. I saw him on a television program and it was remarkable to watch.

Definitely if we are nervous, they will become nervous. For horses, it is because they are prey animals and very sensitive to their environment. It keeps them safe.

Controlling our fear during an event is worth practising for now. Our brains cannot tell the difference between a real time event or a remembered event. Biologically, we respond the same way both the real or remembered event with elevated heart rate, and other effects.

So, if your health allows it, it can be a way to practice or de-sensitize to the scenario by visualizing it and then working through the situation, as if one were rehearsing for a stage play.

Breathing is key to remaining calm during a stressful event also.

Interestingly, there are additional senses in addition to the 5 senses. They are Vestibular and Proprioperception systems.

The vestibular system provides information via our inner ear that tells us if we are moving and how. It also tells us about our head position.

Our understanding of movement and balance helps us to coordinate our head movements with our eyes, allows us to remain upright and use both sides of our bodies at the same time. It also acts like an internal GPS system and tells us which direction we are going and how fast we are moving.

The proprioceptive system tell us about our bodies position in relation to it’s environment. It is relied upon by athletes who use it to know which direction they are facing or how close they are to an obstacle, and how much effort they are using to move their bodies. It also regulates both our emotional responses and sensory input. 

Our bodies have amazing onboard systems, don’t they?

 

That is a neat tip about breathing near the horse’s nostrils. I’ll have to try that next time I go riding.

 

Liz,

Glad you liked it. I had my husband try it at our dog boarding kennel years ago. He is very afraid of horses due to a bad experience that was not the horses’ fault. It was his cousin’s who thought it would be funny to put a novice rider on a very spirited horse.

We were picking up our Samoyed from a day at the kennel and met a horse our kennel owner (family run) was working with. The horse was very nervous due to previous handling. 

I encouraged him to bend forward and gently breathe into the horses’ nostrils and wait for the horse to breathe back to him. It was remarkable to watch as he and the horse both relaxed and exchanged their breathing for a few moments. Since that experience, he has not been as fearful of horses and has expressed an interest in trying to ride one again.