"Our senses are indeed our doors and windows on this world, in a very real sense the key to the unlocking of meaning and the wellspring of creativity"

Jean Houston's quote, "Our senses are certainly our doors and windows on this world, in an extremely real sense the key to the unlocking of meaning and the wellspring of imagination", suggests an extensive engagement with our sensory experiences as the structure for understanding and producing within our world.

The metaphor of senses as "doors and windows" implies that they work as entry indicate the external environment, facilitating our interaction with and understanding of the world around us. Simply as doors and windows permit light, air, and sounds to enter a house, our senses let in the myriad stimuli of our environments, providing us with the raw information needed to form a meaningful picture of reality. This emphasizes the importance of being attuned to our sensory inputs, acknowledging that they are central to our capability to connect with and interpret the world.

In saying that senses are "in a really genuine sense the secret to the unlocking of significance", Houston posits that our sensory experiences are necessary to making sense of our lives and environments. Meaning is not merely an intellectual pursuit however an embodied one, intricately connected to what we see, hear, touch, taste, and odor. Our senses inform us, assist us to determine patterns, and assist in understanding, consequently grounding our interpretations and offering depth to the narratives we build about our existence.

Furthermore, referring to the senses as the "wellspring of imagination" suggests their centrality in the imaginative process. Creativity typically blooms from motivation drawn from the world-- a striking image, a moving piece of music, or the texture of a material can trigger new ideas and lead to creative development. By engaging deeply with our senses, we open ourselves to a more vibrant and imaginative engagement with truth.

Eventually, Houston's statement underscores the value of a heightened awareness and gratitude of our sensory experiences as essential elements of understanding, meaning-making, and creative expression. It calls for a welcome of the complete spectrum of sensory input as a path to deeper knowledge and richer creativity, inviting us to uncover the world with an open, conscious sensibility.