Introduction
Ever wondered how animals in the wild stay so alert yet so calm? Their secret? Orientation. 🌍👀 This natural response involves scanning their environment to assess safety – and guess what? Humans have this innate ability too! Let’s unpack “Orientation” and how it can transform our sense of security and self-awareness.
The Essence of Somatic Orientation
Somatic Orientation is our body’s built-in radar for safety. It’s the process where we unconsciously check: “Is this place safe? Can I chill here, or do I need to bolt?” 🚀🐾 This primal check-in can lead to three types of nervous system responses: fight/flight (sympathetic), freeze (dorsal vagal), or friend (ventral vagal).
Why It Matters
In today’s hustle and bustle, our internal “radars” often get jammed and misfire. We overlook our body’s signals, leading to stress, anxiety, and disconnection. When this happens, we “miss” important signals and “lock on” to non-threatening ones. Relearning to orient can help us re-engage with our environment in a healthy, grounded way, enhancing our nervous system processing and self-regulation. 🌱🧠
Daily Practices for Somatic Orientation
The good news here is that orienting is a skill you can practice and refine. Here are some practices for orienting both at home and out in the “real world.”
- At-Home Tool – “Allow” – this is something my somatic practitioner repeated for me over and over again “allow, allow, allow” in terms of my body signals and sensory information.
- Find a comfy chair in a quiet spot.
- Notice your body: the back against the chair, feet on the ground.
- Observe the body, noticing any tension and allow your senses to roam for about a minute, absorbing your surroundings: allow your eyes to see what they will, noticing colors, objects, textures, sound, or shapes.
- Allow your eyes and senses to rest and receive without “doing anything”
- Allow and observe any sensations or calmness that arises by engaging with your environment in this way.
- Notice and allow your breath as you experience ease, softening, centeredness and peace.
- Out-in-the-World Tool – “Receive”:
- As you step out into the world, stand or sit in your environment and consciously check in with your body and surroundings.
- Receive awareness of your feet and your “back body”
- Soften your gaze and let your senses gently scan the environment, resting on anything that catches your attention.
- Receive what your senses provide you without locking into it.
- Let your eyes rest and your awareness to recede back into the center of your brain (like when you rest your eyes and your vision blurs slightly).
- Key mantra: “Receive” – not “retrieve” – just taken in what your body and eyes absorb the world without judgment.
- Notice the peace, fullness, safety, or presence that emerges.
Enhancing Your Orientation Practice
If feeling grounded is tricky, tweak your practice:
- Mind the Space Between: When breathing deeply, notice the “space between” your inhale and exhale. 🍃👀
- Space Between Objects: Instead of focusing on objects, explore the spaces between them. This can cultivate a shift in your perception and deepen your present moment awareness. 🔍🌌
- Naming Objects: As you look around, name objects and describe them – out loud. This can help ground your attention and shift your internal state. 🗣️🌸
The Benefits Unfold
By practicing Somatic Orientation, you might notice a shift toward more peace, presence, and groundedness in your daily life. It’s about tuning in, not tuning out, allowing you to navigate the world with a renewed sense of stability, safety and self-awareness. 🌈💪
Conclusion
Somatic Orientation isn’t just about scanning for safety; it’s a doorway to deeper connection with ourselves and our surroundings. By regularly practicing these simple yet profound exercises, we can transform our everyday experiences and approach life with a renewed sense of calm and confidence. 🌟🍃
Work With Me
Feeling intrigued? Want to dive deeper into Somatic Orientation and discover how these and other somatic skills can create subtle shifts can lead to profound changes in your life? Join me as a client, or grab a spot at our exclusive retreat in November, where we’ll explore these practices in depth, fostering safety, presence, and whole-self healing in a supportive environment. 🏞️💖
Head here to secure your spot at the retreat or here to become a client. Give yourself the gift of embarking on a transformative journey towards true self-presence and well-being. Let’s navigate this path to healing together, one degree at a time. 🚶♀️🚶♂️
In Health & Wholeness,
Shannan
