Deep orienting practice.
Hello,
I'm glad you're here to practice with me today.
This meditation is focused on what I call deep orienting,
And it takes the basic practice of orienting to more dimensions.
Orienting is a trauma-informed mindfulness practice that helps us come into the present moment to assess our level of safety or danger.
Many of us,
Especially those of us with trauma histories,
Are hypervigilant to our surroundings,
Constantly scanning for danger.
While this is an instinctual protective function,
It can become our default and can keep us from noticing beauty,
Aliveness,
And hopefully the actual safety we may be having in this present moment.
You may also wish to listen to my basic orienting practice meditation here on Insight Timer.
Let's begin.
We're going to start with orienting to our external environment.
With your open eyes,
Look around you right now,
Wherever you are.
Notice objects,
The quality of light,
The presence of animals,
People,
Buildings,
Or nature around you.
Make sure you turn your head and your neck in all directions.
Up,
Down,
Around,
And behind.
Be curious as what you notice most.
Is it objects,
Colors?
Now gradually bring in your other senses.
Is there a fragrance you detect in your environment?
Perhaps the smell of coffee,
Or the scent of flowers,
Or the smell of traffic?
What sounds are rising and falling in your space?
Can you notice texture,
Such as the feel of your hands in your lap,
Or the touching of your clothes?
Can you notice the smell of coffee,
Or the smell of coffee,
Or the smell of coffee?
Notice if there is a taste present.
As you continue to orient to your external environment,
Notice what is happening in your body right now.
Are you noticing any constriction,
Or are you noticing some settling,
And opening,
And curiosity?
Often when we have the habit of being hyper-vigilant,
It can be difficult to notice neutral objects or experiences.
You can see the neutral objects or experiences in our environment.
So have patience with yourself.
Now reorient again to your external environment through any of your sensory pathways,
Sight,
Sound,
Touch,
Taste,
Smell,
And this time with the intention of noticing beauty,
Or noticing something that piques your curiosity.
Perhaps you're noticing the shape of a vase,
Or an object that you enjoy,
Perhaps a color stands out.
Notice what happens inside as you orient to one or two aspects of beauty or interest.
Let's shift our focus now to a second dimension of orienting to our internal physical environment.
What are you noticing inside your body?
See where your attention automatically goes as you direct your focus to your internal sensations.
Do you become aware of discomfort,
Body aches,
Or pain?
This is quite natural as we are wired to notice things in our internal and external environments that could cause us harm.
This process of noticing what's wrong can be extra challenging for those coping with illness or loss of body abilities.
We tend to focus on what's wrong or painful,
Which then becomes our default habit.
To increase our capacity to feel alive,
Widen the lens of your attention now to notice not only the discomfort,
But other body sensations as well.
Is your body resting in a pleasant posture?
Is your tummy satisfied with a recent meal?
Are you experiencing the gift of sight or hearing?
What is happening that's just right and okay with your body in this moment?
It can be hard at first to notice these more subtle,
Neutral,
Or positive aspects of our internal physical environment.
Continue to notice both discomfort and comfort within your body in this moment.
As you do this,
What happens?
Be curious as to any shifts in your body,
Your thought processes,
Or your emotions.
Lastly,
We're going to direct our orienting attention to our relational experiences.
Think of a person close to you.
How do you orient around them?
Is the quality of energy between you and this person safe and relaxed or tense and constricting?
Let the images or felt presence of several different people pass in your mind and notice that you can orient to each person in a slightly different way.
Your nervous system is sensing the connection and the presence or lack of presence with this particular person.
If it's hard to sense this with another person in this moment,
Notice your connection to my voice.
We are here together in this practice right now.
What words might you use to describe our connection through this virtual experience?
Receptive,
Relaxed,
Uncomfortable,
New?
Stay curious to whatever your relational experience is right now.
You can also think of a loved one,
A pet,
Or even a tree.
That you have a relational experience with.
As we close this practice,
You can once again open your eyes and orient to your external surroundings to soften the transition from this meditation back to your waking daily experience.
Our nervous systems look for safety without,
Within,
And between.
Without into our external environments,
Within our own bodies,
And between each other.
This practice of deep orienting can help us keep our lens of attention flexible and open so we can sense our aliveness and be receptive to beauty and connection around us.
You can use this practice in any setting at home,
On the subway,
At work,
In the store.
Know that as you practice flexing your lens of attention with orienting without,
Within,
And between,
You will be able to respond well to any experience that comes.
The times you need to be aware and give yourself protection,
And the times to relax and settle,
The times to notice beauty and open your curiosity.
It's good to be with you today.
Thanks for practicing with me.
