How I Learned To Stop Hating a Simple Somatic Tool

I used to hate orienting.

In simplest terms, orienting is the practice of slowly looking around. That’s it. Orienting can also include noticing sounds, textures, smells, or tastes.

But when I first tried it (and many times afterward), I didn’t like it. When I moved my gaze around my space, all I could see were things that needed my attention, like a cobweb in the ceiling corner or a pile of unfolded laundry. If I were healthy and well, this would have just been annoying.

But since I was very sick and very unwell, I didn’t have the energy for any of these tasks. And I had been without energy and often confined to my bedroom for so long that gazing around that space only reminded me of how long I had been stuck there.