{"id":195,"date":"2025-11-07T16:04:46","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T21:04:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/?post_type=chapter&p=195"},"modified":"2026-03-24T09:51:59","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T13:51:59","slug":"orienting","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/contemplative-pedagogy\/chapter\/orienting\/","title":{"raw":"Orienting","rendered":"Orienting"},"content":{"raw":"
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Katrina Grabner<\/h4>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n\r\nCategory \/ branch (in the tree of contemplative practices<\/a>):<\/strong> Movement\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n\r\n[iframe src=\"https:\/\/concordia.yuja.com\/V\/Video?v=1242510&node=7083940&a=202506232\" width=80%]\r\n

Click to download a transcript of the video (PDF) <\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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\r\n\r\nIt is common for students and ourselves to rush from one classroom or activity to the next without giving our bodies time to arrive or \u201cland in\u201d together. The practice described below supports nervous system regulation through sensory-based noticing.\r\n\r\nOften contemplative practices, as well as nervous system regulation activities, begin with stillness or breathwork activities. However, for some people this can be activating and overwhelming to start with\u2013particularly for those who have experienced some form of trauma, are neurodivergent or have physical conditions such as chronic pain or autoimmune conditions that keep the body in a state of hyperarousal. As someone who identifies as being neurodivergent and having an autoimmune condition that can cause my body to experience higher levels of fight-or-flight nervous system arousal, I often find it difficult to start with stillness activities. In the past I would even feel shame or a sense of failure if I was not feeling settled during a breathing practice. Yet, I still needed time, perhaps even more so than others, to allow my body to transition from one space to the next, taking in cues of safety in my new environment. When I began training in Somatic Experiencing, a body-oriented therapeutic approach to trauma treatment (Somatic Experiencing International, n.d.), I was introduced to the simple practice of orienting. On the surface the activity described below might seem like a stillness practice, but it involves the subtle movement of our neck and our eyes. Then depending on what we sense both outside ourselves in our environment and what within our body it may involve responding through further movements.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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Cultural & historical origins<\/h1>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n\r\nThe behavio<\/span>u<\/span>r of an animal when it experiences and responds to novelty is called an \u201corienting response<\/span>\u201d<\/span> (Levine, p.92). This is a <\/span>coordinated pattern of muscle movement and perceptual awareness and is a dual response of reacting plus inquiring. Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist first described these orienting responses as the <\/span><\/span>shto<\/span> eta <\/span>takoe<\/span><\/span><\/em> (<\/span>\u0447\u0442\u043e<\/span> \u044d\u0442\u043e<\/span> \u0442\u0430\u043a\u043e\u0435<\/span>)<\/span> reflex, often translated as, the \u201cwhat is it<\/span>?<\/span>\u201d reflex<\/span> (Barry, 2009).<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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What to be aware of<\/h1>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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\r\n\r\nBy having students keep their eyes open and use their senses, this is a more trauma-informed way of regulating. It is important to be aware that sometimes when someone has a history of or is currently experiencing trauma, the act of slowly down and having their nervous system responses begin to \u201cde-armour\u201d can cause more activation.\r\n\r\nThis does not mean that we do not do activities that bring us into present moment awareness, it just means that we are aware that everyone\u2019s bodies will respond differently to these activities as needed and that is why options and choice are so important at every step. It is also important to understand that this activity involves noticing where we are and of course, if our classroom space for any number of reasons isn\u2019t safe enough (by safe I don\u2019t just mean physical safety, but also emotional safety), due to the systemic oppression experienced by for example, members of visible minorities, persons with disabilities, women, the LGBTQIA2S+ community..., this activity may not be regulating. If we are doing these contemplative practices, but not also working towards cultivating a felt sense of relative safety in the classroom environment, then we might be supporting students in letting their guard down in an environment that they actually need to have their guard up.\r\n\r\nThis is also why you will notice several different offerings of types of movement are introduced, because they provide different ways of being with the needs of the body as it experiences different levels of nervous system energy in the body. One last point regarding a trauma-informed approach to this activity, is that in the optional section where we begin to notice our sensations we begin very small just by noticing what happens when we see or hear something that we are positively drawn towards. This is a way that we resource ourselves and move from orienting towards potential threat and into potential areas of support.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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Ways to use this in the classroom<\/h1>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n\r\nThis may be a<\/span> way that you begin a class<\/span> to support students <\/span>and yourself in arriving <\/span>into<\/span> the space together. If the space you are in is <\/span>experienced<\/span> to be a <\/span>\u201c<\/span>safe <\/span>enough<\/span>\u201d<\/span> space, and if you are experienced by your <\/span>students<\/span> to be <\/span>\u201c<\/span>safe enough<\/span>\u201d<\/span>, <\/span>than<\/span> t<\/span>his <\/span>practice <\/span>may support<\/span> their nervous system<\/span>s<\/span> in picking up on potential <\/span><\/span>relative <\/span>safety<\/span><\/span><\/em> clues, that\u00a0 allow<\/span>s<\/span> their body to move into <\/span>a state of more <\/span>ease during the time of learning<\/span>. This <\/span>more regulated nervous system state allows them to <\/span>have more access to their prefrontal cortex <\/span>to focus better, to think with more complexity and to enter flow states. This ventral vaga<\/span>l<\/span> nervous system state also supports social connection and engagement and <\/span>can lead to a positive feedback loop of co-regulation<\/span>. <\/span><\/span>\r\n\r\nTo learn more about relative safety and the ventral vagal nervous system, read Katrina's piece on how the nervous system shows up in the classroom.<\/a>\r\n\r\nThe practice<\/span> shared below can also be helpful in supporting <\/span>one<\/span>self and students after a particular<\/span>ly<\/span> activating of difficult class discussion<\/span>, <\/span>experience<\/span> or during a break to bring oneself back into the here and now.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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Instructions<\/h1>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n\r\nThe following is a suggested script for how you might introduce this practice in class. Note that you can stop at any section, you do not need to do all three.<\/span><\/span>\r\n

Video demonstration<\/h2>\r\n[iframe src=\"https:\/\/concordia.yuja.com\/V\/Video?v=1242511&node=7083941&a=82265167\" width=80%]\r\n

Click to download a transcript of the video (PDF)<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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Part 1<\/h3>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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  1. As we begin to arrive in this space together, if it feels right for you, I invite you to take a moment to feel your feet on the ground and the chair beneath you.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Now with your eyes open or if you have a visual impairment, you can use your ears for this activity instead, I\u2019m going to invite you to very slowly turn your head from one side to the other, allowing your eyes to explore and notice the room around you. I\u2019m even going to invite you to look behind you.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. As you very slowly look around you might notice different colours and textures. Your ears might tune into different sounds and your nose might even notice different smells. You might look down and notice your hands or the ground. You might look outwards noticing the room as a whole and even the outside world if there is a window. You might even notice me and my presence and that is welcome as well (I like to give a smile here, to support a sense of social engagement, care and safety coming from my presence which is one way I do my best to promote safety).<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. As you sense around you, you might become aware of areas that your eyes or ears are more drawn towards than others. Perhaps the colour of a backpack calls to you or the way the light lingers on a shelf. Maybe you notice that looking around feels like too much right now, but looking down at the green ring on your hand feels better. Allow yourself to linger or take a moment with what feels most \u201cright\u201d to you in this moment.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

    Part 2, going deeper<\/h3>\r\n
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    \r\n\r\nTo deepen into this practice and to move students towards greater interoception you might ask \u201cwhat do you notice happening in your body as you look at the area you were drawn towards or noticed \u2018liking\u2019 in some way\u201d? For example for me, I notice something in my chest open up as I look outside the window at that tree. Or I notice my shoulders start to come down a bit. Also, it is okay not to notice any physical sensations too. We are just being curious. There is no right or wrong way to be curious.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

    Part 3<\/h3>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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    1. As you start to sense the sensations that are present in your body you might respond in some way. For example, you might notice your body wanting to rest or lean back into your chair, or you might be picking up on energy in your feet and hands and you might allow them to fidget or move. All sensations are welcome and depending on what you noticing happening you might respond differently.<\/li>\r\n \t
    2. If you notice feeling big energy you can move your feet up and down quickly like you are running or you might shake your hands right now. Maybe you try pushing down into your chair with your hands for a few seconds at a time. Perhaps putting a hand gently on your heart or on your opposite arm feels good and containing or supportive right now. Maybe your body has the urge to stretch and yawn, allow that. Or you might sense that your jacket is itchy or that you don\u2019t like the way you are sitting in your chair and you make some changes to assist your body, in moving towards greater comfort and ease.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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      Alternatives<\/h1>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
      \r\n\r\nIf you have any visual impairments, you can do this by turning your head slowly and noticing what you hear in different parts of the room. You might pay attention to if there is a particular sound that you notice being drawn towards or feeling some enjoyment hearing.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
      \r\n\r\nRelated content<\/strong>\r\n
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