Orienting to Beauty
Finding Calm Through What Delights the Soul
Sometimes stillness begins not in closing our eyes, but in opening them to what is before us. In this module, we explore the somatic practice of orienting to beauty—using sight, touch, and breath to gently anchor ourselves in the present.
Elle shares how a simple moment—sunlight striking dew-laced grass—shifted her from anxiety to calm. Together, we learn how to use beauty, whether in nature, a cherished photograph, or a meaningful object, as a way of returning to ourselves and to God. This practice blends orientation, breath awareness, and grounding, helping you build the inner steadiness needed for longer periods of silence.
Practice:
Choose something beautiful or meaningful within your reach.
Let your eyes rest on it; notice its colors, textures, and the way light touches it.
If you wish, hold it in your hands and notice the sensation.
Bring your attention to your breath—feel the inhale and exhale in your chest or belly.
Ground your body: feet on the floor, hands on your knees, shoulders rolled back, head lifted.
Welcome your body, mind, and spirit into the moment without forcing an outcome.
Somatic Focus:
Orientation – gently turning your attention toward what is life-giving.
Breath Awareness – using the natural rhythm of your breathing as an anchor.
Grounding – connecting your body to the stability of the earth beneath you.
Reflection Questions:
What did you notice as you lingered on something beautiful?
How did your body respond—physically, emotionally, spiritually?
Did anything shift in your awareness of God’s presence as you practiced?
Scripture for Meditation:
"One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple."
—Psalm 27:4