Moving with the Feeling of Disgust

In the past, the word “disgusted”—and the feeling itself—was rare for me. Sure, as a child, there were foods my parents insisted I at least try, which I promptly spat out, declaring them disgusting. And occasionally, people or experiences repulsed me, but that was uncommon.

In the last year, I have found myself experiencing disgust at least weekly, if not daily. And the word is one of very few that accurately names my experience. So now I'm asking myself how to move through and release disgust. In my new book, Shake Yourself Free, I address how to move through thoughts and feelings. But frankly, I didn't think to include disgust—perhaps because the manuscript was mostly complete by 2024. Who knows?

As disgust takes up more space in my emotional landscape, I suspect others may be feeling it too. Disgust spans a wide range of experiences and serves an important function: it helps keep us away from dangerous microbes (a microorganism, especially a bacterium causing disease or fermentation). Disgust is also known to have a contaminating quality. If we think someone is disgusting, everything associated with that person becomes disgusting to us. Disgust is considered a basic emotion and the facial expressions that accompany disgust are easily recognizable. Sometimes nausea is present, and the expression, “I want to vomit”, also implies sensation in the stomach.

Continual experience of disgust, when not processed, can lead to depression, anxiety, relationship issues and, like any buried emotion, physical illness.

Moving with disgust 1. Validate- Let yourself acknowledge that you feel disgusted. 2. Get Descriptive- Find the words that best describe this experience for you- nauseated, sick to my stomach, repulsed... 3. Become Aware- Notice if you want to get away from the feeling or the person or event triggering the feeling. What movement accompanies that? 4. Explore the face- What's the expression on your face that goes with disgust? How visible do you allow it to be? Feel it, then slowly let it get bigger or louder—exaggerate it as if you’re an actor who needs to be seen from the bleachers. 5. Track Sensation- What's happening in your stomach or other parts of your body? How would you give those sensations expression? Can you soften and open to what's present? 6. Give it Voice- Allow yourself to make the sounds that go with being disgusted. 7. Write- Writing, preferably by hand, is also a movement practice. What does disgust want to say to the offender? Things like “How dare you?” “What planet are you from?” “You're contaminating the air I breathe” can get you started. 8. Draw- How many disgusting faces can you come up with? No artistic skill required. The point of these practices is to support your mental and emotional health through feeling whatever you do. No judgment is required and playfulness is encouraged.

Notice that nowhere did I ask you to analyze what’s repulsing you or why. That kind of mental activity can keep you busy and away from your feelings.