Be centred in just 5 minutes.
We’re all experiencing the pandemic and lockdown differently. Some of us are less busy and enjoying the slow down. Some are dealing with grief and loss. There are economic challenges and fears and anxieties. For me, it’s certainly throwing me off balance more than usual. It raises fears of the future for me and I worry for others. It takes me away from the present. Maybe I need a dog to bring me back to now!
I notice we’re using various practices such as mindfulness, yoga, sport, reading, Zoom quizzes to bring us into the present moment and distract us from our thoughts. When we did the workshops last week you talked in the chatbox about these pressures . You were home-schooling next door at that very minute, looking after your children full-time, working from home and running the home without the usual additional support in place, challenging your own self-care. For many the idea of meditating or lying on the yoga mat sounded luxurious. So, I wanted to share a quick grounding exercise you can do while you’re sitting in the chair a few minutes before your zoom call.
Give yourself 5 minutes and become centred and calm with this practice.
You can listen to the audio version and close your eyes while you do it. I find that easier. Otherwise feel free to read below.
Get comfortable. Find a quiet space and sit down. Ideally with your back fully supported and your feet (better without shoes) flat on the ground. Spread your toes and wriggle them about. Let your weight drop in to the chair. Feel it supporting you completely. It is holding you. The earth is holding you. Take one large deep breath and let it all the way out. Release the tension at the bottom of your belly. Shrug your shoulders a few times and let them fall away from your neck. Now close your eyes
Take a few deep breaths. Let your breathing slow and breath from your belly instead of your chest, letting your abdomen expand and contract with each breath. If you find your shoulders rising and falling with each breath, focus more on breathing from your belly, as though a balloon is inflating and deflating in your abdomen with each breath.
Bring awareness to your feet. Rub your feet forward and back on the floor and feel your feet rooted to the ground. Imagine a ball of light on each foot. Now move the light slowly up your legs noticing a softening of the muscles as it you move it along.
Feel the ball of light around your abdomen. Notice the hips softening, your weight dropping even more into the chair and the belly relaxing as your roll that light around. Put a hand on the belly and feel your breath expand against your hand.
Move the light to your chest and heart centre. Feel the expansion in your chest, your shoulders relaxing and dropping. Put a hand on your heart centre. Feel your heart beat.
Roll the light up your neck. Wriggle your neck. Move your jaw up and down and side to side. Release your tongue from the roof of your mouth. Feel the softness in this area. Feel the light move up to your forehead. Put your hand on your forehead. Feel the heat of your hand. Notice the clarity
Open your eyes. Come back to the room. Look around. What do you see in the room?
And breathe.
Other resources I find useful are:
Yoga with Adriene. She is authentic. It’s free. You can choose classes by duration or benefit.
Calm app. Includes guided meditation, spoken word, relaxation music and sleep stories.
Subscription approx £29 a year with 7 day free trial.
Download for iOS Download for Android
