As we move through life chasing after dreams and working towards goals, we are routinely hit by obstacles.
Some of these obstacles are tied directly to the goal. After all, that’s how we make progress as we move through a challenge towards a goal: it is the action of moving through obstacles that creates change.
Some of these obstacles are outside of the goal – events that happen in the world and in our life that threaten to halt our forward progress.
As we move forward, we are going to face obstacles, both internal and external to our goals. It’s not a matter of if, but when. Something is going to come up and resistance to going after your goal is going to be felt.
When you show up to make the tough decision to move through this resistance, this is when transformation can happen.
The question is, how are you going to get through it?
What we need to ensure is that we don’t turn these obstacles into a brick wall that we smash into. Instead, when they arrive, we need a soft yet solid space to fall back on.
Even more important, this softer space needs to enable us to keep moving forward through the obstacle and to the other side, allowing the transformative process to occur.
Creating this space is the focus of the following two practices.
Practice
The idea is to get familiar with these practices in a comfortable space. Then, once you know what to do, either is a practice to be called upon any time in life that you come across an obstacle and feel resistance.
Practice #1: Breathe
To get familiar with the practice, this is best done seated with your feet planted on the floor, sitting upright (no slouching). If needed, you can do it standing or lying down. I recommend closing your eyes, but if it makes you feel more comfortable then keep them open, allowing your gaze to fall on an object in front of you.
Turn your attention to the breath. I recommend picking one location in your body and keeping it there:
- Your nose and mouth as you inhale through the nose and out through the mouth
- Your rib cage as it expands with the inhale and contracts with the exhale
- Anywhere else you feel the breath enter in and exit out
Now, here’s the practice:
As you sit, your task is to simply witness the breath as it enters in and exits out.
Inhale and witness the breath enter in.
Exhale and witness the breathe exit out.
Repeat.
That’s it. Simply witness. We’re not here to change anything with the breath. No need to control anything. Just witness.
To get familiar with the practice, I recommend sitting with it for just 1-2 minutes.
Then (and this is the important part), as you go about your week taking on your health challenge, remember to call upon this practice to get grounded back in your body whenever you come across resistance.
Finally, witness what happens when you allow yourself to get grounded back in your body with your breath. Does this help you find a soft space to land? Are you better able to move forward from this space?
Practice #2: Ground your feet (and ground further into Tadasana)
Come to standing in bare feet on a solid floor. Stand tall and upright: hips over your ankles, shoulders back, gaze facing forward.
Turn your attention to your feet.
Start by lifting all ten toes. Feel free to spread them out like a fan. Then, press all ten toes down into the ground.
As you do, rock forward and lift your heal. Then, simply rock back into your heal, pressing both edges of your heal into the ground.
Rock back and forth a few times: lifting toes and grounding into your heal; lifting your heal and grounding into your toes. As you do, turn your attention to the breath. Feel it come in as you rock forward. feel it exit out as you rock back.
After several (5 or so) breaths, find a neutral position with your weight balanced throughout your entire foot, toes and heal on the ground.
Now, if you’re willing, let’s continue on.
Inhale as you press all ten toes and your heal into the ground.
Feel the line of energy that rises up from the foot into your lower leg? Let’s follow that line of energy up into the leg, gently pulling the knee cap up to engage the quad.
Don’t forget to breathe as we continue.
Now, follow that line up into your hips, taking care to ensure they are stacked over your feet. Lift your hip bones slighlty up towards your navel to gently tuck the pelvis.
Turn your attention to your navel, inhaling as you gently pull it in, exhaling as you contract your abdomen, pushing the edges of your core outwards.
Shall we continue?
Pull the shoulders back, giving them a nice roll backwards if that feels good. Then, drop them down away from your ears, finding a resting place back and down.
Finally, turn your attention to your face and head. With your chin parallel to the floor and your haze forward, on an inhale lift the top of your head up as if you are a puppet tied to a string, head being pulled up towards the ceiling.
Here you are. Tadasana.
Now, just breathe. Allow the inhale to fill your rib cage, expanding outwards. Exhale and feel that gentle contraction in your core.
Keep breathing. In and out.
As you do, feel free to check in with different areas of your body. How are your feet feeling grounded into the floor. Are you shoulders still relaxed down your back?
Notice any tension? Breathe into that area – no need to force a change anywhere. Just breathe as you relax and release.
Stay here as long as you need.
I encourage you to try one or both of these practices today. Get familiar with them and call upon them whenever you feel tension or resistance in your life.
Call upon these practices to ground you and help you tune into your body.
From this space, witness how you are able to keep moving forward.