The following is a short series of practices I have put together to help you disengage from your head (your thoughts, your anxieties, your needs to control) and to step into a fully embodied space.
The series consists of short breathing, movement, and meditation practices. Strung together they create a sequence that takes about 15-30 minutes. Or, each piece can be used on its own for short and simple practices to be called upon at any moment.
The practices can be used at any time to reduce anxiety and find greater peace, clarify the mind, and get focused.
Practice
What we are going to do is move through a series of short practices. I encourage you to get familiar with the full series. If you find there are any practices you find particularly useful, feel free to call upon this/these practice(s) more often.
You will begin seated quietly in a comfortable position. Leave room nearby to stand and for slight movement for later practices.
As you get seated, find a comfortable yet upright position. If it feels comfortable, close your eyes. If not, a soft gaze in front of you is great.
The series:
- As you sit here, your task is to simply be here, in this space, as you are. That’s it. Simply sit here and tune into what it feels like to be you in this moment. No need to do anything. No need to judge anything that you notice. Just be here.
- Sit here for several breaths
- Now, as you remain seated, find your breath. The idea is to locate it in whichever way is most approachable to you
- Perhaps you can find the inhale as it enters in your nose, feeling the air in the nostrils; perhaps you find the exhale as the air leaves your mouth
- Or maybe you can find the inhale as your ribcage expands, filling with air; and you find the exhale as your ribcage releases
- Wherever you find the breath, sit with it, simply witnessing as the air moves in and out of your body. No need to manipulate the breath now. Just witness it coming and and exiting out.
- Stay here and witness for several breaths.
- Now we’re going to play with the breath with a simple breathwork practice. It goes by many names, but I tend to refer to it as box breathing. The practice goes like this:
- Inhale for a 3-4 seconds
- Hold inhale for 3-4 seconds
- Exhale for 3-4 seconds
- Hold exhale for 3-4 seconds
- Repeat for several cycles of breath
- Note, if 3-4 seconds feels too long (for example, perhaps that length of time makes you feel anxious or stressed in any way, then feel free to lengthen the duration or release the practice altogether); if you find it too easy/boring, try extending that length.
- For the fourth practice you will come to standing, feet planted below your hips, separated slightly, standing tall with arms released at your sides and gaze forward. This is Tadasana, and we will be moving through a short practice that involves standing more firmly in this embodied pose:
- First, turn your attention to the soles of your feet, rocking gently forward feeling into your toes; rocking gently back onto your heels. Rock back and forth a few times, feeling into the bottom of your feet. Then come to rest centered over the arches of your feet.
- Inhale fully; exhale as you ground all four corners of your feet into the Earth
- Notice that line of energy that starts moving up your legs as you activate your feet? We are going to follow that line of energy…
- First to your upper legs. Try imagining squeezing your thighs together, tightening your upper legs
- Find your hip bone as you imagine pulling them outward, tightening your glutes
- Move your attention slightly upward to just below the navel, imagining pulling inward toward your midline and just a slight movement back towards your spine
- Breathe one or two deep breaths as your lower body is grounded, strong, and stable
- Now, find your shoulders, perhaps rolling them gently back and releasing them down away from your ears
- Now, bring your chin parallel to the floor, gaze forward as you lift the top of your head towards the ceiling, as if you were a puppet string pulling you up towards the ceiling
- Now, be here, standing fully embodied in Tadasana
- As you stand here, take a moment to scan your body. You can begin by finding your breath, feeling it enter in and exit out
- Try tuning in to different areas of your body. Perhaps the soles of your feet catch your attention. Try grounding them back down again and notice how that feels in your body.
- Finally, release your attention on any one area of your body and feel into your entire body, all at once
- Release out of Tadasana, perhaps wiggling your fingers and gently shimmying your shoulders
- A short, standing sun salutation
- Inhale, lift your arms above your head
- Exhale, forward fold, bending your knees
- Inhale, halfway lift up as you lift your head and straighten your back
- Exhale, release back into forward fold
- Inhale, roll your body up as you raise your arms back over head
- Exhale, palms together and lower down to heart center
- Repeat for 4-5 cycles
- Last practice. Come back to a seated position.
- Begin by tuning back into your body, perhaps finding your breath once again, or maybe turning your attention to different areas of your body that are calling for your attention
- Notice the sensations in your body. Feel into these for several breaths
- Now, release hold of whatever has your attention. Something else grabs your attention? Notice it, then let it go. Keep letting go as you create a quiet, peaceful space within
- Sit here in this space for as long as you’d like, noticing whenever something comes into mind; perhaps noting it as a thought before releasing it.
- When you’re ready, come back into your body by finding your breath, wiggling your toes, shaking out in any way you feel you need to, and come back into the world.