You’re Grounded

Hi guys! How’s your practice been going? As I shared in our last Bite, it can be really challenging to maintain a sense of order and consistency with our practice during this change of seasons. But it really is THE Perfect time to reestablish your rhythm and connection to your practice, especially as the holidays draw near. There will be a million reasons not to practice – holiday shopping, parties, cooking, baking – so set the tone now and make your practice a regular, realistic, and yet not-negotiable part of your schedule.

To help you with that, here are a couple of practices (standing and sitting) that I’ve been exploring to help me feel grounded, especially on those really busy, crazy days. (I had hoped to send a video link, but alas technology got the better of me, so for now we’ll kick it old school, and I’ll keep working to smooth out the technological hiccups!)

Throughout this whole practice, remember to breathe steadily and gently and to move slowly and smoothly.

• Sit – on the edge of a blanket or a chair and simply breathe. For the first minute just acknowledge you’re breathing in and out. Then begin to even out your breaths, making the inhale and exhale equal lengths. Take 8-10 breaths like this.
• Stand in Tadasana: Feet about hips-width apart, your weight evenly settled between your heels and the balls of your feet, and evenly distributed between the right and left foot. Place a block between your inner thighs and gently squeeze the block. Hugging the block like this is a great way to reconnect to the midline of your body and establishes the sense of drawing back in to yourself, which is greatly important if you are always giving out. It also helps fire up and firm the legs, which allows us to feel more grounded and rooted.

Moving slowly and mindfully, as you inhale sweep the arms out and up, exhale and fold from your hips into Uttanasana (standing forward bend). Continue to hug the block here, maintain that drawing in to the midline feel. Breathe 3 breaths in Uttanasana.

From here, still holding the block, take little steps into Downward Dog. Feel your hands rooting down, and draw your arms up out of that foundation. Hug the block and draw your inner thighs back. Ground your big toe mounds as well, and try to press back and down through your outer heels. Find steady breaths here to help create more steadiness, stability, and groundedness.

Inhale your knees to the ground, remove the block, and sit your hips on your heels, head to the ground in Child’s pose. Make sure your head is resting on the ground, your arms, or even a block to help bring quiet to the brain. Stay for 3 breaths.

If you want a more active practice, move slowly and fluidly into downward dog. From downward dog you can take a lunge on each side, and then a high lunge on each side (arms up alongside your ear) remembering to hug the inner thighs towards each other to maintain that sense of stability and drawing in. Feel free to add or skip regular vinyasas of plank and baby cobra.

For a less active practice simply roll up slowly from Child’s Pose to sit on your shins (or a block). Take your hands behind you, prop up on our fingertips, and as you inhale lift your hips up off your heels. Root your shins and tops of feet down as you lift up. Continue to hug your inner thighs gently towards each other. Widen through your collarbones and hug your inner shoulder blades in toward the spine and the bottom tips of your shoulder blades in towards the back of your heart. Stay 2-3 breaths and come down. Feel free to do this (mini-camel/mini-Ustrasana) 1-2 more times if you like.

• Sit in Sukhasana (sitting cross legged pose). Make sure you’re sitting upright and not rolling back on your tail (sit on a blanket or block to elevate your hips, if need be). Inhale and circle your arms out and up. Exhale and draw your hands to prayer at your heart. Inhale the prayer up into the sky. Exhale and separate your hands, circle them out and down as you twist your torso to the right. Breathe 2 breaths. Inhale your arms out and up, bringing your torso back to center, Exhale hands to prayer at your heart. Inhale the prayer up to the sky. Exhale and separate your hands, circle them out and down as you twist your torso to the left. Breathe 2 breaths. Inhale and circle your arms out and up. Exhale and draw your hands to prayer at your heart. Inhale the prayer up into the sky. Exhale and separate your hands, circle them out and down as you fold forward. Take your hands out in front – as you inhale tilt your pelvis forward and lengthen your spine, drawing your heart through the frame of your arms. As you exhale release your head and upper back over. Feel the weight of your thigh bones and tail creating a sense of anchoring for you to move from. Breathe gently and steadily, 5-8 breaths. Inhale and walk back up, change the crossing of your legs, and repeat the sequence.

Lie on your back and take rest in Savasana anywhere from 5-20 minutes.

Enjoy and let me know how it’s going!

Peace, Love, and Bliss,
Beth

p.s. Want a custom Bliss Bite to answer your yoga, reiki, and wellness questions? Email or Facebook me!