Now that we are all comfortably settled in,
Let's start on our journey into grounding.
If it feels good to you,
Gently close your eyes,
Or if you prefer,
Just soften your gaze,
Looking slightly downwards.
First,
I want you to simply notice your breath.
Don't try to change anything about it.
Just notice it.
Just observe it.
Just as it is.
Is it quick or slow?
Is it shallow or deep?
Consider your breath as a kind messenger telling you how you're feeling right now.
And as you pay attention to your breath,
You might notice it naturally beginning to slow down,
Growing calmer and quieter.
Now,
Let's shift our attention to our body.
Imagine you're shining a flashlight across your body,
Starting from the crown of your head and slowly moving downwards.
If you encounter any areas of tension or discomfort along the way,
Don't try to push it away.
You know,
Just acknowledge it.
Acknowledge it with kindness.
Like you would if it was a dear friend.
Here,
We're going to introduce some gentle movements.
And I want you to feel the movement.
Here,
We're going to introduce some gentle movements.
You know,
Just like a tree sways with the wind,
Let's sway our body a little bit.
If you're seated,
Perhaps you can move your upper body gently from side to side.
Or if you're lying down,
You could wiggle your fingers and your toes.
Or you can maybe roll your ankles and wrists.
Allow these gentle movements to be a part of your day.
To be your own personal dance.
A dance of releasing tension and embodying ease and relaxation.
Bring some awareness in any area of your body that you might be feeling contracted,
Like the chest or the tummy.
And just breathe into that space.
Breathe into it.
And gently move your body,
Very gently.
Or if it feels right,
Do like a dog emerging from the water and just shake it.
Shake it off.
In fact,
I'm going to get up and do that right now.
Phew,
That felt good.
Now,
Let's come back to stillness.
Let's come back to stillness.
And move into our three-part breathing exercise.
The Dhirgha Pranayama.
Imagine your torso as a vessel.
And we're going to fill this vessel with our breath.
Starting from the lower belly and moving to the ribs.
And then the chest.
Place one hand on your belly.
And then the other hand on your chest.
As you inhale deeply,
Imagine filling up your vessel,
Filling up your belly and chest with breath.
And feel your belly rise under your hand.
And then your ribs expanding.
And finally,
Your chest lifting.
As you exhale,
Feel your chest fall and your ribs drawing in.
And your belly lowering.
Just like waves gently rolling in with the inhale and receding with the exhale.
If you feel any lightheadedness,
Return to your normal breathing.
And this is your journey.
I invite you to honour your own pace and rhythm.
Finally,
Let's move into our ground breathing exercise.
And the grounding visualisation.
Remember the tree metaphor we discussed earlier?
Picture those deep,
Firm roots extending from your feet or knees.
If you're sitting.
Or from your back if you're lying down.
Anchoring you to the earth.
With each inhale,
Imagine drawing up energy from the earth.
With each exhale,
Visualise any tension draining away into the earth.
Continue doing that.
Inhaling energy from the earth.
Exhaling,
Releasing tension to the earth.
Hold this image in your mind.
Hold this image in your mind and feel the strength and stability in your body.
Just like the tree standing tall and strong.
To close our grounding exercise,
Slowly start to bring your awareness back into the room and to your surroundings.
Feel the surface that's supporting you.
Feel the surface that's supporting you.
Listen to the sounds around you.
Notice the taste in your mouth.
And the smell in the air.
Gently wiggle your fingers and toes.
And when you feel ready,
Slowly blink your eyes open.
Before we move on,
Check in with yourself.
How do you feel?
How do you feel?
Do you notice any difference from when we started?
Remember that there are no right or wrong answers here.
Just your unique,
Personal experience.
