Grounding And Breathing For Managing Stress

This practice is adapted from my book, "Embodiment and the treatment of eating disorders: The body as a resource in recovery" (Cook-Cottone, WW Norton, 2020). This is a wonderful practice for a quick and accessible down-regulation of your body and nervous system. Use this whenever you feel a need to check back in, connect, and ground. This is a practice you can use over and over again.

Transcript

Hi,

This is Katherine Cucatone,

Author of Embodiment in the Treatment of Eating Disorders,

The Body as a Resource in Recovery.

I'll now be reading from script 9.

2,

Grounding and Breathing Practice.

Begin by pressing your feet into the floor and your sitting bones into the chair.

Imagine that you can root into the floor and your chair like a tree roots into the earth.

As you press into the floor and chair,

Extend through your spine,

Engage your core,

And reach through the crown of your head.

Allow your shoulders and your jaw to be soft.

Bring your awareness to your breath and breathe here.

Place one hand over your heart and one hand over your belly and engage in extended exhalation breaths.

Breathing in for 1,

2,

3,

4,

And out for 1,

2,

3,

4,

And 5.

Breathing in for 1,

2,

3,

4,

And breathing out for 1,

2,

3,

4,

And 5.

Breathing in for 1,

2,

3,

4,

And breathing out for 1,

2,

3,

4,

And 5.

One more,

Breathing in for 1,

2,

3,

4,

And breathing out for 1,

2,

3,

4,

And 5.

And then let your breath just return to normal.

Let your heartbeat,

Your breath move in and out of your body and notice.

And then when you're ready,

Slowly place your hands on your lap.

A big breath in.

A big breath out.

A big breath in.

And a big breath out.

This practice is here for you whenever you need it.

Thank you for practicing.

Reviews

Thank u so much.

Very nice meditation Catherine. I loved the method and pace you used. Deeply appreciate it 🙏

Excellent, thank you. ☮️💟🕉