mind | body | home
Photo by: Dingzeyu Li @dingzeyli
Grounding is a therapeutic practice of energetically connecting to the earth. Standing with bare feet in the grass, sand, dirt or pebbles directly connects the body with the earth.
Grounding reduces inflammation, blood pressure, stress and improves energy and sleep.
Here is a Grounding Meditation to calm anxiety, relax the mind and calibrate the body.
Photo by: Robina Weermeijer @averey
The amygdala is responsible for the “fight or flight” response that triggers anxiety, stress and fear in the limbic system. The body releases stress hormones including, dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine and serotonin. Meditation is a great way to tap into the amygdala to calm anxiety, stress and many emotional imbalances. The limbic system is a central processing center for emotions and survival responses. It is important to know where physical and emotional responses stem from in order to know how to calm them when chaos ensues. Meditations such as; mindful meditation, chanting and EFT (tapping) are used for reducing anxiety and fear.
Amygdala Meditation to relieve anxiety, stress and fear.
Photo by: Kloud Walker @callmekloud
Patience can be cultivated through a meditation and mindfulness practice. Patience with yourself is important especially when you’re in the midst of bringing a goal to life. It is easy to become anxious and doubtful when goals take longer than expected. Negative thoughts can creep in right about now and can halt further action. Giving up is the exact opposite of what should be done in order to move through this rough patch. Consistency is what will bring a goal to life. This is keep on keepin’ on time. It’s just about to get good, so don’t stop now.
Here is a meditation for patience from The Mindful Movement inspired by “The Tao Te Ching” by Lao Tzu
Photo by: Shashi Chi @chshashi30
Focus on just one word that you need in your life to move through to the next phase. This will be your pivot word. Your word could be; strength, breathe, calm, peace, patience, now or om.
For a deeper experience, here is a calming drink recipe and a 20 minute meditation from The Mindful Movement
Squeeze half of a lemon or lime into hot water
1 teaspoon of Raw or Manuka honey
1 small pinch of Himalayan Pink Salt
Option to add a mint or chamomile tea bag
Add fresh mint or chamomile flowers if they are accessible
“In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.” - Anonymous
Find a small corner or spot near a window.
Think about what scent make you feel at peace. Some examples are Lavender, Vanilla, Citrus, Peppermint, Sage, Sandalwood and Palo Santo (my favorite) just to name a few. This scent can be in the form of essential oils, candles, room sprays or incense.
Choose calming music like; Tibetan singing bowls, nature sounds, theta waves, ASMR, a guided meditation or silence if you dare. There are YouTube channels for each of these examples. Also, set a timer if you are new to meditation or if you’re incorporating a meditation practice into your busy daily routine. Now, choose a word like; peace, focus, me, health, love, strive, strong… to repeat silently when your mind wanders.
Use a floor pillow, couch cushion or a folded blanket for support. Sit with a straight back, chin parallel to the floor, hands resting on your knees, shoulders, neck and face relaxed. A way to ensure you are relaxing those muscles is by tightening all of your muscles and holding it for 5 seconds and then let it all gooo.
You’re all set. Enjoy and go easy on yourself since this is a practice.
Deep Breathing: Take 30 deep breaths slowly. It’s okay if you feel lightheaded for a minute. It will pass and you will feel invigorated.