Grounding into Summer
The last few months have taken us on quite the ride! Now, as many of us emerge from lockdown or quarantine, a new chapter begins. As you move forward, It’s okay to feel unsure. You’re certainly not alone in that experience! Each of us will find our footing, in our own way, and in our own time.
Stressful emotions can cause us to disassociate from our bodies. This leads us to feel ungrounded, overwhelmed, and reactive. This is not an ideal place from which to move forward.
Sometimes, the easiest way to stop the mental spiral of stressful thoughts is to actively notice our current embodied experience. This is a skill that we cultivate. It supports us in being present and engaged. This enables us to mindfully chart our course into the future.
To assist you during this transition, I’d like to offer a simple grounding exercise. You can call upon this exercise to anchor yourself back into your body if you notice yourself feeling anxious, confused, or afraid.
To begin, take a breath. See if you can perceive the size, shape, and weight of your body. This is not a given. It takes practice to fully inhabit your form.
Let your awareness spread through your body like fluid.
Next, begin the 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exercise.
Notice 5 things you can see around you.
Notice 4 things you can touch.
Notice 3 things that you can hear.
Notice 2 things that you can smell.
Notice 1 thing that you can taste.
Now, take another deep breath. Notice how you feel and remember these words of Viktor Frankl:
“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose a response. In our response lies our growth, and our freedom.”
Take a breath. Deeply now.
Let drop the grip of “why” and “how?”
Belly soft. Lungs expand.
Straighten spine, open hands.
There is no rush, no hurry towards.
All around us,
Open doors.
Natalia Newman, LMT