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Receive The Same Grounding You Get From Your Yoga Practice Without Stepping Into A Class
You know that moment when a yoga class begins and you think, “Ah, finally a moment to come into the present!” Your whole body, mind, and spirit seem to come together, unifying at the mere suggestion of landing in your body.
It may occur when you close your eyes and focus on your breath. Perhaps it's the invitation to bring your hands together at your chest and set an intention for practice. It might be the moment when you step to the front of your mat and all of your attention and senses seem to align.
At some point during the practice, you land in your body and in the moment.
What if you could have that same feeling anytime and anywhere you found yourself needing it?
What if you didn’t need to schedule that class, race to the studio, or book that private yoga session to feel the effects of your yoga practice?
Imagine being able to usher in that same feeling with effectiveness and efficiency through simple movements during your day.
Movement in our everyday life is essential. Daily movement practices that calm and regulate your nervous system will improve your ability to tolerate stress.
Sitting for prolonged periods has been linked to increased anxiety. When psychological stress occurs, our bodies are still programmed to perceive this as a threat to physical safety and be in a state of readiness for movement. When mobilization doesn't happen and we sit through stress cycles instead of moving through them, stress gets lodged in our bodies, resulting in our levels of cortisol and adrenaline building and accumulating through each successive cycle.
These are most likely the times you end up jonesing to get to your yoga practice.
The physical practice of yoga ushers you into the present. A place where your nervous system can't cycle through the past, or the future but has to use its resources for the task at hand.
Here are 3 effective and efficient practices you can utilize to access a grounded and embodied presence anywhere and anytime:
1.PALM PRESS
Sit or stand while pressing your palms together in front of you. Float your elbows up to the height of your hands. Find length in your neck and a broadness across your sho
ulders while noticing your breath and feeling the strength in your arms. This posture can elicit a feeling of power in the body and help you feel more resourceful and able to deal with whatever challenges are in front of you.
2. SHAKE IT OFF – LITERALLY 1-2MIN
Stand with both feet grounded and begin to shake and shimmy starting with the lower body and progressing to the upper body and arms, eventually continuing all the way up to your head.
Notice your breath as you move, keep your feet firmly on the floor and feel your body release tension.
You can do this in a bathroom stall or other private space. It can make a considerable difference within just a minute of doing it.
This practice can help you let go of stress in little bits throughout your day or after stressful interactions.
3. FIND BALANCE BY PRACTICING BALANCE ACTIVITIES
One of the best ways to bring yourself into the present when you're overwhelmed is to bring proprioception (your external sense of where you are in space) and interoception (your body’s internal senses) together.
That means doing something that forces you to coordinate your bodys movement while simultaneously paying attention to what's going on inside your body.
Simple activities like standing on one leg, on a balance board, or BOSU and noticing your breath will help bring you out of mental time travel and back into the present.
By getting grounded in your body every day, as often as possible, you can train your brain to be less reactive over time to stresses that pull you from the present moment.
These simple tools embrace the power of the body to modify the mind. Try them anytime you need to regulate your nervous system and discharge stress and anxiety so you can be present to the life that is happening in and around you.
Let me know what you think and if these have worked for you!
In Health & Wellness,
Kimberly Greeff
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