THEME: “GROUNDING”

When life presents challenge, take a moment to ground and reset

Hello, welcome to your wellbeing programme.

During these times of fear and uncertainty, we want to focus on grounding as a way of helping us through the enormous feelings that come our way and weigh us down.

Grounding ourselves into our day, or into any moment, we need to take a step back and bring our awareness into our body and breath which can be so beneficial to our wellbeing. All that’s needed are a few moments to reset and refocus, enabling us to continue with a clearer mind and greater sense of inner peace.

We have been healing, practicing kindness and self-compassion. Now we will learn to use yoga and meditation as a means of taking a moment to be still, reconnect to ourselves, the earth, and the present moment.

We hope this will help carry you through this challenging time.

We are here for you, for them.

Join our private facebook group for additional support

Join Here

GUIDED MEDITATION

Watch the short explainer video by Jen, that describes how to settle in with a meditation.

BODY SCAN MEDITATION: try at bedtime to help with falling asleep

Time: 10 minutes

When to practice: As often as you need (BUT PARTICULARLY beneficial WHEN YOU NEED TO fall SLEEP)

This meditation can be useful for falling asleep if you have a lot on your mind, or at any time of the day that you need to free your mind of worries, endless to do lists and anxious thoughts, by bringing you into a space of full body awareness and relaxation.

There is nowhere else you have to be, nothing else to do. Just be here with your body in stillness, and start to slow down your breath.

Grab a blanket and get cosy. You can do anytime yourself, or with your family members too.

Simply click on the video and settle in.

We are here for you, for them.

yoga poses and movement

These poses are here to ground you this month… To help refocus and refresh when you need a moment to reset your body and mind. Move mindfully through these poses, taking your time and breathing slow, deep, full breaths as you go.

MOUNTAIN POSE

This is the ultimate grounding pose. Start with your feet together, feeling grounded from all four corners of the feet. Lifting up the knee caps, firm the thigh muscles, core feels strong. Tuck your tailbone under slightly, roll the shoulders away from the ears and lift up from the crown of the head. Close the eyes, or just lower your gaze. Stand strong and grounded here, and enjoy a moment of stillness.

TREE POSE

Feel balanced, grounded, and refocused. You can do this pose at any point in the day. Start in mountain pose with your feet together, feeling grounded from all four corners of the feet. Lifting up the knee caps, firm the thigh muscles, core feels strong. Bring all your weight into your left leg, and slowly lift your right foot off the floor. Then place the sole of your right foot on your inner left leg, either below or above the knee, and bring the hands together at the heart. Fix your eyes on something that isn’t moving to help with balance, breathe slowly and deeply. Repeat again on the other leg.

FEEL SUPPORTED AS YOU GROUND INTO THE DAY

DOWNWARD FACING DOG

Ground into the day, partially invert the body and stretch the hamstrings. This pose resets your energy, and is a lovely pose to do particularly at the start of the day. Please note ~ this pose might not be for you if you suffer from wrist pain. Start on all fours, fingers spread wide, wrists are in line with your shoulders, knees in line with the hips. Take a nice deep inhale as you push into your hands and balls of the feet, and lift your sit bones high. Keep a bend in the knees if you wish, and try to draw your heels towards the floor, if they don’t reach that is ok! Draw shoulders away from your ears, firm the shoulder blades and look towards your knees or belly button. Breathe slowly here and stay as long as you need.

Reclined Bound Angle Pose

Feel supported by the earth below in this restorative and nurturing pose. Lay back with the whole of your spine and back of your head connected to the earth. Bend the knees in towards the body, then let them fall out to the sides, with the soles of the feet touching. The body is soft here so allow the knees to fall out as far as feels comfortable, placing a block or blanket under each knee to support if needed. Bring one hand to your heart and the other to your stomach. Close the eyes, feel supported, comforted, fully relaxed and soft in the body.

Breathing exercise: An equal breathing method called “Box breathing” to help reset, ground and de-stress

Sometimes we can feel overwhelmed with life which can leave us feeling exhausted and struggling to cope with the everyday.

In order to ground ourselves back into the present moment, we can practice our equal breathing, also known as Box Breathing. Taking equal breaths in and out, with equal holds in the middle, it can help calm and regulate the automatic nervous system and refocus our minds.

Find your comfortable seated position, spine long and hands resting on your lap, then allow the eyes to close. Draw the breath into the nose for a count of four, hold it in for 4, breathe it out for 4, and hold it out for 4.

Repeat for as long as needed.

watch the video below to have jen guide you through box breathing

GROUNDING MANTRA

“I am here, I am grounded.”

(click on the image to be guided through the mantra, you can also practice on your own!)

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

CONNECT TO NATURE

It can help ground us and clear our minds by getting out in nature. Maybe try and notice something on a walk that you haven’t before, or stop to smell a flower. Feel present and aware of your surroundings.

In Nebraska, we’d love to offer the following locations as secret nature getaways perfect for these times ~ Heron Haven and the Downtown Omaha Riverfront Trail are never busy (knock on wood), but always refreshing and grounding. We recommend the Wildlife Safari Park on an off-day and first thing when the gates open. Outings like these really help with breathing, help with taking your mind off things and allow you to find joy and beauty out there.

heron haven: 118th and old maple road

DOWNTOWN OMAHA RIVERFRONT TRAIL (FROM CONAGRA TO MILLER’S LANDING)

wildlife safari park

GROUND INTO YOUR DAY

To begin with, try with one day a week in which you will allow a few minutes of your morning to ground into your day with one of the poses, exercises or meditation. Make a note of how you feel after and whether this shifts your outlook on the day. You can even create a journal with these notes to see the difference day to day.

CALMING music

We have offered these music selections, to use during any of your poses, mantras, meditations and/or quiet time. It’s even lovely music to have in the background while you’re doing homework with the little ones, reading, before falling asleep and any time you just need to take a moment and unwind.