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When you’re reading this text, it’s protected to assume you’re not in a cave somewhere where your only concern is meditating and doing yoga. Living on this planet—and being a component of it—comes with loads of responsibilities, loads of obligations, and loads of opportunities to separate our attention.

Except that, in keeping with current research, our attention can’t be divided. Multitasking doesn’t actually exist. Neuroimaging shows that our brains can only do one thing at a time. What we perceive as doing several things concurrently, is actually rapidly task-switching—our awareness is bouncing forwards and backwards between each task. No wonder we feel spread so thin and exhausted on a regular basis!

Yoga is an anchoring tool. Moving the body and dealing with the breath provide two real-time pathways for us to tune into. Getting aligned in a posture will be its own type of meditation, because it gives the mind something to deal with.  On this sequence, we’ll take a grounding approach to our favourite and most familiar poses–and take our time entering into them so that you just complete the practice feeling rooted and present.

(Photo: Sara Ezrin)

1. Balasana (Child’s pose)

Consider the phrases we use to explain feeling ungrounded: “scattered,” “out of your body,” “head within the clouds.” Each of those implies a scarcity of ground beneath you, so the most effective thing to do if you find yourself feeling that way is connect with the earth. It may be so simple as stepping outside barefoot, stopping to the touch a tree, or tending to a houseplant. On this case we’ll placing a strap over the thighs emphasizes the heaviness we are attempting to evoke.

The best way to: Come to your knees and place a strap across the highest of your thighs at your hip joint. Holding the strap ends in each hand, lower your hips,and fold into Child’s Pose. As you sink your hips back toward your heels, press the strap back toward your bum and down toward the ground. You possibly can keep holding the strap for the duration or let it go. Stay for twenty breaths. When it’s time to come back out, press as much as your hands and knees and place the strap off to the side.

(Photo: Sara Ezrin)

2. Marjaryasana/Bitilasana (Cat/Cow), variation

After we are maneuvering through floor poses, it helps to achieve this from a solid foundation. Lowering to our forearms in Cat/Cow offers us more real estate on the ground and keeps us symbolically closer to the earth. It’s also an excellent approach to get a deeper stretch in our upper back, especially that space between the shoulder blades that gets tight after we are overcommitted and overwhelmed.

The best way to: From Tabletop, lower onto your forearms, aligning your elbows under your shoulders. Separate your forearms shoulder-width and firmly press your hands into the ground. Make certain your knees are below your hips. On an inhalation, draw your chest through your upper arms and create a back-bend shape to come back into Cow. On an exhale, ground the forearms into the earth and spread your shoulder blades to curve your back the alternative way. Proceed for eight rounds, moving slowly and pressing into the ground as a approach to initiate the movement.

(Photo: Sara Ezrin)

3. Low lunge variation

This variation of low lunge is useful for opening up the hips and psoas system, which tenses up after we are under stress. Regardless that we are not any longer technically touching the bottom after we use blocks and other props, it is not any less grounding to have those supports. If anything, the props simply bring the ground as much as us and help us feel more stable in a pose.

The best way to: In Tabletop, inhale and extend your left leg back behind you, keeping your back knee down. (Pad it with blankets for comfort.) On an exhalation, press strongly into the ground and step your right foot toward the front of your mat. In case your foot doesn’t make all of it the best way, use your hand to bring it forward in order that your knee is aligned over your heel. Bring each hands to the inside your right foot. Lower onto your forearms, either propped up on blocks or all of the approach to the ground. Allow your head to hold, so your upper back will round barely. Stay here and breathe for ten breaths. Come back to Tabletop and repeat on the alternative side.

(Photo: Sara Ezrin)

4. Forearm Plank

Grounding will not be nearly being heavy and staying low. We may also use our “roots” to rise. Our foundation–whether we’re pressing into our feet, shins, thighs, pelvis, forearms, or hands–can provide a launch pad for the remaining of our body. It is thru their contact with the ground that we will create more physical space and strength.

The best way to: From Tabletop, lower onto your forearms aligning your elbows under your shoulders. Then step each feet back, toes curled under, to come back into Plank Pose. Chances are you’ll keep your legs straight or bring your knees to the bottom behind your hips. Press your forearms down and observe the lift that translates throughout your body. Keep your legs engaged to assist support your upper body. Stay here and breathe for ten breaths. Consider moving through Downward Facing Dog and perhaps taking a vinyasa before coming to your knees and preparing on your next pose.

(Photo: Sara Ezrin)

5. Virabhadrasana 2 (Warrior 2 Pose)

We don’t have to feel like we’ve to be cemented in place as a way to connect with a way of groundedness. Grounding can include movement, too. We just learn to achieve this from a more connected and present space. Introducing some dynamic movement to this low-to-the-earth, knee-down variation of Warrior 2, will help us accomplish just that.

The best way to: From Tabletop, step your right foot between your hands, step your left food back, and switch your toes out to the left. Windmill yourself as much as standing and open to the left so your torso is facing the long side of the mat. Inhale and lift your arms out to the perimeters. Pause and exhale. Now, moving along with your breath, inhale and reach your right arm to the precise and lean your torso toward your right knee. On an exhalation, reach your left arm back and lean back over your hips. Do that five times, specializing in the support of your legs. After your last round, bring your hands back to the ground on all sides of your front and return to Tabletop or go through Downward Facing Dog, before setting to repeat the pose on the alternative side.

(Photo: Sara Ezrin)

6. Ustrasana (Camel Pose), variation

There may be an brisk exposure that happens after we reveal ourselves to a different. We are able to higher engage with these moments of vulnerability after we are emotionally grounded. We experience vulnerability in our bodies after we practice backbends. In spinal extension, our vital organs are exposed as we drop back into the unknown. Whether we’re in an emotionally or physically vulnerable place, ranging from a centered space allows us to carry ourselves with confidence.

The best way to: Start in your knees and get up onto your shins along with your feet and legs hip-width apart. Bring your hands to your sacrum and the back of the pelvis. Before you backbend, really commit to feeling your shins and the tops of your feet on the bottom. Press down into that foundation as you lift through the chest. On an exhalation, arch back to come back into Camel Pose. Keep your left hand in your lower back and inhale as you bring your right arm forward and up in keeping with your ear. Stay for a breath then lower your arm and convey it back to your sacrum. Repeat on the left side. Go forwards and backwards between the arms and perhaps even catch a moment where neither hand is in your back and also you’re fully supported by your legs. After five rounds, inhale and convey yourself as much as standing in your knees. Sit back in your heels and pause.

(Photo: Sara Ezrin)

7. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Fold)

Folding in upon ourselves while seated on the ground could also be some of the grounding things we will do. Not only are we on the earth and drawing up from that solid energy with the backs of our legs and our seat, but then we’re also bowing toward it.

The best way to: Come to a seated position and stretch your legs out in front of you. In case your back tends to round otherwise you otherwise have a difficult time sitting upright on this position, place a folded blanket under your sit bones. On an inhalation, reach your arms up; as you exhale, fold forward to bring your torso over your legs. Prioritize a protracted spine and straight back. This implies you might be propped up in your arms the entire time along with your chest reaching forward, or you might have the opportunity to grab your shins or feet and rest your tummy in your legs. Take heed to what you would like. There may be nothing grounding about straining. Stay here for ten long breaths. On the last inhalation, lift your trunk away out of your legs and sit up.

(Photo: Sara Ezrin)

8. Prone Savasana

Before we finish our practice and return to all our responsibilities and to-do’s, let’s savor the inward nature of this sequence by really cocooning ourselves in Savasana. This ending posture is traditionally done with our back on the earth. On this version, we’ll lie on our front body, supported by a bolster or blankets so we will discover a feeling of sinking as we rest.

The best way to: Grab a bolster or a thick stack of blankets and place it vertically down the middle of your mat. Fold a blanket near the highest of the mat on your brow. Kneel toward the back of your mat and lie on the bolster in order that it runs the length of your ribcage to your top thighs. Adjust the blanket to an appropriate height and width so you have got space to breathe and it feels restful. Extend your legs behind you and permit them to chill out open. Remain for five to seven minutes—or more in case you’re able.  When you’re ready to come back out of the pose, press back through Child’s pose for just a few moments before coming as much as sitting.

Now, select what’s most deserving of your attention.