We’re all in a bit of a catch 22 right now. A lot is going on in the world that we all wish to change, but our best, most helpful, and safest course of action is to stay home and do “nothing”. For a lot of us, that combination can make anxiety skyrocket. Here’s an accessible way to ease anxiety any time, any place. All you need is a minute or two, and your own body.
This is the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique, and it gives you an intentional way to tap into your senses for a grounding effect. Grounding exercises move your mind away from stress and anxiety caused by outside input and bring your mind to focus on the present.
You can even do this as a quick regroup during a stressful event such as an exam or challenging meeting. To begin, find a comfortable seat either on a yoga mat, cushion, or chair. You may choose to either close your eyes or find a gentle downward gaze.
Take 5 slow, full breaths, focusing on extending the exhale with each breath. Once these 5 breaths are complete, return to normal breath, and work your way through the following steps.
- Find 5 things you can see. These can be as simple as the window across the room, or your water bottle sitting on the table. Acknowledge these by saying either to yourself or out loud, “I see ___” for each item. (If you chose to close your eyes, you’ll of course need to open them for this step, but you may choose to close them again for the remaining time.)
- Find 4 things you can touch. No need to reach far for these, they can be as simple as your t-shirt or the cushion you are sitting on. Often it can be helpful to reach out and touch the solid ground or walls near you. Acknowledge these by saying “I can touch ___” for each item.
- Find 3 things you can hear. If the space you’re in is quiet enough, you might even hear your own breath. Acknowledge the 3 things you hear by saying “I can hear ___” for each item.
- Acknowledge 2 things you can smell. Maybe you have been busy using your sourdough starter, and something is baking! Acknowledge the 2 things you smell by saying “I can smell ___” for each item.
- Acknowledge 1 thing you can taste. Do you have flavored chapstick on, or did you recently finish your morning coffee? Acknowledge what you taste by saying “I can taste ___”.
After acknowledging your senses, return to a round of 5 slow, full breaths. Once complete, you may choose to continue to sit in your newly found sense of calm for as long as you wish! You can also return to and repeat this process as often as you’d like. Feel free to modify it in whatever ways work for you. You can try it while lying down or even while walking barefoot for additional input.
This technique can be a useful tool to take with you throughout your daily life, since it can be done in a small time frame with no equipment, and is inconspicuous enough that you can move through the process on your own without anyone in the room even noticing that you’re doing it, if you so choose. It’s a great way to acknowledge anxiety early, before it becomes a large hurdle in your day.
It is also a useful technique for children as well as people with Asperger’s Syndrome, other disorders on the autism spectrum, ADHD, and sensory processing disorder. It provides proprioceptive input which can be greatly beneficial for these individuals.
Speaking of proprioception, if you’re interested in learning more about what the heck that is and how to get proprioceptive input through yoga, I’m looking for a group to join me for a proprioception and balance workshop on Zoom! Check it out on the workshops page, and email me at coddiwompleyoga@gmail.com if you’re interested!
Coddiwomple Yoga 