Welcome to this guided grounding meditation.
My name is Devon Caldwell and I'm so glad that you've decided to practice with me.
Begin by finding a seated position on the floor or in a chair with a nice tall spine.
Draw your head onto your neck,
Roll your shoulders back and down.
Soften any expression on your face.
Most of us spend the better part of our lives in our heads thinking rather than being.
We put so much of our energy into planning,
Rationalizing,
Judging,
Worrying and regretting that we often lose touch with ourselves and the fact that we are part of something so much bigger.
Grounding connects us to the present moment.
It pulls us into the physical experience of right now and in the process creates a sense of ease in the mind and stability in the body.
Grounding creates calm,
Reduces stress and reminds us of who we are by diverting our attention away from thinking and making us feel at home in our own bodies.
The breath is an easy and always available tool to help us ground and connect to the present moment.
Today's meditation practice begins with square breathing to slow the breath and calm the body and mind.
Use your finger to draw a square in the air.
Time each side to take five seconds to draw.
While drawing the first side,
Inhale two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Now hold your breath while you draw the next side.
Hold two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Exhale while drawing the third.
Out two,
Three,
Four,
Five and hold your breath while drawing the last side.
Hold two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
I'll guide you through the first cycle then you can continue on your own.
You can keep your eyes open or softly close them.
Begin by exhaling.
First side of the square,
Inhale two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Hold two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Exhale two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Hold two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Continue on your own.
You you Complete the cycle of square breathing that you're working on.
Then return to your natural breathing pattern.
Repeat this affirmation to yourself.
I breathe deeply and allow my breath to anchor me to the present moment.
Now that your body and mind are calm and focused,
We'll practice a five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One grounding technique.
Five.
Acknowledge five things you might see around you.
It could be a pillow,
A picture on the wall,
Anything in your surroundings.
Count off these five things on your fingers.
Four.
Acknowledge four things that you can touch around you.
It could be your hair,
A pillow,
Or the ground beneath your sitting bones.
Count off these four things on your fingers.
Three.
Acknowledge three things you can hear.
This could be any external sound.
Focus on things you can hear outside of your body.
Count them off on your fingers as you identify them.
Two.
Name two things you can smell.
It might be a smell in the air or fragrance from your hair or body.
One.
Acknowledge one thing that you like about yourself.
Now slowly open your eyes and repeat to yourself,
I am centered,
I am grounded.
You can return to the breathwork,
The five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One grounding technique,
And the affirmations as often as you need.
Thank you so much for practicing with me.
