my favorite 3 min somatic practice for staying grounded & present during the holidays
The holidays can be a very overwhelming, stressful and chaotic time for many of us.
Much of the collective energy during this time of year is focused on the last minute things. Whether it’s last minute gifting or squeezing in what we thought we would do or complete this past year. There’s also the hustle and bustle of busy culture - the last push before we can take a break, take a breath or take time off. Many of us have a hard time staying present for this final month of the year.
The holidays can also be a hard time mentally and emotionally for some. Those like myself who’ve lost loved ones around this time of year are releasing anniversary grief from their bodies. Not to mention the shift in less sunlight ( and the drops in temperature winter brings ) can lead to onset Seasonal Affective Disorder ( also known as SAD).
This can make it really hard to stay grounded and present during this time of year and it becomes extra challenging because all things around you are covered in holiday cheer when you’re not really feeling it.
So, every year I make the same commitment to myself. If I don’t feel the holiday cheer quite yet, then I commit to at least staying grounded and present in my body for it all - no matter what I’m feeling.
Below is a short somatic grounding practice that always helps me through. A somatic practice is a practice that helps you relate to the body more so than the mind. Somatic practices are holistic in nature and help you to get back into the sensory experiences of living and being in the body - perfect for grounding yourself.
My therapist shared this practice with me years ago and it’s become one of my favorite grounding practices that has really stood the test of time. I added the breathwork in between each sensory experience to slow the experience down and feel more present.
If you’re dealing with grief, SAD or getting caught up in the bustle and last minute hustle of the season, I hope this practice helps you come back to yourself and restore what needs restoration.
5 Senses Somatic Practice
A Three Minute Practice
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You can do this practice any time of year.
You can do it on a walk or sitting at home or outside. You can even do it at the dinner table during your holiday dinner if you find your nervous system ramping up or your brain starts to fog over.
The key with this practice is to bring your awareness to your 5 senses as you’re able to, in order to bring you back home into your body and the present moment.
Set your intention to be with the present moment and really feel it. Gently close your eyes and take a couple rounds of breath to settle into your body.
Take a deep breath into your belly for 5 counts.
And then gently exhale for 5 counts.
Now open your eyes slowly and name
5 things you can see.
Take a second round - deeply breathe into your belly for 5 counts.
Then gently exhale for 5 counts.
Open your eyes slowly and name
4 things you can hear.
Take a third round - deeply breathe into your belly for 5 counts.
Gently exhale for 5 counts.
Open your eyes slowly and find
3 things you can touch.
Take a fourth round - breathe deep into your belly for 5 counts.
Exhale gently for 5 counts.
Open your eyes slowly and notice
2 things you can smell.
Take a fifth and final round - deeply breath into your belly for 5 counts.
Gently exhale for 5 counts.
Now open your eyes slowly and bring your awareness to
1 thing you can taste.
Notice how you feel and let the after effects of the practice settle in.
Close your practice by placing your hand on your heart and thanking yourself for showing up. After a practice like this, I enjoy writing down my experience with my 5 senses and specifically listing out what I saw, heard, touched, smelled and tasted. It always ends up looking like a beautiful little poem to me when I do this. So, to really close your practice and stay with the present moment, take time to journal what came up for you.
P.S. Did you love this practice? Join us for Moon Nurture - three weeks of embodied breathing, intentional rest and energetic care under the cyclical medicine of the moon. You’ll receive 8 deep somatic self-inquiry exercises you can use to help you explore and connect with your body, breath and intuition. We start under the New Moon in Aquarius on January 21st, 2023! <3