Balance Boost

Happy September!

Wait a minute…September…how did that even happen?!

Does the summer season fly by for you as well?

I find that September usually brings a whirlwind of activity as we transition back to school, work, and our regular routines. Going from a slower pace to feeling like you’re running a marathon can feel like a shock to the nervous system. With increased internal and external pressures during this time of year, it’s common to feel a bit off balance and disoriented.

To help us ease into September, I’ve put together a playlist of classes centered on the theme of balance. These practices offer space to pause, breathe, check in, ground, recenter, realign, and reconnect. These practices can help enhance the mindbody connection, inviting you to observe your thoughts, feelings, and emotions with greater understanding, love, and compassion.

Nourish your inner ecosystem through these yoga practices: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLftdoo4RFfAq0I3ipF4OdPU8goVNFggyt​

You can also download your free digital yoga calendar here: https://www.yogawithrachelmarie.com/calendar​

I hope that these practices serve you well throughout the month of September and beyond!

Speaking of cultivating inner balance, calm, and ease, I recently wrote a blog post about somatic grounding exercises for self-regulation. You can read it here: https://www.yogawithrachelmarie.com/post/somatic-grounding-exercises​

Grounding exercises and self-soothing techniques are important aspects of somatic practices.

While somatic practices can reveal unconscious thoughts, feelings, emotions, and beliefs–an essential part of inner healing–they can sometimes stir up discomfort in the body.

Grounding and self-soothing exercises can help calm your body, anchor you in the present moment, and restore inner balance.

It’s common for somatic practices to begin with techniques like breath awareness, body scans, affirmations, sensing your connection to the ground, self-soothing touch, or guided visualization.

These techniques help you stay grounded or rooted in the present moment. As a result, you may feel more open and receptive to receiving all the beautiful benefits somatic movement practices offer.

I regularly use somatic grounding techniques whenever I’m experiencing strong sensations, both during my practice and in daily life.

Having a diverse set of tools for self-regulation and self-soothing empowers me to navigate life’s ups and down, twists and turns, with greater ease and confidence.

Somatic Grounding Exercise - Chair Nature Walk:

I invite you to explore the following somatic grounding exercise. Before you begin, please take a moment to read through the instructions.

In this practice, you’ll visualize yourself walking along a trail, while engaging your senses.

1. Start by sitting comfortably in the middle of your chair, ensuring your feet are making contact with the ground. If your feet don’t quite reach the ground, you can place yoga blocks, folded blankets, or a household item beneath your feet to lift the earth up to meet you.
2. As you breathe in through your nose, sense the air swirling around your nostrils. On your breath out, either soften your focus or close your eyes.
3. Imagine yourself on a trail–whether it’s a sidewalk, a forest path, or a park walkway. Picture yourself standing on this trail and bring your awareness to your foot-to-earth connection. Notice the sensation of the ground beneath your feet. Is the terrain firm, grassy, cool, soft?
4. Observe your surroundings. What do you see? Are there any trees, plants, birds? Are there clouds in the sky? Can you see the sun?
5. Can you feel a gentle breeze on your skin?
6. What sounds do you hear around you?
7. Take a moment to breathe in deeply through your nose and see if you can detect any district scents in the air.
8. Now, imagine yourself walking along this trail. Gently lift one foot off the ground at a time, and observe how your weight shifts from side to side. Sense how this movement travels up your spine. Can you sense your head moving from side to side?
9. If it feels good, invite your arms to participate in the movement as you imagine yourself walking through nature, soaking in its beauty.
10. Continue this nature walk for as long as you like.
11. When this practice feels complete, explore stillness.
12. Take three cycles of breath and sense your connection to the seat of your chair. Sensing how your body is being held by your seat.
13. When you feel ready, open your eyes.
14. An invitation to reflect upon how this somatic grounding practice felt in your body.

There are many grounding practices to explore, and you might find that some resonate with you more than others. Each nervous system is unique, so what feels good for one person might not for another. For example, while box breathing may be calming for some, others might find it overstimulating or anxiety-inducing. The key is to explore which grounding techniques work best for you right now, keeping in mind that your preferences might change over time.

Alright, speaking of grounding and cultivating inner balance, quality sleep is crucial for our physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Inadequate sleep affects how we show up in the world, impacting our cognitive processing, emotional regulation, creativity, immune system functioning, and more.

A restful night’s sleep leaves us feeling refreshed, energized, and prepared to take on any challenges the day may bring.

To align with this month’s theme, I’ve created a somatic yoga practice to help prepare the mind and body for sleep.

We do not operate as light switches, flipping from ‘on’ to ‘off’ in a matter of seconds. Instead, we operate more like dimmer switches, gradually adjusting our state of being.

Participating in a somatic practice before bed signals to your mind and body that it’s time to slow down, reconnect with your body, and release what no longer serves. This mindful and gentle transition cultivates a sense of ease and relaxation, helping you shift from the day’s activities into a restful, restorative sleep.

I welcome you to join me on the mat for this Somatic Yoga for Sleep practice. Feel free to make this practice a part of your bedtime routine!

As always, it’s a pleasure to connect with you through these letters.

I hope that you find them valuable on your journey.

I hope that you have an amazing day, and an awesome week!

With love,

Rachel