Yoga for Grounded Stability

Here's some of my favorite grounding yoga asanas... on the ground!

Legs up the Wall

- feel supported

- relax

- legs straight up, feet flexed or relaxed

- legs extended wide to the side, to open hips

- feet together, for wall- Butterfly: open hips

- surrender spine to the Earth

- arms to the sides, on belly, or overhead

- close eyes. Find ease.

Standing Forward Fold

- inhaling, lengthen your spine to actively draw yourself deeper into the stretch

- exhaling, release efforting, and welcome what arises: organic movement, a deepening

- feet together, or hip width distance apart

- release head, neck, and spine

- knees slightly bent, or bending and straightening one at a time

- hands to elbow creases (rag doll), shins, or under feet

- cascade forward, shifting weight between all edges of feet

- close eyes. Welcome.

Seated Forward Fold

- inhaling, lengthen forward

- exhaling, cascade down

- closing eyes, observe your inner landscape, and each full gift of breath and body

- feet flexed or pointed

- arms reaching forward, placed onto ground, or anywhere on legs, perhaps using a strap around the feet

- long spine, deep breath, surrender

Mountain

- root down through under the feet to the belly of the Earth

- root up through the crown of the head to the umbilicus of the Sky

- feel your humanity lengthening yet stable, holding yet free, sacred and special yet tiny and insignificant, suspended and supported, supporting and integral, between (and part of) Earth and Sky

- solid as a Mountain

- feet together or hip- width distance apart

- hands at heart center, or to the sides, palms facing forward

- eyes closed, or gently open, expansive panoramic vision

- rooted yet relaxed

Child’s Pose

- arms forward, or folded by your sides

- knees together, or apart

- surrender everything to the Earth

- inhaling, thank you

- exhaling, release

Tree

- one leg the trunk, the other leg the branch

- root your supporting foot down through three points of contact: heel, ball of pinky toe and big toe

- hips and shoulders square

- aligned integrity: root up, relax elsewhere: relax toes, face, breath, mind

- root down, to rise up

- center

Warrior 2

- directed energy, rooted, centered

- intentional breath, aligned actions, powerful

- front foot points forward, back foot parallels back of mat

- heel to heel, or heel to arch feet alignment

- stack front knee over ankle

- arms parallel Earth, shoulders externally rotating, palms down

- eyes gaze powerfully over front fingertips

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4 Calming Acupuncture Points

穴 Acupuncture Points

穴 (xue), or the Acupuncture Point, means a “cave.” Acu- Points are often located in cave-like indentations and intersections on the body, such as between bone and muscle, a bony foramen (crevice) or notch, or where two muscles meet.

Acupuncture is very precise and elegant. We insert fine needles right into the Point. Acupuncturists in the USA spend 3-6 years in a Master’s level program for licensure, studying both Chinese and Western medicine.

Acupressure is more broad, using either hands or other tools to apply pressure to Acu- Points. This can be a helpful adjunct therapy, when you can’t come in for acupuncture treatment, or to continue treatment at home.

Moxibustion heats moxa (Artemisia spp.) at Acu-Points. Varying moxa techniques range from highly specific to more broad. Using a moxa stick or moxa box at home is easy and can help increase circulation, and further activate your self-care acupressure protocols.

Holograms

In Chinese medicine, the ear, foot, abdomen, hands, and face are all holographic representations of the entire body. The body’s health and areas of imbalance are reflected onto these holographic areas.

Auricular acupuncture places ear seeds onto the hologram of the ear, to address a wide range of conditions. The “NADA” protocol is commonly used for stress reduction in community clinics, natural disasters, and emergency outreach. This can be done with needles, or ear seeds composed of either a mustard seed or metal seed. In current times, we teach patients how to apply ear seeds onto themselves, via ZOOM.

陰堂 Yin Palace (yin tang)

- Press just above the central point between your eyebrows.

- Remind yourself, “Calm. Center. I am here. I am home.”

- Close your eyes. Listen to your breath. Find spacious rootedness within yourself, then open your eyes, and release the Point.

- Return, as needed.

内觀 Inner Pass (nei guan, Pc6)

- Slide your thumb 2-3 inches from your inner wrist crease toward your body

- Regulate your internal response to external circumstances:

- Rest: sleep well. Calm mind.

- Digest: eat well. Calm belly.

- Calm your thoughts and gentle your actions.

合谷 Joining Valley (he gu, LI4)

- Press your thumb into the tiger’s mouth between your opposite thumb and forefinger, that meaty area between the worlds of primate manual dexterity and human agile opposable thumbs. Find a tender area, and linger. Press down, zone in, observe.

- Release racing thoughts, agitated heart, and anxious frettings. Let go. Open up. Welcome spacious beauty. Breathe in the fresh air of clear mind, and simple yet profound gratitude.

足三里 Leg Three Mile (zu san li, ST36)

- Follow the outer indentation under your knee cap down 2-3 inches, resting at a tender spot between your tibia and calf muscle.

- Moxa here, for internal resilience to external stimuli

- A strong Earth, or a smooth digestive system, supports the healthy kingdom of your body, mind, and Spirit.

JilingLin.com