To Relax in Your Body, Let’s Start with Grounding

My Tai Chi practice has taught me a thing or two about grounding. Our feet have to be rooted, and if the force is coming from outside of us, we are ready to change positions but we learn how to stay balanced, by aligning our vertical cylinder, hips, knees, etc.  Nothing is locked tightly i.e. knees, jaws, shoulders, so that the body can relax and feel supported by the solid grounding beneath us.

Anxiety and fear can result in the tightening of the body, and a higher gravity existence. Without an anchor into the body, it is easy to lose our ground., so to speak. As we are creatures of habit, it is difficult to shift these habits without awareness. Take a moment to notice how you are walking. Is your feet touching the ground, or are you mostly floating, i.e. on your toes, or heals only, or lunging most of the time?

When I ask my clients what does the “fear” in them want, some of them say things like “connection” or “safety.” By connecting your feet to the ground a bit more, you will feel more solid in your feet. The stilts and foundation that the house relies on need to be solid and steady, so that the rest of the body can simply relax onto the foundation.