A simple exercise to centre yourself, and connect with your environment. Practice it throughout the day, especially any time you find yourself getting caught up in your thoughts and feelings.   

1. Pause for a moment.

2. Look around, and notice five things you can see.

3. Listen carefully, and notice five things you can hear.

4. Notice five things you can feel in contact with your body. (E.g. your watch against your wrist, your trousers against your legs, the air upon your face, your feet upon the floor, your back against the chair etc)

5. Now do this all at the same time.

 

Another simple exercise can be:

1. Plant your feet into the floor.

2. Push them down – notice the floor beneath you, supporting you.

3. Notice the muscle tension in your legs as you push your feet down.

4. Notice your entire body – and the feeling of gravity flowing down your head and your spine and your legs, into your feet

5. Now look around and notice what you can see and hear around you.

 

By

Alla Demutska

DPsych (Clinical), PostGradDip (Psych) GradDip (Psych), MAPS, ACPA