As the sun begins to set on another year and December descends leading us deeper into this dark month, I’m aware that for a lot of us the build-up to the end of year evokes mixed emotions.
If you are someone who delights in the Christmas advent and all the associated festivities, it might be you find yourself needing to be in all the places or giving gifts to all the people.
Even excessive joy is draining on our systems, so if you relate to the previous sentence, it is important to prioritise the self in the next few weeks.
For some however, it is not always pure joy and celebration.
If this month finds you reflecting, reminiscing of years gone by and even missing loved ones that can’t be here with you, this is truly a time to find a reconnection with yourselves from a loving and compassionate angle.
Most of us will find some alignment with both ends of this scale, and right in the middle is the way back to YOU.
Yoga can be such a powerful tool to help us become grounded in the present moment.
Helping us rest after too much excess and re-centre when we find ourselves feeling sad or guilty.
Connecting with the ground, be that via your mat on the floor or through your shoes on a walk can help us discharge any energy building up in the body that is creating a sense of stuck-ness.
Next time you feel a sense of the OOO’s (that’s overwhelm, overtired, overstressed, over-emotional to name a few) bring a part of your body to connect with the ground.
It might be your feet, hands, bottom or whatever else comfortably connects.
It doesn’t matter if you are on a carpet, wooden floor, concrete slab, or grassy knoll, just find a way to make contact.
If you struggle to sense and connect to the body part in question, then make some movements, (wiggle your toes and fingers, shift the weight from one glute to the other etc) until the signals in the brain signpost the sensation in that spot. Then sit for a while and feel into the connection.
You might sense a little buzzing of activity where your body finds contact with the ground. Spend a little time here enjoying this energy exchange and if you like visualise the OOO’s leaving your body as a gift to the earth whilst encouraging the introduction of calming energy gifted back from the ground.
This is just one simple tool that’s freely available to us all to practice whenever we need to.
Coming back to the self this Christmas is the greatest gift you can give and receive.
Join us in community on the mat this season as we share our practice together and learn some other ways to support ourselves during December.