During life’s busy or challenging times, we can feel overwhelmed, out of control and off balance. The grounding poses in yoga can help shift your energy, bringing you back to center.
Grounding quiets the body and focuses the mind. Rooting yourself allows you to dispel the negativity of the day’s events and refocus on living life purposely.
If you feel the need to restore and reset, give these five poses a try.
Mountain
- Stand with your big toes together and heels slightly apart. Spread your toes. Rock from side to side, forward and backward, then gradually become still with your weight evenly distributed on both feet.
- Like a mountain, stand with your thighs and core firm.
- Align your legs, belly, pelvic region, neck and head.
- Press your shoulders back and down and look gently forward. Relax the muscles in your face and breathe easily.
- Stay in the pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Tree
- Stand tall with your arms relaxed at your sides and your legs shoulder width apart. Spread the toes and distribute the weight evenly throughout the feet. Look straight ahead in front of you. Take a few cleansing deep breaths.
- Inhale, lift the right foot and place the bottom of the against the left shin or high up on the inner left thigh. Bring the palms of the hands together into the center of the chest or lift the arms over the head with the palms facing each other.
- Hold the pose. Keep the hips square and facing forward while squeezing the butt muscles. Lift the chest as you breathe deeply. Find your balance.
- Exhale and return the right foot to the floor. Repeat the sequence on the other leg.
Legs Up the Wall
- Perform this pose near a wall. Lie on your back.
- Raise the legs up and lie them flat against the wall.
- Lay the arms along the sides of the body.
- Relax and breathe deeply for 5-20 minutes.
Warrior II
- Begin in Mountain Pose.
- As you exhale, step your feet 3 1/2 to 4 feet apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach out strong with the shoulder blades wide apart. Face your palms down toward the floor. Turn your right foot forward 45 degrees and your left foot out to the left 90 degrees. Align the left heel with the right heel. Engage your thigh muscles.
- Exhale and bend your left knee over the left ankle. Keep the shin perpendicular to the floor. Keep the right leg engaged while pressing the outer right heel firmly to the floor.
- Stretch the arms as far back and as far forward as you can, keeping them parallel to the floor. Keep the torso elongated and the shoulders back and down. Turn the head to the left and gaze over the fingers.
- Stay in Warrior 2 for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Inhale to come up. Reverse the feet and repeat on the left side.
Triangle pose
- Stand in mountain pose. Step your feet wide, about 3½ to 4 feet apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor with your palms facing down. Turn your left foot in 45 degrees to the right and your right foot out to the right 90 degrees. Adjust the heels so they are aligned.
- As you exhale, reach your right hand down and to your shins or the floor. If needed, place a yoga block against your inner right foot and rest your palm there. Keep your legs straight. Aim your gaze to your left hand.
- Press the right palm down against the shin or ground and reach your left hand toward the sky simultaneously. Stay long through the torso. Breathe and stretch.
- Stay in this pose from 30 seconds to one minute. Exhale and release the twist. Repeat for the same length of time with the legs reversed, twisting to the left.
