4 Tips For Staying Grounded During Transitional Periods: Simple Meditation Techniques, by Kiss of Yoga

The final weeks of summer can feel like a balancing act; soaking up family time while mentally preparing for the whirlwind of back-to-school schedules, supply lists, and early mornings. It’s a season full of transitions, and if you’re not careful, stress and overwhelm can sneak in before the first bell rings. That’s why I’m so grateful to bring back my friend and favorite yoga and meditation teacher Kirsten to the blog today, sharing her favorite simple meditation techniques to add to your toolkit when you need to pause and breathe.

Whether you’ve never meditated before or you already love yoga in Northern Virginia, these easy, practical practices will help you stay grounded, focused, and calm, so you can move into the new school year with clarity and intention instead of chaos.

We are officially in the Dog Days of Summer – an expression in reference to Sirius, the “Dog Star” and its conjunction with the Sun. The ancient Romans believed that around July 23, Sirius was so bright in the sky that it actually gave additional heat to the Sun, causing the lengthy stretches of fiery temperatures. 

While that fun fact is an oversimplification of the energies currently swirling around, it is a great invitation to find pause and notice the little things, like the stars twinkling in the night! Mindfulness is key. 

As a mom to 2 teenagers, I find it easy around this time of year to start to lose balance and get caught up in the pressure of ensuring the last days of summer break are enjoyed to their fullest extent, while also beginning to stress about the ticking clock and the requirements that come with August. Emails have already begun to arrive from school principals, dates are being added to calendars, back-to-school shopping is prevalent, fall sports have begun – and let’s not forget all the other world events and challenges that make their way into our already crowded brainspace. In short, it’s hard to stay grounded and remember to notice the little things when bigger details pile up.

One of my favorite parts of designing and guiding classes as a yoga and meditation teacher are the transitional spaces, where it is easy to lose your way and disconnect. The amount of ease and careful consideration brought into transitions on a yoga mat can easily translate to the ease in which we find transitions in life. Sometimes, it is smooth and flowing, but other times it can feel clunky and disjointed. Having mental markers and guidance to come back to, like the simple meditation techniques I am teaching you today, can help soften movement from one moment to another. 

Here are 4 ways I offer support for transitions both on and off the mat to stay grounded and present.

Inhale, Exhale

This is my go-to, my #1, my fool-proof method for inviting the body and mind to come to a centered space of connection through all the muck. And the good news is that you can do this anywhere and everywhere. This works wonders for me in any sort of crowded space! 

Your breath is a powerful tool that is always available to you. You don’t have to do anything fancy or wear the right brands and there’s no experience necessary.

As stress and disconnection becomes more prevalent, the breath shortens and the heart quickens in response. Pressing pause and inviting attention to your breath automatically begins to slow down the pace and activate your parasympathetic nervous system. This is when your body is in a rested state, the opposite of fight-or-flight.  Spending a few minutes (or moments) to watch your breath go in and out and notice where you feel the breath most present in the body can help regulate your system if it feels ungrounded. This is one of the most effective simple meditation techniques because it works anywhere.

Ancient yogis believed we didn’t have a number of years to live, but rather had a number of breaths to take in a lifetime. With this in mind, this is your invitation to be intentional and slower in your inhales and exhales to elongate the time between. 

Connect to Your Senses

Observing the senses and your bodily awareness is a great mindfulness practice to help shift your attention back to the present moment. I love to invite this into workshops and at the beginning of classes to let go of racing thoughts. The 5,4,3,2,1 Grounding Technique can be used to manage stress and anxiety and redirect your focus to the here and now. This is one of those simple meditation techniques that’s just as effective outside of the studio as it is in yoga in Northern Virginia classes.

In any given moment, begin to notice:

• 5 things you can see
• 4 things you can feel
• 3 things you can hear
• 2 things you can smell
• 1 think you can taste

This is a great practice for all ages and doesn’t require a lot of time commitment.  You can come back to this practice as often as feels necessary! 

Root Down

As a biophile, someone who has a deep connection and appreciation for nature and living things, I am a firm believer in spending time outdoors to support mental wellness and grounding! There is a natural electrical charge that the Earth emits and there are so many restorative benefits of interacting with it. If that is an option for you, hiking, gardening, going to a farmer’s market, or simply venturing outside and feeling the sun on your skin can be a soothing and connective opportunity. Even with the temperatures high, the warmth and convenience are temporary,  so take advantage and welcome the warm days and nights while you can .

If you cannot find yourself in a natural setting, you can still be intentional about connecting to this earthly energy.. Even from a 4th floor walk-up! Our mind’s ability to create imagery is incredible and visualizing your energy extending from your feet (I like to imagine roots lengthening downward), through the floor and into the Earth can be a supportive practice when you are stuck indoors.  Combining this with intentional breathing as suggested above can enhance the practice as a whole! 

Find Your Drishti 

In yoga asana, when a teacher guides you to practice balancing shapes, an invitation is given to find a Drishti, a focal point for the eyes to enhance concentration and focus and ultimately calm the mind. It is meant to limit outward distractions and guide awareness to the present moment and inner connectivity. This creates a balance between the inner and outer worlds. 

This same practice can be utilized off a yoga mat and in daily life, especially for transitional periods. Choosing a single point of focus, whether it is visual, auditory, or sensory, can anchor the mind into a more grounded space. Notice the colors in the room you are in, the buzzing cicadas, the texture of the clothing on your skin.  Spending just a few minutes when you are feeling unbalanced, overwhelmed, and full of dis-ease to recenter your attention on a single point of focus allows you to hone in on your priorities and can encourage more joy and inspiration to your being. 

Tips For Staying Grounded During Transitional Periods: Simple Meditation Techniques

Life is full of transitions, changes, upheavals, and navigation around these challenges. It’s not a matter of IF you will experience these, but WHEN. I tell students all the time that yoga is a practice – it is not something you ever become an expert in or something that you can master. It is a constant reminder to stay present, invite awareness, honor the differences in each moment, and feel your way through the many movements of life. The same holds true whether you are on a mat or off or have never even stepped on a mat before!

We’re all going to experience shifts that challenge us, that make our heads spin or cause us to question our choices (or ourselves in some cases.) This is your reminder to honor that and then come back to these simple meditation techniques to help you ground your energy and your mind and choose your next movement with calming clarity. 

**Disclaimer: These suggestions are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.