Awareness
(Centering or Grounding)
If you are on this skills page, you need help centering or grounding.
You may be lost in thoughts or feelings, stuck in the past or future, or on autopilot.
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You can use your breath or your 5 senses to slow things down, center and ground, and be-here-now.
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When we open up to the present moment, we suffer less and live more.
We are also better able to respond to situations effectively, and make decisions that enhance our lives.
Explore skill descriptions, audio and videos below.
Try something new or return to your favorite!
Skill Descriptions
Mindful to Breath
Take a moment to close your eyes and focus on the feeling of your own breath. Notice the rise and fall of each breath. Follow the full inhale and exhale for 5, 10, 20 or 30 cycles of breath. You are a living, breathing human being. Here. Now. If thoughts show up (they will) or your mind starts to time travel (to the past or the future), see if you can gently return to the rise and fall of your breath. Returning as often as you need to, to be in this moment.
5-4-3-2-1
You can ground using your 5 senses. First pause. Look around you... name 5 colors or textures that you can see. Now, notice 4 sounds that you can hear. Take your time. What is the smallest noise? Notice 3 things you can touch or feel. Now, notice 2 things you can smell and also notice what you can taste. Just notice. No need to name or explain the things. Just be in your 5 senses, here and now.
Drop The Anchor
Put both of your feet on the floor, feel the ground beneath you. Push your feet firmly into the floor. Notice how that feels. Now, sit up a little taller in your chair and drop your shoulders away from your ears. Soften. Look around the room and notice what you can see and hear. Now, take 3 deep breaths and see if you can send them down into your feet. Keep your feet firmly pressed into the floor. Maybe notice if your mind keeps trying to pull you somewhere else (to some other time or place) and see if you can stay present. Maybe notice the pull of the waves of emotion. Let all of this move through you. Let thoughts and feelings come and go, while you stay anchored here in the moment. Supported by the chair and the ground beneath you -- anchored, firmly rooted.
Jedi Grounding
Take ten slow deep breaths. Focus on breathing as slow as possible, extending the exhale longer than the inhale.  Fill your lungs completely and notice the sensation of your lungs emptying. Let any thoughts that show up come and go, as if they’re just cars, driving by outside your house. Now expand your awareness to things you can feel and notice around you. You might find a focal point. Something to notice and appreciate in the here and now.
Noticing the "I" that is Noticing
Audios
Guided Breathing Meditation
(Audio - 10 min)
(from Portland Psychotherapy)
Notice the thoughts and feelings you are having in this moment. Notice the "you" that is noticing the thoughts and feelings you are having in this moment. Can you sense yourself? (You, the observer)
The Sky
Imagine yourself as the sky. Your thoughts, your feelings, body sensations, urges, memories, are the weather -- shades of sun, cloud, rain and snow that passes across the sky. See if you can notice the difference between the sky and the clouds that pass by.
Guided Breathing Meditation
(Audio - 5 min)
(from UCLA)
Guided Body Scan
(Audio - 14 min)
(from Portland Psychotherapy)
Videos
Dropping the Anchor
(Video - 1 min)
Notice 5 Things
(Video - 2 min)
Square Breathing Visual
(Video - 3 min)
Breathing Exercise
(Video - 1 min)
4-7-8 Breathing Technique
(Video - 2 min)
Mountain Meditation
(Audio - 11 min)
(from Jon Kabat-Zinn)
Missing Out
(Video - 3 min)