Being Anchored: How-to Anchor Yourself
How do we anchor ourselves?
As a continuation of the previous two parts of our anchored series (if you haven't read those, you can catch up with part 1 here, and part 2 here)...
I am excited to share 10 techniques to support you in finding your anchoring.
Technique #1: Visualization
Close your eyes and bring an image of the sun to your mind's eye. The sun, this awesome, burning star, is known to be the source of all life. Imaging that you are sending all of your negative energy into the sun to be burned and recycled into the warmth that it exerts and light that gives way to life. (Think beauty, harmony, and strength)
Technique #2: Breathe into Your Roots
Start with 20-30 breaths, 3 times a day.
Imagine yourself as a powerfully rooted tree, your feet firmly on the ground.
- Close your eyes and focus on the soles of your feet.
- As you breathe out, imagine yourself growing roots into the ground beneath you as deeply as possible.
- As you breathe in, imagine drawing in all the water and nourishing energy from the earth, just as the tree would.
As you continue to move through this, with your inhales and exhales, try to imagine your roots getting bigger and borrowing deeper. With every breath, try to visualize it more clearly.
Once you feel comfortable with this process, you can expand it by imagining your arms reaching towards the sky, and leaves and flowers sprouting from your fingertips to towards the sunlight.
The more often that you dive into this practice, the faster you'll be able to accomplish feelings of being anchored.
Technique #3: Breathe into Your Supporting Body & Your Chakras
As you inhale, visualize your breath going through all the support points (not just the parts) of the body. Feel their weight, and imagine relaxing them one after the other.
Another rather powerful tool is to imagine breathing in and out the 7 colors corresponding to the 7 chakras, one after the other. If you're unfamiliar with the 7 chakras, this may be more challenging.
Technique #4: Observe Nature
Animals are very much anchored, though technically without physical roots. Observing them can teach us a lot, mostly the ones we don't often think to be aware of, for it's precisely those that can teach us new things/skills.
If you'd like to take it to a higher level, spend 10-30 minutes visualizing and breathing as though you are an animal (pick an animal, any animal!) This works because animals know intrinsically, naturally their way of being. They know where to go, what to eat, how to act, to keep themselves safe and connected.
Technique #5: Mindful Activity Within Nature
Gardening and forest "bathing" (read about "Shinrin-yoku", the japanese forest bath, making you aware of all senses)
Going for a jog with earphones and your mind roaming is NOT doing the anchoring job. Walking in the grass especially when wet and cold is a better start.
Technique #6: Swimming and Mindful Massages
These are both supportive to anchoring due to the cutaneous sensory stimulation.
Technique #7: Yoga
Yoga helps to be more present with oneself and one's connection to the ground, but it's not necessarily enough to only focus on your fitness, poses, and performance. Yoga is also about understanding yourself, your health, and your life off-the-mat.
Technique #8: Mudras
Sometimes called finger yoga, I believe that this is yoga's best kept secret!
Here are some one-handed examples:
- Prithivi Mudra, the gesture of the Earth (Prithivi in Sankrit)
Performed by lightly pressing the thumb and ring finger together, the others stretched out, index and middle fingers together; hands on the thighs or knees. Amplifies the breath in the pelvic region and allows anchoring. - Bhumi Mudra, to take the Earth as witness, index fingers vigorously pointed at the ground, other fingers folded
With both hands together:
- Muladhara Chakra Mudra, the gesture of the foundation: middle fingers folded at the second knuckle, the others extended and touching. It directs the breath towards the pelvis (where the 1st chakra is located), anchors, stabilises and rebalances
Technique #9: Qi Gong, Tai-chi, Dance, Singing, and Hoponopono ("recreating the universal order" in Hawaiian)
Technique #10: Read text by authors like Peter Wohlleben and Jane Goodall, who draw a connection between nature and human behavior.
The best technique one is the one you actually do!
And always remember, not being anchored is wayyyy more contagious than being anchored, so stick with yourself and your discipline of self-care...
Author: Dr. Caroline Durieu
