Breathing techniques, meditation and yoga are all well known for helping us engage our parasympathetic nervous systems (the rest and digest branch of our nervous system) and when practiced regularly, they’re among the most powerful and effective ways of maintaining equanimity. Sometimes though, complementary tools can be very helpful as a bridge to transition — a way of helping us establish grounding connection in moments of overwhelm (the fight or flight branch of our nervous system) when our pulse is racing and we’re under the influence of heightened emotion — fear, alienation, fragmentation, whatever it may be. Those times when we may not feel up to taking out our mat and just need a moment.
Different approaches work for different people and circumstances, but my goal is to simply add to your tool box. Some of these ideas may seem less conventional but I’m guessing that if you’re here, you’re probably open to exploring.
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1. Lay your head on your dog’s tummy – this is one of my favorite ways to recenter; laying down, resting my head on my dog’s belly and listening to her breathe helps guide me back to the rhythm of my own breath while providing comfort, calm and connection. The skin to skin (body to body) contact increases oxytocin levels (shown to lower blood pressure and heart rate) while decreasing cortisol — it literally changes our body chemistry. You can achieve similar results by cuddling with your pet or — if you don’t have access to a pet — someone close to you; the longer you hug, the better you may feel so don’t let go too quickly!
2. Write it Down – allowing our thoughts (emotions, hopes, fears) to spill freely onto the page is a powerful exercise in cathartic release. A few ways to enhance this experience — write by hand (vs. the keyboard) to help create a more direct line to your heart. In the digital age, we sometimes miss out on opportunities to nurture this meaningful connection. With pen and paper on hand, allow the words to fall free-form without editing or interrupting — remember that nobody else is reading what you write (unless you want them to) so this is purely for you, feel free to go anywhere with your writing. If you feel stuck and can’t release – you can start by writing that very thought/sensation down (I feel stuck and can’t seem to find words… my hand feels heavy… I feel tight and quiet…) and see where it takes you. Note: If your heart is racing and you don’t feel settled/focused enough to write, start by doodling — I have notebooks full of doodles from my teens and early twenties that eventually lead to words — scribbles and scratches work too.
3. Hold a rock in the palm of your hand — place a rock, seashell (or other object from nature) in the palm of your hand – feel its weight, notice its texture, temperature and any energetic sensations as you hold it, squeeze it and move your fingers across it. The act of noticing helps draw attention away from alarm and back to the moment, providing a focal point for transition and grounding. You may notice your breath starting to calm as this happens. Smaller objects can be used virtually anywhere (including your office desk) but, if you’re out in nature, there are more possibilities – you can lie on the ground, run your fingers across the spine of a tree trunk or wrap your arms around it – yes, hug a tree! (you might be surprised to discover how wonderful it feels).
4. Walk Barefoot — back in the “olden days” (which I remember quite well), walking around barefoot outside in the summer was common and natural before the age of oversanitization. Now it’s called earthing which makes it sound like a special event or something new. In truth, it’s not new, it’s just unpracticed. Nothing fancy required, just your bare feet will do. As you make contact with the earth, sand or grass you may notice a greater sense of stability, peace and grounding. Over time, with extended periods of contact, other health benefits may start to unfold. Studies continue to show that earthing can reduce inflammation, increase pain tolerance, improve sleep and mood.
5. Use Aromatics — this can take many forms but herbal teas and essential oils are a great place to start. The ritual of making tea, the act of sipping it and the soothing aromatic fragrances that accompany it, can provide great comfort and relief. Peppermint tea offers a host of benefits, including easing tension and supporting digestion/bowel health, which is often subject to flares during times of stress/anxiety and can compromise serotonin production. The cooling, mood-elevating properties of peppermint make it especially beneficial and soothing but you can experiment with different aromas to see what suits you best. I also like to keep a bottle or two of essential oils in my purse/desk — a timely whiff or dab under the nose, wrists or temples can do wonders to transport and relieve in moments of anxiety. Some of my favorite fragrances include: peppermint, lavender, orange, frankincense, rosemary and clary sage. The combination of lavender and clary sage is especially blissful — I also use it in the diffuser and in candle making.
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Anxiety affects over 40 million American adults. Unlike stress which is our body’s natural (and often helpful) temporary response to a triggering event, anxiety refers to a sustained mental health condition. Anxiety disorders include panic disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder. Many factors contribute to the manifestation of anxiety disorders including our genetics, environment and life events, including family trauma. If you, or someone you love, live with one of these disorders, you are intimately aware of how impactful they can be. I dedicate this post to you and if you’d like to see more features on mental health and mind/body modalities, please let me know.
A highly inspiring post! Thank you, Kelly! May I add gardening to that? I’ve recently discovered gardening calms me and empties my head (by gardening I mean taking care of my balcony and indoors plants only). I can imagine how having a real garden, as you do, must be relaxing….
yes! connecting with the land is such a beautiful way to empty our minds – well said. My gardening adventures are usually calming when I’m not killing plants – haha! x
I would add get dirt under your fingernails and plant something!
great one Debra! I’m getting high off the tomato plant fumes … even the dirt smells of tomato love that! (my basil is a bit of a different story tho – holes in the leaves… any ideas?)
Love this! thank you.
so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know Hayley.
There is so much good medicine in nature! Thank you for these ideas, I agree about building a toolbox of strategies, so important. I wish more physicians would adopt this approach. Great blog. Petra.
thanks for your note Petra. I feel like things that help me get out of my head and into my physical body provide greater access to the soul :) nature is one of those for me too. time and place for everything, and everyone is different, but I’m glad these strategies offered some ideas. Thanks so much for dropping in!
What great tools. I’m going to pass this post along to my cousin, she’s going to love the first one!
she always shows me the way back to my breath and isn’t the judgy kind :) thanks so much for sharing the post Eva!
Such a great post. I exercise regularly but things still come up and it’s really hard to do something ‘calm’ when you’re feeling panic.. I like the idea of an intermediate step to support transition. Can I ask, what brand of essential oils do you use?
Hi Sara, I’m so glad this resonated with you and thank you for letting me know. I feel like I could write a whole blog post about essential oils (maybe I should!) — it really depends on intended use – for example, I use peppermint oil with water as a counter top kitchen spray – – smells divine – great pick-me-up aroma and also helpful for lingering garlic smells ;-) if the oil is not going on my skin, your every day Marshall’s brand works; for skin use I’m more discerning and probably use mountain rose herbs the most (for pure singular oils) and for blended oils (for example, headache relief blend, restful sleep blend, etc.) I like saje wellness. I hope that gives you a start!
My beautiful and brilliant friend, I am always learning from you. Thank you for your insights, just shared with a friend. Miss you! Xo (Stella is too gorgeous) ❤
she really is (and always eager to serve, haha!) thank you so much for your kind words and for sharing the post, that’s really the point.