Here are some of the exercises I teach in the training:

Grounding Practice 1:

*      It’s easier to do this with bare feet.  The taller the shoe heel, the more difficult it is to ground. Synthetic materials tend to decrease the energy of the grounding connection. *      Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, shoulders loose, back comfortable.  Bend your knees slightly – don’t lock them. *      Breathe… *      Notice your connection with the earth.  How she supports you, holds you, and provides for you.  Notice the strength of your hips, legs, and feet. Feel the support of your bones. *      Breathe… *      Feel the contact of your feet with the floor.  *      Sway slightly side to side, and then front to back.  Find the point where you are balanced, where there is no tendency to lean in any direction. *      Breathe… *      Then notice the sensation of pressure in the ball of your foot at the big toe, the ball of your foot at the little toe, and the ball of your heel.  Balance yourself so that the pressure is evenly distributed front to back and left to right. *      Breathe… *      Again, sway left and right, forward and back, until you find the balance point, where it takes no effort of balance to stand. *      Breathe… *      Now, become aware of the sensations in your pelvis.  Relax your pelvic floor – your anus, your perineum, and your genitals.  Feel the aliveness here.  Let this area drop, and relax again – let go of any tension here. *      Feel how the earth pulls on your pelvis.  Feel the fluid strength connecting your legs, and your pelvis, to the earth…  Continue to relax your pelvic floor.  Feel how the earth pulls on and supports your feet, legs, pelvis, and your whole body. *      Let yourself sink into deep contact with the earth. *      Let your energy drop into the earth as you exhale. *      Breathe… *      Breathe… *      Breathe…

Centering and Presencing:

*      Ground (again) *      Find anterior superior iliac crest (ASIC), both sides (front hip bones) *      Draw an imaginary line between the two bony points *      Approx. two fingers width below this line, in the center, is a point called

o       The hara or tanden in Japanese

o       The tan tien in Chinese

*      This spot is not the second chakra – it is a hand’s width above it. *      And it’s not on the surface of your skin – it’s near the center of your body. *      The tan tien is the center of mass, gravity and movement of your physical body. *      In energetic terms, this is the center and the seat of your intention in the physical realm – the point from which you move and act. *      When you stand in awareness of this point, balanced around this point, you are centered. *      When you move from this point and in awareness of this point, you are centered – you are aware of and focused on your center. *      Place the fingertips of both hands on your belly, touching this spot.  *      Relax.  Breathe… *      Move your hips front to back , then side to side, then in a small circle, then circling in the other direction. *      Now take a step forward, maintaining your awareness of your center *      Now take a step back , still maintaining awareness of your center *      Notice how all your physical movements center on the tan tien. *      Relax, Breathe….

Grounding Practice 2:

*      Stand again with feet shoulder width, back relaxed, shoulders loose, pelvis loose, knees bent *      Breathe… *      Rock and find your balance point *      Fingers into your tan tien *      Breathe… *      Visualize yourself standing on the earth.  Visualize the center of the earth. *      See a line, like a bright, thick red laser beam, reaching down from your tan tien, under your fingers, in the center of your body, all the way to the molten core of the earth. *      Let this line become strong, powerful.  It pulses with the beat of your heart and with the rhythm of the earth.  Feel how powerfully you are connected to the earth and to the space around you. *      Breathe…. *      Stretch out your shoulders, your arms, your back *      Breathe… *      Breathe… *      When we are being present and holding space for those we are caring for, we are often sitting.  This doesn’t mean we can’t ground.  The principles are the same as when standing.  Initially, it will be easier to get grounded while still standing, before sitting.  Then the grounding will be easier to hold when you are seated. *      While seated, it helps to have your spine straight and head erect, back and shoulders relaxed.  This posture allows a freer flow of your energy.  Then you can either develop or maintain your ground with the laser line visualization – it’s the easiest way to ground when sitting. *      Quickie:    Follow your breath with your hands – hands up on the inhale, down on the exhale.  Let your exhale draw your energy into the earth. *      Quickie:  Heel drop, with breath.

Heart Opening, Part I.

*      Widen your stance, feet shoulder width apart.  Make sure you have room to stretch out both arms.  Breathe deeply. *      Ground down.  Feel the earth beneath you.  Feel your connection with it – your grounding.  Breathe in the love and strength of your Mother Earth beneath you.  Remember that every atom of your physical being came from this planet.  Let your body remember where it comes from. *      Breathe… *      Reach out your arms, fingers wide, relaxed, not stiff, but energized *      Breathe… *      Look up towards the sky (ceiling).  Above you is the sky, which is the Universe - planets, stars, galaxies, matter, space and time beyond imagining.  Breathe in the power of the heavens above your head.  Feel the power of Father Sky flooding into you. *      Breathe… *      As you breathe, arch your back slightly, and lift straight up out of your heart.  Feel the power of the earth, filling you from below.  Feel the power of heaven, filling you from above.  Feel them meet at your heart. *      Breathe… *      Let this power fill your heart center.  Let it overflow into your chest, through your shoulders into your arms, then into your hands. *      Breathe… *      Feel this power flowing out of your palms and fingers, returning to the Mother Earth and the Father Sky, completing the circles of power, the circles of love. *      Now place both hands over your own heart, creating circles within circles. Feel the power, the sweetness, the sacredness of your heart, in the center of your body, in the center of your world, between past and future, between earth and sky, between life and death, here, now, your sweet, loving heart. *      Breathe… *      Breathe… *      Breathe…

Heart Opening, Part II.

*      Close your eyes.  *      Breathe… *      Think of someone you love very much.  Your child, your mother, your friend, your pet.  Picture that being in front of you.  *      Breathe in their sweetness.  Breathe in the sweetness of the love you hold for them. *      Now, slowly, gently, reach out with your hands, and bring that being into your arms.  Hold them to your chest, to your heart.  Smell their sweetness.  Feel their softness.  Hear the beating of their heart.  See the beauty of this being you love so much. *      Breathe…. *      Feel the love pouring from your heart, through your eyes and hands, into this sweet, wonderful being.  Feel how you cherish them, how you want the very best for them. *      Now, take your hands and place them on your own heart.  Let that same love, that same cherishing, flow from your heart, through your arms and hands, back into your heart.  See yourself as beloved, as cherished. *      Breathe, breathe, breathe….

Contact Practice:  Touching with the eyes…

*      Break into dyads.  *      Move your chairs so you sit facing each other, knees almost touching. *      Choose who will be A and who will be B. *      Close your eyes *      Breathe *      Let go of everything *      Be here and now *      Look inside and notice how you feel *      Let yourself have your feelings – Let them move. *      Breathe *      Now, open your eyes, and look at the person in front of you. *      Now, look into that person, and let them see into you. *      Synchronize your breathing.  Breathe slowly and deeply, together. *      Let them see your feelings – your caring, your fear, your worry, your distraction, whatever you’re feeling right now *      If you feel like you’re hiding something, let them see that, too. *      While you’re letting them see you, see them, too.  See what they’re feeling. *      Now, B’s, remain silent, stay in contact, and listen.  A’s, speak your feelings – just a few words.   *      Maintain eye contact.  Let what your partner is saying reach inside and touch you.  Allow yourself to be touched by their feelings, while still staying present with your own feelings *      Breathe together *      Now, close your eyes again *      Let go *      Notice what you’re feeling *      Let your feelings move *      Breathe together *      Now open your eyes. *      Now,  A’s, remain silent, listen, and stay in contact.  B’s, speak your feelings – just a few words.  *      Maintain eye contact.  Let what your partner is saying reach inside and touch you.  Allow yourself to be touched by their feelings, while still staying present with your own feelings *      Breathe together *      Thank your partner for their courage and willingness to share, and be grateful for your own