Practice · Grounding
Five Minutes on the Floor
The working to reach for when something has gone sideways — a rite that ran long, a reading that unsettled you, or an ordinary bad afternoon. It requires nothing, can be done anywhere, and is the one most experienced practitioners actually use most often.
You'll need
- Nothing at all
The working
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Sit or stand with both feet flat. Let your hands rest wherever they are comfortable.
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Breathe in while you count four, hold for four, and out for six. The longer out-breath is the part that does the work.
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Notice five things you can feel — the floor, the chair, the air, your clothes, your own weight. Name them silently.
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Carry on for five minutes, or fewer if five is too many today. Stopping early is not failing.
Variations & notes
Sitting, standing or lying down. Outdoors with bare feet if that appeals; a kitchen chair is equally good. If counting the breath makes you anxious, drop the counting and simply notice it.
Harm none. This is offered, not prescribed. Take what serves you, change what doesn't, and stop at any point it asks more of you than you want to give.
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