Stand still, be calm, be centred and be strong. This is the message from Yoga and from Qi Gong - two systems designed to keep us calm and healthy throughout our lives. Both arts favour still, standing poses, to develop core strength, stability and peace.

Standing poses invoke the mood of the mountain - still, immovable and solid, whatever weather crashes over head or blows around it, it stands strong, tall and unchanged.

With many of us surrounded by a variety of noise and hustle and bustle throughout the day (and sometimes the night too) it’s important that we find the time to recharge and ground ourselves before our energy gets depleted by pure lack of true peace and rest.

How to do the Grounding Technique
1. Bend your knees slightly and place your tongue on the roof of your mouth behind your top teeth. Focus on your feet and imagine them sinking down into the ground that supports them.

2. Place the fingertips of one hand beneath your lower lip and the heel of the other hand on your navel with the fingertips pointing down towards the ground (see arrow on diagram).

3. Hold your hands on the points for about 30 seconds, or 4 - 6 complete breaths. Then switch hands and repeat.

Breathing slowly and deeply encourages relaxation and further enhances the benefits of using this technique.

How it Works:
When you hold your hands in these positions they are contacting key points on the central vessel of the energy system. By simultaneously stimulating the beginning and end points of this meridian the brain is stimulated and mental fatigue is relieved.

This simple exercise is useful during breaks from repetitive tasks, when working in front of a computer, or after long spells of driving.


The Grounding Technique helps with:

- General co-ordination
- Organisational & sorting skills
- Reading without disorientation (smoother tracking along lines of text)
- Promoting grounding
- Mental alertness
- Improved posture (discourages slouching)
- Relaxes the eyes

Technorati Tags: yoga, stress, free MP3, qi gong, relaxation, breathing, grounding techniques, brain function

Grounding Techniques Further Resources:

Grounding Techniques "Make Like a Mountain" - article

Grounding Techniques 1: Energy Points

A quick and easy grounding exercise that uses two key meridian energy points (as used in acupuncture and qigong) to help you feel calm and grounded.

Download the audio version of this Grounding Technique here

Time: 3 minutes | Price: $2.00