Rooted and Rising

01Stand or sit, whichever gives you a clear line from the base of your spine to the top of your head.

02Press your feet down. Feel the ground push back. That pushing back is the whole lesson.

03Breathe down into the base of the body. Imagine the breath travelling below you, into roots that go further than you can see.

04Now let the breath rise. From the roots, up through the legs, the spine, the crown. Rooted and rising — both at once, always.

05Ten slow breaths. On the in-breath, feel the rising. On the out-breath, feel the rooting.

06Notice that you do not have to choose between being grounded and being open. They hold each other up.

07Bring to mind one place in your life where you have felt untethered lately. Breathe roots into it.

08And one place where you have gone small. Breathe height into it.

09Finish with a long exhale, and let your eyes open. Carry both with you: the ground and the reach.