Welcome to the short grounding practice called “the calm tree”.
Let’s begin by sitting in a way that feels steady and comfortable.
Feet resting on the ground.
Hands lying softly on your lap.
Your back is upright and relaxed, like a tall tree.
You can gently close your eyes or rest your gaze on the ground.
Remember, at any point, you may stop, open your eyes, or shift your position if that feels right for you.

Now, bringing your attention to your breathing.
Taking three breaths in and three long, relaxing out-breaths. [5 sec pause]

Noticing your body sitting here.
Feeling the weight of your feet pressing firmly into the ground.
Feeling the surface beneath you holding you up.
Imagining yourself steady and rooted, like a strong tree. [3 sec pause]

Noticing the thoughts that appear in your mind.
Thoughts may come as words, pictures, or little movies.
Allowing all thoughts to be here and letting them pass through, like clouds drifting across the sky.
No need to push them away, and no need to follow them.
If a difficult thought shows up, you can always come back to your body rooted like a tree.

Feeling your feet on the ground again.
Feeling the surface beneath you supporting you.
Grounding yourself here, like a tree with roots reaching deep into the ground.

Now, returning gently to your breathing.
A gentle breath in… and a long, slow breath out.
As we finish, you may notice once more your body sitting here, your feet on the ground, your hands resting. When you are ready, gently opening your eyes, if you had them closed.
You may take a moment to appreciate the feeling of being in this moment before moving back into your day.