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Calming and Grounding Exercises by Type

Writer's picture: gwenyuillgwenyuill


We all have experienced reactivity. It's part of the human condition. The hope is that we can relax our type-based patterns and allow the critical "pause" before moving into action. The exercises below draw on the wisdom of Peter O'Hanrahan, Ginger Lapid-Bogda, David Daniels, and Suzanne Dion. May these act as guides in times of overwhelm.


Type One: when reactive

  • Acknowledge tension in your face and body

  • Name the anger (not just frustration, irritation, etc.)

  • Provide a necessary pause before responding

  • Through breath, send relaxing energy throughout your body

  • Ask for time to reduce “flooding,” if necessary


Type Two: when reactive

  • Acknowledge any tightness and anxiety in your chest

  • Name the emotions you are feeling (try to name at least two or three)

  • Provide a necessary pause before responding

  • Take slow, full breaths down to your belly

  • Find grounding in your environment (5 senses – not people, but surroundings)


Type Three: when reactive

  • Soften your assertive stance and spread the energy from your chest throughout your body

  • Slow down your pace

  • Provide a necessary pause before responding

  • Exhale fully while relaxing and letting go of tension

  • Consciously open up your heart space and be patiently receptive to all feelings, all information, all communication


Type Four: when reactive

  • Be aware of the force within you to explode or withdraw

  • Find steadiness in your body and plant yourself in the moment

  • Provide a necessary pause before responding

  • Access calm, steady breathing that doesn’t overcharge your system

  • Focus on the balance between breathing in and breathing out

  • Let yourself rise above your emotional response and take the role of observer


Type Five: when reactive

  • Be aware of the desire to shut down or withdraw

  • Relax any sense of contraction in your body

  • Provide a necessary pause before responding

  • Focus on slowly expanding your diaphragm and deepening your breath

  • Expand your heart space to welcome in empathy and connection


Type Six: when reactive

  • Notice the adrenalin level in your body – the electricity or buzzing sensation

  • Slow down your mind by focusing on one object close to you, then one object farther away, then back to one object close to you, etc.

  • Provide a necessary pause before responding

  • Take slow deep breaths into your belly and slowly and fully exhale

  • Access your body center by letting anxious energy flow down your body, through your feet and into the ground


Type Seven: when reactive

  • Notice a contraction in the solar plexus and your body getting ready for fight or flight

  • Place a hand on your heart to connect to your heart space and the other hand on your belly to feel your body center

  • Provide a necessary pause before responding

  • Breathe in a steady rhythm into your belly and feel the sensation of your lower body and your feet on the ground

  • Ground yourself in the present moment


Type Eight: when reactive

  • Notice the immediate rush and heat of anger in your body

  • Relax the urge to charge into the fight

  • Provide a necessary pause before responding

  • Breathe gently through your nose and allow your breath to move throughout your body, especially your belly, and gently exhale from your mouth

  • Feel your armor of protection falling to the floor


Type Nine: when reactive

  • Notice the emotional and physical heaviness throughout your body

  • Tune into the energy of your differentiated self – energy already within you

  • Provide a necessary pause before responding

  • Breathe into your chest area and resist the urge to lower your energy level by belly breathing

  • Deeply tune into your internal experience



Gwen Baker-Yuill

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