Calming and Grounding Exercises by Type

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