Faith Curriculum Library: Tapestry of Faith: Spirit of Life: An Adult Program on Unitarian Universalist Spirituality

Activity 3: Grounding

Part of Spirit of Life

Activity time: 5 minutes

Preparation for Activity

  • Review the activity and consider how you will demonstrate the movement. Use your creativity, but make sure you stay within your own physical limits and choose movements that will be accessible to people within a wide range of physical ability.

Description of Activity

Invite participants to rise to their feet or sit up in their chairs. Tell them that the group will try some simple movements, as each person is willing and able. Speak slowly, allowing pauses for stretching and centering.

Using these instructions or your own, lead the exercise:

Many rituals involve body movement. As we get started with creating our own ritual today, let's engage our bodies and help ourselves get grounded. Please move only as you are able and comfortable.

Feel your feet on the ground. Imagine them solidly on the ground, rooted. Feel your physical center-your core. Breathe into your core. Feel it as strong and solid. Feel your center.

Much that happens in this world can make us feel off balance. Yet, in this moment, we can feel grounded. We can feel centered.

Imagine roots going down from your feet through the floor, deep into the ground. You are a mighty tree in a mighty forest.

As we can, let's gently move our heads. Move our shoulders. Move our arms. Move our hands.

Let's free up and shake out our upper bodies, while keeping our sense of having roots.

Take a deep breath. Now let it out. How about some more deep breaths? Let out a sound as you release the breath.

Demonstrate deep breathing with exhaled sound and repeat several times. You may wish to encourage deeper breaths and louder sounds. Allow plenty of time for all participants to experience their own breathing.

Invite participants to relax their bodies into stillness. Thank participants and invite them to come back to their chairs.

Including All Participants

Be sensitive to the range of physical abilities in the group as you lead the activity. Pay attention to the volume of your own voice as you move. Some participants may be unable to hear you if your face and voice are directed away from them. Deliver instructions when you are upright and facing the group.