15-minute guided grounding practice

About this practice

For the moments when your mind feels like it's been caught in a whirlwind — 15 minutes, grounding. A guided session of about 15 minutes, suited to all levels. Nothing is recorded and no account is needed.

What this works on: jaw tension

The jaw is a stress-holding site for many people, often without awareness until it aches. Grinding at night and clenching by day are the same response.

It tends to show up as:

• Clenched teeth, especially in the evening
• Aching or clicking jaw joints
• A dull headache at the temples

Repeatedly checking and softening the jaw through a session teaches you to catch the clench during the day.

Doing this after bad news

• Do not make any decisions during it
• Let it be simple — you do not need to process anything today
• Tell one person where you are, even briefly

The first hours after bad news are not for planning. Deliberately doing nothing useful is the right move.

How grounding works

Grounding brings attention to physical contact and the immediate environment. It works on the principle that the body cannot be somewhere else, so contact with the surface you are on is always available as an anchor.

• Feel the contact points — feet, seat, back — and let them take your weight
• Use the senses deliberately: what you can see, hear, touch
• Return to solidity whenever attention drifts

What happens, minute by minute

1. 0:00Begin with a breath that's just a touch longer than the one before. That's all you need to begin.
2. 0:15If your thoughts have wandered, the chair you're sitting on hasn't moved. Return to that chair.
3. 0:30There's a difference between relaxing and ceasing. We're aiming for the latter, with a gentle touch.
4. 0:44We'll move through this at your pace. If you lose track, the track will wait for you.
5. 0:58Observe if your breath is quicker than you anticipated. There's no need to adjust it. Just observe.
6. 1:12Feel the air as it travels past the back of your throat. It's a cool sensation as it enters.
7. 1:26Let the entire left side of your foot feel heavy and grounded.
8. 1:37Take a moment to notice each finger, starting with the smallest one.
9. 1:49Notice the upper part of your back where it meets the chair or the floor.
10. 2:00Check in on your hands once more. Have they softened a bit on their own?
11. 2:12Attend to your toes, starting with the big toe on your left foot.
12. 2:24The tightness in your jaw that echoes your stress might ease, or it might not. Either outcome is acceptable. We're practicing presence, not just calmness.
13. 2:43When the relentless chatter of worry starts, place a hand on your chest or belly. The warmth and pressure are familiar anchors for your body.
14. 3:02Pay attention to the brief pause before your body decides to breathe in again.
15. 3:15If the grinding tension in your teeth is loud, narrow your focus to the next breath. That's all there is to it.
16. 3:32Acknowledge the space surrounding the tight jaw that speaks of your stress. It's there, even if it's small. Place your attention there.
17. 3:51Allow your throat to soften. There's nothing to swallow at this moment.
18. 4:03Let this breath be unhurried.
19. 4:12Let the exhale release you a little more than usual, but not to the point of strain.
20. 4:27Feel the skin around your eyes. Let the muscles behind them relax.
21. 4:40Keep your eyes closed for now.
22. 4:50Compare the first breath of the day to this one. They operate on the same principle.
23. 5:04Notice how your upper arms feel, suspended in the air. They're heavier than you remember.
24. 5:16Inhale the next breath slowly.
25. 5:25Let the breath be slow enough that you can barely hear it.
26. 5:38Let your entire body feel as heavy as it wishes to be.
27. 5:51Stay a little longer than you're comfortable with.
28. 6:01Let the in-breath be brief and the out-breath relaxed.
29. 6:12Feel the back of your neck. It's a place that holds a lot of tension.
30. 6:25Be silent for a few breaths. There's nothing to do but breathe.
31. 6:37Observe the moment your attention drifted away. You might not catch it. That's normal.
32. 6:51Keep it simple.
33. 7:00Follow three breaths and let the fourth one pass unnoticed.
34. 7:12There's a moment of silence. Only the next breath matters.
35. 7:23Notice the space between your shoulder blades.
36. 7:33Inhale for four counts, exhale for six, if that helps you keep track.
37. 7:46A few more seconds.
38. 7:55Observe if you're being too critical of yourself.
39. 8:07Be quiet for a moment. There's no need to fill the silence.
40. 8:18Press down slightly and feel the resistance. Your body knows where it is.
41. 8:32If you're feeling irritable, that's okay. Irritation is just a passing feeling.
42. 8:43I'll stop talking. Now, focus on the breath.
43. 8:54The floor is supporting you right now. You don't need to hold yourself up.
44. 9:08If you're restless, that's a feeling, not a failure.
45. 9:20I'll leave a space here. Use it as you see fit.
46. 9:32Return to the tangible aspects: weight, temperature, and the surface you're on. They're always there.
47. 9:45If nothing seems to be happening, that's not an issue. Sometimes, nothing is the practice.
48. 9:59A few moments of nothing are intentional.
49. 10:10Name what you can see, hear, and touch. Counting your senses is not a distraction; it's part of the practice.
50. 10:26Notice if you're breathing or holding your breath. Start breathing again.
51. 10:37Feel the slight pull at the end of the exhale.
52. 10:49Pause here. Count three breaths if you need a reminder.
53. 11:01You've been carrying the relentless chatter of worry for a while. You can put it down for this session and pick it up later.
54. 11:21Imagine the tightness in your teeth as a room you can step out of for a moment. The room will still be there when you return.
55. 11:39Let the breath be shallow if that's what your body is telling you.
56. 11:52Notice where the tightness in your jaw that speaks of your stress resides in your body. Rest your attention there without trying to change it.
57. 12:11You don't have to resolve the relentless chatter of worry in these few minutes. Your job is simply to breathe while it's here.
58. 12:30Observe the breath you're taking right now. It's the only one that exists in this moment.
59. 12:43If you're counting the minutes, that's fine. Count them and return to the breath.
60. 12:56Notice any tension that appeared while you weren't looking.
61. 13:07If a sound distracts you, let that sound be your focus for a moment.
62. 13:21Let's pause. Just focus on the breathing for a while.
63. 13:32Feel the points of contact — feet, seat, back. That contact is your anchor.
64. 13:46Nothing changes for a moment.
65. 13:55Give your hands a gentle stretch before you resume using them.
66. 14:08Let the next breath be the beginning of your day's rest.
67. 14:21Stay for a few more breaths.

Questions people ask

Meditation is a practice, not a treatment. If you are dealing with ongoing distress, please also reach out to a professional.