Rooted Bliss Wellness

you don’t need to go anywhere and roll out a mat to notice your breath. wherever you are right now, you can decide to watch your next few breaths from the start of the inhale, through the transition, to the bottom of the exhale, and through the cycle again. observe the experience of breathing and let nothing else matter for those few breaths.

i’ll share some of my favorite techniques for breath awareness on this page next week! 💚

shout out to sarah - her and this studio changed my life a few years ago and was the start to this new chapter in my life 🥰

Your evenings don’t have to feel chaotic and exhausting.

Four minutes won’t change your to-do list - but it can change how you move through it :)

For the release:
• Place the balls on either side of the spine
• Around the level where your bra strap sits (or a few inches below your armpits)
• The balls should be close together, but not directly on the spine
• Once you’re down, adjust slightly up or down until you find a spot that feels supportive and allows you to breathe comfortably
• If the pressure feels too intense, place a folded blanket over the balls (less is more here!)

Set a timer for 4 minutes and focus on slow, steady breaths. (bonus! choose a timer with a gentle bell instead of a loud alarm 😌)

Sometimes the most helpful thing isn’t getting more done - it’s giving your mind & body a chance to realize the workday is over!

Save this for the next time you get home feeling exhausted

Only takes 10 minutes!

If you sit all day, work a desk job, or notice low back pain and low back tightness after long periods of sitting, these are three areas I like to explore with myofascial release (MFR)

Use tennis balls or massage balls (I like RAD).

For the releases:

• Find your hip bones and bring the balls just inside of them (not on the bone!)
Options to add sensation: tuck the toes and lift the knees by engaging the legs for 3–5 breaths, or bend the knees and sway the feet side to side.

• Find your belly button and bring the balls slightly down and out.

• Find where the ribs open and bring the balls touching each other just under the ribs.

Set a 3-minute timer for each spot and focus on deep inhales and long, slow exhales.

These aren’t the only areas that may contribute to low back discomfort, they’re simply places I often like to explore. The front of the hips, deep hip flexors (including the psoas), and the diaphragm can all spend hours in a shortened position when we sit for long periods.

Our bodies are connected through layers of fascia, muscles, nerves, and other tissues. Because of these connections, the area that feels achy isn’t always the only area worth paying attention to.

As always, pay attention to how your own body responds and stay hydrated!

peace is internal
nothing outside of you can create this for you

practicing mindfulness is paying attention to something on purpose

+ in my personal experience, being mindful helps me to connect to peace

just for a few deep breaths, can you let nothing else capture your attention besides the sensation of exhaling and letting go

a common misconception with fascia release is that more pressure equals a deeper release.

but fascia release doesn’t have to be painful to be effective!

when we use excessive pressure, we often end up bracing, holding our breath, and tensing the very area we’re aiming to release.

instead, medium pressure with slow, steady breathing can help create a sense of safety and ease in the body and you may find the release to feel more effective.

more sensation doesn’t always mean more benefit.

follow to see more release tips + techniques!

If you’ve been dealing with arch or heel discomfort, try giving your calves some attention and see if you notice any relief.

🎾 Slowly roll along the upper 2/3 of the calf for about 30 seconds.
🎾 Find a spicy spot + pause there. You can stay still or gently point and flex the foot.
🎾 Repeat on 2-3 different areas.
🎾 Don’t forget the other side, too!

The image at the start shows a trigger point referral pattern for the gastrocnemius (calf muscle). The X marks a potential trigger point, while the red areas show where referred sensations may be felt. A good reminder that discomfort isn’t always felt where it originates.

This doesn’t mean every heel or foot issue comes from the calf, but if this brings you relief, try repeating it every other day and see how your body responds :)

Questions? Drop them below!

i’ve been taking this class for a year or two before being certified in it and it has always been one of my favorite classes to take!! it’s truly transformed the way i hold myself and the way i think of tension and pain. so grateful im now able to help others feel more comfortable in their body with this modality
follow for some MFR tips or message me to join class!!

There are a lot of muscles that can assist in breathing, including muscles through the neck and shoulders, but deep breathing shouldn’t mainly come from those areas.
These releases help create more movement and space through the diaphragm, the intercostals and the serratus anterior, which can help the ribs move and expand

Roll up a firm blanket or towel and place it horizontally just below the ribs, across the upper belly.
Rest there for 3-5 minutes with slow breaths.

Then shift the body down slightly and gently roll onto one side to focus more into the side ribs. Stay 3-5 minutes each side.

I like to close my eyes and imagine the breath expanding into the prop with each inhale, then softening deeper around it with each exhale.

Deep breathing should create movement through the whole torso, not just the upper chest :)
Try these releases 2-3x a week to help create more space for deeper breathing. Entire routine only takes about 10-15 minutes. 💗

Unlearning tension patterns in the body is not always an easy process.

When our tissues learn to hold on from years of accidentally training them to, the unwinding process takes time too.

Myofascial release (MFR) has helped me release so much tension through my neck and shoulders so I can sit, stand, and move more comfortably.

Notice, visually, how drastic the change is from my left and right sides - imagine, internally, how spacious it FEELS!!