It can be challenging to stay grounded and present in one’s life during the holidays. Many plan celebrations months in advance as presents are purchased ahead of time, menus are organized and even pre-prepared and future party dates are “saved.” Family travel plans require advance booking of passage and accommodation, time off from work and pet care. And for many, the past can exert a powerful pull on the experience.

All of that planning, researching and purchasing can leave people feeling scattered, distracted and depleted. What can we do about it?

Ayurveda, the sister science of yoga, explains these uncomfortable feelings as imbalances, and one of the remedies it recommends is to ground the body-mind in the lived moment in order to restore a sense of balance. For some yoga practitioners, yoga postures themselves work to bring sensation into their lived experience and help them to leave behind some of the worry, depletion and excess planning that are so easy to fall into.

Another very effective mindfulness technique to ground in the present moment is to connect to the senses using what is sometimes referred to as the “54321 method.” The numbers refer to the practice of listing five things one can see; four that are audible at that moment; three that one can feel or touch; two that one can smell, and a last thing that one can taste. The number of items can vary, but the general idea remains the same, and the technique has been proven in many research studies to serve a diverse range of people.

Given the pitfalls of the holidays, the 54321 technique provides an approach to the season for yoga practitioners who want to stay connected to the present moment. They might notice their own imbalances, for example, but perhaps find it hard to carve out time for yoga postural practice. Thinking of the five senses also provides a playful approach to gift-giving and approaching the holidays more generally, as it can help keep the gift-giver focused on the great diversity of experiences available right here in the Atlanta metro area. Further, sharing gifts like these with friends and family extends the yogic spirit of good relationships and community and encourages non-harming and non-hoarding practices taught by ancient texts.

Gifts to See

For the yoga student delighted by the eye, perhaps there’s no better experience of practicing yoga than one in and around the natural world. Dancing Dogs Yoga in Inman Park leads yoga practice at the Georgia Aquarium, while its studios in Marietta, Roswell and Dunwoody invite students to practice outdoors at nature preserves, local amphitheaters and retail lawn spaces. Joiful Yoga in Sandy Springs offers free children’s yoga on the City Springs Green throughout the holiday period. The whole idea is to notice the natural environment in all its splendor, the other living creatures sharing the space and fellow yoga students, too.

More visual delights can be experienced through the art-making offerings at some local studios. For example, Aum studio in Alpharetta offers one-off classes in string art and other art-therapy practices to increase mindfulness.

Gifts to Hear

Getting out into nature and supporting local environmental initiatives with both money and energy is another great way of connecting to the senses and increasing mindfulness. Atlanta benefits from the presence of the Chattahoochee River, which also needs support. Local nature preserves such as Cascade Springs in Westside, Blue Heron in Buckhead and the Chattahoochee Nature Preserve in Roswell, offer immersive, hands-on experiences that can be part of holiday gift-giving. Bird- and water-lovers can connect to the present through what they hear while supporting their local environmental initiatives at the same time.

If the yoga studio calls, many local businesses offer sound baths. Gruvn Yoga in Marietta, for example, offers drumming workshops for those more inclined to make sounds themselves.

Gifts to Touch and Feel

When it comes to sensation, some people prefer to feel, and others prefer to touch. Luckily, local yoga studios and other small businesses have options for both types of people. PeakZen Yoga in East Cobb partners with Pause Studio, which offers a range of physical wellness experiences such as cold plunge, infrared and float therapy. For the yoga lover, pairing yoga practice with physical experience provides a wonderful gift. Other yoga studios, such as Many Paths Wellness in Roswell, offer Thai massage and reiki for those who want to receive touch and sensation.

If active hands and actually doing and making is a more appropriate gift, other local studios, such as Vista Yoga in Decatur, are offering the chance to donate time and resources to put baskets together for under-resourced communities. For example, grandparents without funds themselves will be given baskets of toys to give to their grandchildren, and food donations are collected, put together and delivered to local pantries. Individuals or family groups can sign up to participate in these donation drives as a shared holiday activity.

Gifts to Smell

Public yoga studios have shifted away from burning incense, Palo Santo, or scented candles in recent years, in recognition that many people are sensitive to fragrance. But many students still delight in scent. While studios themselves may continue to sell locally-made candles, for example, an experience of candle-making or essential oil blending might be right up the gift-giving vibe for a loved one or group event.

For example, many yogis like to have scents in their personal practice space at home, and where a candle or room deodorizer is appropriate, Crafted Creations Studio in Chamblee offers maker experiences for home fragrances, and LIT Essentials in Grant Park has partnered with JustFlow Wellness to offer immersive scent experiences, including sessions for making body butter, soap and roll-ons.

Gifts to Taste

Finally, Ayurveda is all about providing education about and the enjoyment of the nourishing aspects of all the things we take into our body and mind—including the food we eat. Ayurvedic cookbooks, consultations, retreats and cooking classes offer gifts related to the sense of taste. On a more systemic level, they can work to ground the body and mind for long periods of time. Additionally, kitchens in the Atlanta community offer food-based, gift-making experiences that can round out a gift basket or become the whole gift itself. Think home-made bread loaves and granola!

Vista Yoga in Decatur also offers Ayurvedic cooking classes with Maha Moon Studio owner Marnie Memmolo, while Atlanta-based SAMA Food for Balance will ship soups, juices, smoothies and teas that conform to Ayurvedic principles to anywhere in the country. Local Hindu temples also offer Ayurvedic consultations, and nourishment can be sourced from farmers’ markets throughout the city. And Atlanta-based SaristoSuits also offers Ayurvedic food and cooking classes as part of their annual spring fundraiser for domestic violence survivors.

Enjoy your gift-giving by staying local, staying present and staying grounded through the senses! ❧

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Patricia Schmidt, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, YACEP, is a certified yoga therapist specializing in pelvic health, accessible yoga and yoga for cancer support. She is a Franklin Method trainer, Roll Model method teacher and somatic movement specialist. To learn more, visit PLSYoga.com.