you're wondering what an ant path is ... i understand. these are great tools for self-regulation and dealing with stress! they're also great for kiddos and families to do together. some folks have a meditation practice, and some folks find it hard to concentrate, so the ant path is a way to have something to concentrate on and practice being present.
you also might be wondering why your chiropractor is working with you on mindfulness. let me explain: so often i'm working with folks, asking how their body feels, and they point to their neck and shoulders and say, "that's where i keep all my stress!" surely you have said this phrase at some point. well, as someone who is deeply invested in making sure you can enjoy your body, what if i helped you find better ways to deal with your stress? would that soften up those shoulders a bit? it's worth a try. so for the next few months we're going to have some self-regulation / stress-reduction themed posts!
back to the ant path.
it's pretty simple to make an ant path:
one line that starts and ends at the same place (connected)
has criss-crosses and loops
has empty spaces
not crazy scribbling
i hesitate to draw examples because there's no perfect ant path, but if you check out the video above you can see some examples of what doesn't make for a great path. (mostly, too many harsh scribbles and ends that don't connect)
the tip of that pointer finger becomes ad ANT and it gets to walk around all of the trails our crayons had just made. remember: ants walk very slowly and like to explore. you can trace the same line you drew, or take a right turn or a left turn at the crossings. maybe your ant wants to go backwards or trace certain parts over and over. this is an ant path, not a roller coaster, so you have to go slow. besides that, the only expectation is that you keep your finger on the line and keep it moving for a while! it's also a great practice to set a timer, like 5 minutes, and let yourself get really immersed in this. think of it like meditation!
this exercise is so simple and so consuming, and can be done anywhere! imagine instead of handing a kiddo a phone to keep them distracted, you handed them a piece of paper and a pencil and had ant path time?
the important thing isn’t the path itself, but about going slow and staying focused on tracing it. mindfulness is challenging for all of us, but that’s why we practice!
if you have any questions, about these practices or others, don't hesitate to reach out! my email is drstephvos@gmail.com and i love to chat about bodies :)
stay tuned the last wednesday of the month for "i've got your back" at 8:20(ish) on wtip.org's north shore morning show!
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