In today’s hectic world, it seems as though we are constantly bombarded by stressful events, relationships, and work situations that can leave us feeling uncentered and unrooted. An accumulation of such destabilizing stimuli can sometimes completely knock us off our very own foundations, leading us to become lost in a sea of raging emotions, thoughts, and feelings. Typically, when we are suffering from anxiety, insecurity, rage, negative thoughts, and lethargy, we are out of our bodies. And when we are not present in our bodies, we make it much easier for negative and heavy energies to infiltrate us. Being aware of how we as humans are connected and grounded to the earth can greatly help to retain a sense of center and self during any situation.
Being grounded is to be aware of our bodies in relation to the earth and to be fully present with your physical dimensional self. In his book, Shadow, Self, Spirit (2005), Michael Daniels refers to groundedness as “a sense of being fully embodied, whole, centered and balanced in ourselves and our relationships.”
Intentionally incorporating practices that ground us in our daily lives is important for everyone but especially for empaths or people who are highly sensitive to their environments and other people’s emotions. Being ungrounded, you can be like a leaf in the wind, thrown off balance and vulnerable to any slight impulse. However, when you are grounded, you are like a strong, deeply rooted tree. You firmly stand in your place and are able to feel more peace and balance in your everyday life.
There is no right or wrong way to practice grounding. You may already have an approach that works for you, which is great. However, here are some ways that I practice grounding that hopefully serve as ideas for you or other people you know that might need some more grounding in their life.
Walk in nature, ideally barefoot
It is an established, though not widely known fact, that the Earth’s surface has a limitless supply of free or mobile electrons. The surface of the planet is electrically conductive and so is the human body. Mounting evidence is showing that human bodies can absorb free electrons from the Earth surface with many positive health effects. These include improving your immune system and eliminating external voltage induced on the body from common electricity power sources.
Throughout history, humans primarily walked barefoot, used footwear made of animals skins, and slept on the ground or on skins. This contact directly to the earth or through perspiration-moistened skins allowed free electrons from the Earth surface to enter the human body thereby synchronizing electrical potentials and stabilizing all of the inner environment of organs, tissues and cells. When we are grounded, we synchronize with earth frequency. Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman in his lectures on electromagnetism has said that when the body potential is the same as the Earth’s electric potential (and thus grounded), it becomes an extension of the Earth’s enormous electric system.
Walking barefoot allows you to connect directly with the Earth surface and feel it’s magnetism. A study by Ober et al reported that going barefoot as little as 30 or 40 minutes daily can significantly reduce pain and stress.
Walking Meditation
Walking meditation is another grounding practice which I learned at zen master Thich Nhat Hanh’s mindfulness retreat center, Plum Village. This an excerpt from him:
One way to practice walking meditation is to breathe in and take one step, and focus all your attention on the sole of your foot. If you have not arrived fully, 100 percent in the here and the now, don’t take the next step.
Guided Grounding Meditations
Listening to a guided meditation can be helpful for grounding oneself. You can find several options for grounding on the crowd-sourced app called Insight Timer. I in particular like those that have you visualize yourself as a tree. Imagine yourself connecting to the earth through roots growing from your feet and legs, allowing energy to flow down to the center of the earth and then pulling earth energy back up through your root chakra and throughout the rest of your body.
Scan for your Body Sensations
Take off your shoes and place your feet on the floor or ground if you are outside. Do a few deep inhales and exhales and then begin to feel the sensations of your feet against the ground. Scan for sensations around the toes and the tops of your feet, around your ankles and heels. You can do this from the soles of your feet all the way up to the crown of your head, taking as long as you need to get out of your mind and into your body. Getting into your body is a reminder of the present moment, of being fully aware of our physical selves in this reality.
Sounds, Music, and Dance
Certain sounds are designed to stimulate and balance your root chakra, which grounds you. Some meditation bells and bowls do this as well as Binaural rythms. You can find rythms and sounds for this purpose on Youtube, Soundcloud, or Spotify. I personally also find dancing very grounding, in particular dancing to rythms with a strong emphasis on percussion and drumming, such as this one and this one. Try them out for yourself!
There are no consequences to grounding, only the opportunity to benefit your overall health and well-being. Remember, the earth and your body know what you need to be healed, all you need to do is take the time to listen and connect.
If you have any tried and tested ways of grounding yourself that you would like to recommend, please share in the comments 🙂
Share this post with someone who could benefit from more grounding in their life!