Do you have a grounding practice? Do you know what that means? How to do it?
Grounding, also referred to as earthing, is the practice of walking or standing on the earth barefoot in order to connect with its innate healing energies. It relies on earthing science and grounding physics to explain how electrical charges from the earth can have positive effects on your body.
It may sound a bit woo-woo, but there are many health benefits that show it can help you reduce inflammation, stress, and pain. Many also tout that it can help you get rid of jet lag.
Here are some ways to ground yourself:
1 – Go barefoot. It is the easiest way to practice grounding. Take a walk barefoot on grass, sand or soil, rocks, and even concrete.
2 – Lay down. The more your bare skin can come into contact with the ground, the better. Find a patch of grass at a park, in your backyard, or lay down on the beach.
3 – Gardening. It puts you in direct, sustained contact with the earth. If you don’t have a backyard of your own, seek out a community garden in your city.
4 – Swim. Water conducts electrical charges, which means when you submerge yourself in a natural body of water – at the beach, lake, or river – you are getting grounded. Take a dip or go for a swim, or just put your feet or hands in the water.
Grounding techniques also help you connect with the present moment. When you practice focusing your attention on the present moment, it aids in creating space away from your anxious and stressful feelings. There are plenty of practices you can incorporate that don’t require you to go barefoot outside.
One practice, that I incorporate into my daily meditations is to imagine tree roots grounding me to the earth. During my meditation, I visualize tree roots as extensions of my feet. The roots connect, anchor and ground me to the space I am in, to the earth.
As I slow down, tune into my breath, and get grounded, it helps me feel calm and return to the present moment.
Another grounding practice that I’ve recently learned and am loving, is from one of The Peaceful Empath Summit speakers, Michelle Agopsowicz. The practice is tapping along your collarbone as you repeat 3 times, “I am (insert your full name) and only (insert your full name).” As you repeat your name and tap on your collarbone, it brings you back to your body and to the present moment. The tapping stimulates your vagus nerve and lets your nervous system know it is okay to calm down.
Some other simple grounding practices include:
1. Breathe: Slowly inhale, then exhale. You can say or think “breathe in” and “breathe out.” Notice how each breath fills your lungs and then pushes it back out.
2. Walk: Tune into the rhythm of your footsteps. Notice how it feels to put each foot on the ground and then lift it again. You can count your steps if it helps.
3. Listen: Take a few moments to listen to your surroundings. What do you hear? Birds chirping? Dogs barking? People talking? Traffic? Construction? Allow the sounds to wash over you, as they remind you of where you are.
4. Move: Do a few stretches or exercises, observing how your body feels with each movement.
It doesn’t matter how or where you choose to ground yourself, when you take time every day to practice, it will help you reconnect back to what matters most, your connection to yourself, the present moment, and to the Earth.
“To be rooted is perhaps the most important and least recognized need of the human soul.” Simone Weil