The Importance of Grounding

April 12, 2014 · by · in All Posts, Improving in Reiki

As a species, we have forgotten our relationship with the earth. Mankind is looked upon as something separate from nature, as something that triumphs over, conquers nature. We have forgotten who we are – a part of the earth.

This loss of memory has affected us very deeply. We have lost all the support that the earth offers us. Can you imagine your mother disappearing from your life, your memory? What has happened to us is a lot worse, because the earth has given us, and continues to give us much more than a mother ever can. This loss of memory has taken away the grace of the earth away, we are not supported by the earth anymore. Not because she rejects us, but because we have rejected her.

A well grounded person is stable, calm, efficient and in sync with his responsibilities. When this grounding is lost, the mind tends to be racy, getting nervous easily, fidgety, restless, unable to sit without activity. Procrastination abounds, one tends to ‘drift off’, sometimes staring into space, and at others losing temper unnecessarily. Children of un-grounded parents are usually very hyperactive and hard to control.

What to do

Slow chores. Slowly, consciously performing household chores with full awareness is very deeply grounding. Sweep your house. Shell some peas. Do some gardening.

Walk barefoot. Even better if you’re walking barefoot on the grass! Walking barefoot connects you deeply with the earth, releasing antioxidants and bringing balance into your body. You could sit on a park with your bare feet touching the ground. Even when you are in a vehicle, try taking your shoes off and placing your foot on some metal – it grounds you in the vehicle.

Trees. The easiest way to improve grounding is to spend some time with trees. Trees ground very powerfully, even more so if you stand with your back against the bark, hugging the tree backwards. Mentally request the tree to ground and heal you. This brings about very quick changes, and is even useful when someone is sick. If it is possible to spend time in a forest, there’s nothing like it. However, I have not seen trekking to bring the same sort of benefits, probably because it involves so much moving.

Cord Meditation. Imagine a thick, red cord stretching out to the core of the earth, bringing in hot, red energies into your root and sacral chakra.

Tree Meditation. Imagine that like a tree, roots are extending out of your tailbone, going all the way to the center of the earth. When you breathe out, imagine the roots extending out, growing further into the earth, surrendering and submitting to the mother. When you breathe in, allow yourself to open up to receive all the nourishment she has to offer.

[Think of your connection with your mother – this mother, the earth, has given you hundreds of times more than your birth mother has, and is capable of dissolving all your problems.]

Anchor yourself. When you are feeling deeply grounded, whether in a park or in a meditation, join the tips of your your ring finger and thumb. Mentally intend that whenever you hold your fingers in this position, you will immediately come back to feeling just as grounded as you are feeling at this moment. This way, you can quickly ground yourself whenever you feel spaced out or fickle minded.

What to avoid

Many modern activities create further ungrounding, and it is best if we reduce them to a minimum if possible.

Traveling, esp flying, can affect grounding very adversely and it is critical to hug a tree or walk barefoot as soon as possible, to bring oneself back to the earth.

Intense exercise also has a similar effect. If you are athletic and cannot do without some exercise, try some really slow yoga, and hold each pose for as long as possible. This may feel excruciating in the beginning – even more so if you are not grounded, but it is important. Activities like running, aerobics and gymming are quite ungrounding, contrary to popular belief.

Watching TV and surfing the internet also have a very immediate impact on your grounding, and are best avoided if you feel particularly ungrounded.

Mobile phones create a lot of radiation and if this is possible for you, switch off your phone, or at least your WiFi, especially for a short while after a particularly ungrounding activity, such as traveling or an intense workout.