How To Cultivate a Grounding Practice to Uplevel Your Way of Life

As the seasons change, so do I.

This is a mantra I like to use to put my mind, body, and soul at ease when confronted with the turbulence that comes with life's inevitable cycles. No matter how uncomfortable it may be, things are not supposed to stay the same. Everything you touch changes. The energy of change always surrounds us. The very essence of it is constant, like a series of fierce waves crashing to the shore. At times, change feels unexpected, and the lack of preparation ambushes you just as you've gotten your footing.

So, now, the question becomes, how do I maintain grounded amidst what's clearly undeniable, allowing me to face change head-on?

Indeed the phenomenon becomes easier to welcome when equipped with foundational tools. So, now, the question becomes, how do I maintain grounded amidst what's clearly undeniable, allowing me to face change head-on? We suggest learning to get grounded! Adapting these simple yet profound techniques will uplevel your existence and ensure that you always experience balance, even in the rockiest situations.

What is Grounding?

In general, grounding is a healing methodology that helps alleviate stress, overwhelm, anxiety, and other similar feelings and emotions. Grounding techniques reorient you into the here and now, connecting you to your inner center and back to our great Mother Earth. We can ground ourselves through numerous approaches that include: Our breath, movement, somatic therapies, meditation, etc., which we'll explore briefly. However, more specifically, referring to the word "grounding," also known as "earthing," is meant to describe an ancient science that allows you to receive medicinal properties of the natural world. Earthing is done by intentionally planting your feet or hands on the earth's surface- the sand, grass, dirt, soil, and rock. You can accomplish this by walking barefoot or sitting/lying on the earth, hugging or leaning against a tree, or gardening with your bare hands. For those who can't readily access a place for your grounding practice, earthing systems are available for purchase and allow you to receive the same benefits from indoors.

Mother Earth is a conductor of electrons, as are we beings. We have an electrical current of positively charged protons, negatively charged electrons, and neutrally charged neutrons orbiting within us. Mother Earth's electrically conductive surface holds a limitless and continuously renewed supply of free mobile electrons due to the global atmospheric electrical circuit. When earthing, the vast reserve of electrons on the surface of the earth moves freely between the grounded body and creates a stable internal bioelectrical environment for the normal functioning of all body systems. These electrons from the earth act as antioxidants, and the transference serves as a natural detox for our vessels.

Modern-day living and manufactured realities have severely disconnected us from the natural world, setting off our natural electrical energy. Now, our bodies are bombarded and overwhelmed with an excess of EMFs (electromagnetic fields) and free radicals from the daily consumption of unnatural products and creations. As a result, oxidative stress and inflammation form in the body- Chronic inflammation is one of the root causes of many infectious diseases! Incredible evidence-based research shows that earthing helps combat our daily exposure to these dangerous toxins and release the free radicals we've been accumulating. The benefits are so impressive.

Some advantages of grounding include the improvement of the body's cortisol rhythm, which helps elevate the quality of sleep and reduce stress and pain. Grounding shifts the body from sympathetic to parasympathetic activation, improves glucose regulation, reduces the primary indicators of osteoporosis, helps regulate hormones, increases heart rate variability, and boosts energy, vitality, and emotional resilience. No wonder humans walked barefoot for centuries!

In addition to grounding, known as earthing, the word grounding has other connotational meanings. When someone asks if we are grounded or feel grounded, they are essentially wondering whether or not we are stable and secure in our mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual bodies. Perhaps you've experienced the feeling of being ungrounded. Unfgroundedness may feel a bit "space-cadety," like you've been living in the ethers while your tasks and responsibilities swirl around. Feeling ungrounded may also feel like it's impossible to focus, articulate yourself, and understand others, or a deep sense of doubt, insecurity, and uncertainty. When we are grounded in ourselves, we're in alignment with the universal flow of life. Ideally, from this place, we can make decisions with clarity. We can move through our lives with profound peace and assurance that everything is working out for our highest good, no matter the challenges we might encounter.

Outside of earthing, there are other tricks available to us that assist in helping to achieve the essence of being grounded.

Grounding with Crystals

The healing properties in crystals can assist us in achieving a sense of groundedness because their composition derives from the earliest formation of the earth- they are millions of years old! The use of crystals is admired in spiritual communities for a reason, simply because it is effective with mysticism and practical science to back it up. According to science, crystals are the most orderly structure to exist in nature, so the measurement of disorder, or entropy, is the lowest amongst crystals. A crystal structure is essential in modern technologies. The balance and the frequencies they emit, plus the incredible amount of information they store, are necessary for items like computers, cell phones, and televisions to function. This is why crystals make a lovely introduction for those just beginning their healing journey- There is not much to it aside from cleansing the energy before use and setting your intention into the crystal. You can rinse your crystal in purifying salt water to absorb negative energies, burn sage and let the smoke absorb the stone, or bury them in the earth to recharge and be cleansed by the vibration of the earth. Next, set your intention around groundedness and let the crystal work its magic.

Black obsidian crystals are perfect for grounding. You can place your crystal underneath your pillow before bed, tape them to the bottom of your feet before sleeping, or place it on your nightstand to ground your energy from the day to wake up feeling centered and empowered. The obsidian can be used in numerous situations where your energy serves to be clear and rooted. For instance, if you have an interview, an exam, or a difficult conversation, keep your obsidian on your body, tucking them away in your pocket or bra!

The rise in popularity has also made them quite accessible- A quick google search will surely help you locate a crystal shop nearby. Here, specialists will point you in the right direction and explain the properties and benefits of all the available crystals, minerals, rocks, gemstones, and metaphysical tools.

Breath, Meditation, and Visualization 

Grounding your energy through breathing, meditation, and visualization help to take your focus off any distractions by slowing down and dropping into the now. On their own, the techniques of breathwork, meditation, and visualization are exceptionally potent tools. When they all come together, this trifecta is a powerhouse for bringing you back down to earth.

Try this Gaia Goddess exercise to experience some nurturing and profound earth grounding.

• Find a quiet and comfortable place to lie down.

• Take a few deep breaths to center yourself, setting the intention to be present and receive all the rich goodness of the exercise.

• Imagine your feet surrounded and immersed in a beautiful sphere of brown light.

• Breathe in through your nose and imagine breathing brown up your right leg to your right hip, where, like a pinball, it bounces off to the center of your pubic bone and to the root chakra which you sit upon.

• Hold the brown and your breath for a few seconds. Next, exhale through your mouth, with a sigh, sending the brown down your left leg and out your left foot.

• Repeat what you have just done. This time circle the brown from the left and up to the root (where you paused) and back down the right leg, and out the right foot.

• Repeat the cycle at least 4 or 5 times.

Grounding with Movement and Somatic Therapies 

Movement is an art that connects you to your physical body and helps to release any stagnant energies stored. A mindful stroll outdoors, where you tune into your body and all its sensations, will help you practice grounding. Yoga is also a form of movement that helps to quiet the mind and become aware of your body. Certain grounding poses designed to allow energy to flow through you and release pint up stress and tension in the body are ideal for when you feel disconnected and out of touch.

Somatic therapies, or somatic experiencing therapy, bridge the mind and body to help release stress, tension, and trauma from the body. This particular therapy incorporates mind-body healing modalities such as dance, grounding, breathwork, meditation, visualization, massage, and sensation awareness work. It is known to treat PTSD and other mental and emotional health issues such as anxiety, depression, addiction, stress, or grief. It also may assist with sexual dysfunction, digestive disorders, and chronic pain. The techniques vary, but all work to help you process the burden of mental heaviness through working with the physical body.

Don't forget, as the seasons change, so do I. Our path to an enlightened, empowered, and healed self is not an overnight occurrence. We will forever be changing and expanding through the seasons of our lives, but the goal is to collect tips and tricks along the way that gives us the strength to weather any storm!