How Does Grounding Work
Updated: Sep 4, 2023
There is a lot of talk about grounding, but what exactly does grounding mean? Here is a short description of what it means to ground yourself and a few exercises for support.
Grounding is making complete contact with the ground- pretty much. And it is just as much psychological as it is physical.
Your posture or alignment and how your feet contact the ground affect your groundedness in reality. In other words, your feet are connected to your understanding. Restriction or tension anywhere in the body can result in losing vital essence and energy leaks, increasing the likelihood of energetic blocks.
Therefore, learning how to relax is key. And this can be done through grounding.
A few ways to ground yourself include:
Walking barefoot. This activates energetic centers in your feet and stimulates all of your organs while feeling connected to Mother Earth
Hug a tree. This plugs you into the microcosmic orbit of the tree's energy circuit, which helps you feel more connected to source
Sit on the floor. This connects your root chakra to the Earth, which feels grounding
Lay flat on your back in the Savasana pose. This resting pose slows your heart rate and breathing naturally, encouraging deep relaxation. Do not do this [if grounding is the goal] if you have trauma associated with being on the floor in a vulnerable position, have back issues that will be aggravated, or can not get up from the floor easily
Hold a pointed crystal in each hand. Pointed crystals pull energy out. If you do not have double terminated [pointy on both ends] crystals. You can use one with the terminator [pointed side] facing up in one hand, and in the other hand, the point should be facing down so that 'clean' energy comes in and toxic energy goes out.
Speak to your water before you drink it. This is a sure way to infuse your water with positively charged energy that you will take in
Listen to nature sounds or a sound bath. High-frequency sound is both calming and opens the way for healing
Rub your palms together, then place one hand over your heart and the other over your abdomen. This activates your second and third brain connection, which stimulates feelings of inner trust and safety
Hold relaxing hand mudras i.e prana mudra, Prithvi mudra, TSE mudra, or Atmanji mudra. Mudras help redirect the energy within by increasing or decreasing elements based on the mudra used.
In an emergency, the TSE mudra works fast. Slowly Inhale [place your thumb at the base of your little finger, then encircle or close the remaining four fingers over your thumb], exhale, then release your fingers. Repeat this sequence until you feel a sense of calm. Imagine any unrest leaving your body during the exhale and allow safety and calm to wrap you during the inhale.
Note: Mudras affect the elements in your body, so consult with your doctor before starting any new practices
When To Ground Yourself
Anytime you feel out of sorts is a good time to manage your emotions before they spiral out. A trigger, i.e., an event, encounter, or the anticipation of an encounter due to previous experience, can throw your nervous system out of whack. And when left unchecked, you can easily be triggered by the minor thing as if you're "on edge all the time."
Other times, grounding may be necessary when you seem to daydream often. Or not present even when you want to be.
In any case, a lack of grounding can indicate not feeling connected to Source energy, so use the tools, but more importantly, reconnect to Source in a way you see fit.
Other times that grounding exercises may be beneficial include:
As soon as you wake up
Before or after any ritual work
After leaving any space that leaves you feeling off
Anytime you feel anxious or disconnected
Before or after dealing with people that "drain" you
Anytime you feel the need to
Before bed
Benefits of Grounding
Many benefits of grounding include:
Better mood
Relaxed nervous system
More stability
Connection to Earth
5 Minute Reset
You don't need a plethora of tools to get yourself together. And you may not have a schedule that permits you to spend long hours on specific practices, either. So, as often as you can, strive to add opportunities throughout your day to focus on releasing, grounding, and reconnecting in some way.
Since the feet and hands are access points for all your organs, consider this short Qigong exercise and breathing correctly to help you ground and soothe your nervous [parasympathetic] system. This movement can be done indoors or out, preferably while barefoot.
This exercise is called "Bamboo In The Wind". It's generally done after you purge [clear out] and tonify [strengthen] your Qi during a Qigong routine, but it can be done alone as a quick grounding method.
Stand with your feet together
Interlock the web of your thumbs
Place your hand over your lower abdomen
Take a few deep breaths [abdomen expands during the inhale; pulls in on the exhale]
Envision your discomfort or anything you don't need slowly dissolving into the Earth
As your body sways, envision yourself rooted firmly as a bamboo tree. Allow yourself to sway gently, and your body will find its balance and return to the center.
Trust that your body knows how to regulate itself
Remember To Breathe
In times of perceived stress, panic, or shock, we either hold our breath or our breathing will speed up. Your breath is your life. That is the energy you are consistently spending, so the last thing you want to do is impede the process of moving freely through you.
Babies know how to breathe correctly, but our breathing patterns change as we age. Change for different reasons. Through breathing exercises and other practices such as grounding, we can correct the flow of energy sooner rather than later so other issues don't have a chance to manifest.
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