Grounding is effectively earthing our energy. Similar to the principle of electrical grounding, when we consciously ground ourselves we are making the earth part of our energy circuit. Grounding can help us to centre, realign and realise. It enables us to take in information, make sense of it and process insights and realisations in the present moment. It facilitates understanding through the practical application of knowledge, it helps us to cement, simplify and ‘materialise’ energetic information so that it is easily understood. Someone who is grounded is ‘down to earth’, and speaks a lot of common sense; they are actively in the process of ‘making sense’, i.e. they ‘create sense’ out of that which may at first seem unfamiliar, irrational or illogical to some.
When we are particularly open, our energy circuits (meridians or nadis) can become overloaded with energy, such as excitement, shock, anger or high voltage spiritual realisations (light bulb moments) and truth. When there is a high degree of energy coming in, or we are experiencing a lot of stimulation in relation to that which is expended or grounded, it can cause us to burn out or feel overwhelmed if we aren’t sufficiently grounded. It can literally ‘blow our minds’.
Grounding can bring us back to a state of balance. It helps us to be fully conscious in the present moment, which can serve to increase our awareness and intuition. It is important in enabling us to bring our spirit back to centre by helping us to collect our energy which may be scattered elsewhere in the past or in the future, by thought or incidence.
Grounding is connected to the root chakra, our sense of security and survival, and also to the chakras on the bottom of our feet. When we are grounded we literally feel plugged in, with a slightly magnetic pull/feeling which connects us to the earth.
GROUNDING EXERCISE
To ground yourself, place both feet flat on the floor. Imagine that there are roots growing out of your feet, and much like a tree is stabilised by its root system, see these roots from your feet going down into the centre of the earth acting as your anchor. Imagine that as the roots go down into the centre of the earth, they are wrapping around a crystal of your choice. Take a deep breath and as you breathe out, feel the energy from your head and the upper part of your body sinking down your body and out of your feet. Feel your feet!
This exercise is most beneficial when practiced, at least, as a daily routine. Whenever we feel unbalanced, physically or mentally, for example angry, upset, excited, or worried grounding can benefit us. After a while you may notice that as you are grounding, that your feet begin to tingle and you experience a magnetic pull on your feet, as if you are literally being glued to the earth through the soles of your feet.
If you don’t feel a difference by doing this exercise, keep practising or try some of the other grounding activities at the end of this article. The following exercise can bring home the feeling of what it is like to be more grounded. Try standing on one leg ~ you might wobble, then after a short while put that foot back down on the ground, feel the foot on the ground. Lift the other leg and have a wobble on that one too. When you place both feet back on the ground it should bring it home to you that sense of being balanced, the weight distribution within the body feeling more aligned, standing upright with more solidity. Your energy should feel more centred and balanced.
SIGNS THAT WE MIGHT NOT BE GROUNDED
Certain medical conditions can cause similar symptoms, if in doubt about your physical condition, consult your healthcare provider.
Physical signs ~ unsteadiness, clumsiness, dizziness, dropping things, falling over, hunger, cravings, headaches, weight gain.
Mental signs ~ head in the clouds, dizziness, flighty, unfocused, overwhelmed, lapses in concentration, dissociation, dreamy, easily influenced by others, unable to stand our ground and assert boundaries, scattered, forgetful, lack of understanding, repeating ourselves, lack of focus, inattention.
Emotional signs ~ anxious, fearful, hyper, highly excitable, mood swings, emotional outbursts such as anger or tears.
Spiritual signs ~ lack of concrete evidence or experience to fully explain what we are trying to communicate, lack of intuition, weak connection to the Divine, lack of faith, disconnected.
When someone is ungrounded there is often a lightness or thinness to the voice which seems to be coming from, or ‘off the top of the head’, as the energy is more likely to be focused in the head area (‘head in the clouds’). When grounded, the voice sounds fully rounded, or full bodied as we speak from the centre of our being in perfect balance, from the heart. When we are perfectly grounded and centred and able to remain in this place the heart chakra begins to open up further.
WHY DO WE BECOME UNGROUNDED?
Fear ~ shock, trauma, fear, emotional distress and physical pain can be very ungrounding. When we are frightened and would prefer to be somewhere else, we can as a consequence become disconnected and ungrounded. We may feel as if we have left our bodies or we’re having an out of body experience. Becoming ungrounded can be a defence mechanism to help us to cope with difficult situations – it is a form of protection, a defence mechanism. Practicing grounding can help us face our fears when we feel ready to do so.
Excess energy ~ insights and realisations can generate further energy – the light bulb moments of a dawning realisation can be electric so that we literally are ‘buzzing’. ‘Sparking’, can occur when two people on the same wavelength get together and ‘join forces’. The resultant energy can be synergistic which is why psychic development is enhanced in pairs or groups and also why it is important that a group leader remains adequately grounded in order to contain the energy of a group lest it become overly chaotic.
Procrastination ~ can cause us to become ungrounded, if we aren’t taking action by acting on thoughts and ideas that we are having. Action has a grounding effect as it brings into manifestation what begins at the mental level into the material level, a substantial level which other’s can often relate more fully to. When we meet someone who is unable to convey their truth at a level that resonates with others, it is often because they have yet to ground and fully understand the information, via practical application and experience. A very simple example for instance, is the grounding action of the thought that ‘we need some milk’. Starting as a thought, we then take action and go and get some. Milk ‘miraculously’ materialises into our reality, at an accessible level which others may be more readily relate to – the energy is put into action. In this way, our truth is materialised. By endeavouring to walk the talk we begin to fully realise our inspirations.
OTHER GROUNDING ACTIVITIES
Often we instinctively know what we must do in order to become more grounded. Trust your body’s response, as long as it does no harm. Essentially, activities which help us to ‘get back into our body’ are grounding exercises, those that help us to cultivate an awareness of the experience of our complete physical being.
Crystals ~ holding or carrying a crystal that you feel drawn to around with you such as black tourmaline, black obsidian, red jasper, aragonite, smoky quartz, hematite, boji stones, and bloodstone.
Gardening ~ by doing so we release excess energy into the soil which will benefit the plants too, this is probably why some people are green fingered. Feel the energy flowing down into the earth with the intention that it is healing the earth and plants. As you are gardening and handling plants, consciously let the energy flow out of your fingers and into the plants – feel the earth beneath your feet as you walk.
Resting, ‘being’ ~ picture the person who is scurrying around, haphazardly, doing one thing after another, flitting here and there with no time to collect themselves and think about or process what they have done. Taking the time to stop and just be can help us to integrate and ground the experiences which we have.
Walking in nature is very grounding, feeling each step beneath the feet connecting with the earth below. Walking barefoot enhances this connection and walking in general can help us to become more grounded, even if it is just walking around a room. We can do a walking meditation, walking slowly and connecting each footstep with an inhale and exhale of the breath, consciously feel the energy drain out of your feet as you exhale the breath.
Exercise ~running, aerobics, yoga, dancing, swimming etc
Stamping your feet – literally, this can help to waken up the chakras on the feet and a simple exercise to suggest to someone who may be ungrounded after a treatment.
Eating and drinking ~ fasting can help to raise the vibrations. If we are not fasting and our vibrations are high enough for what we need at that particular time, we may find that we feel very hungry and feel the need for food to help us ground. Red meat is thought to lower our vibrations, so this can be effective for grounding; some may crave high carbohydrate foods as its thought that energy work burns carbohydrates. Others crave chocolate. If you can’t afford to put on weight, try some other methods – and try drinking some water as dehydration can cause hunger pangs, energy work can be very thirsty work!
Good old cup of tea ~ caffeine can be grounding for some.
Cooking ~ kneading dough etc
Eating Chocolate ~ some people find this works for them.
Silver Violet/ Violet Flame mantra – chanting this can be centring and grounding.
Colours ~ Wearing black, brown, or red clothes can help with grounding; some even find purple a grounding colour.
Cultivating an equal left-right brain balance may also help us to ground. If we’re quite creative and apt to ‘go off on one’, something like a game of soduku can help to re-balance.
