Grounding

Grounding, also called earthing, is a therapeutic technique that involves doing activities that “ground” or electrically reconnect you to the earth. 

We've all had those days, the ones where we feel out of sorts, spacey, unfocused. In our fast-paced society it's hard to avoid feeling this way at least some of the times. But i’ve got you! I have some techniques to help you rebalance. It's a common new age term which is frequently misunderstood..

Grounding is an energy healing technique for reconnecting your auric field to the earth. It is good for those days when you feel out of control. Here's some simple signs that might mean you need to do a quick grounding exercise:

* Feeling irritable, spacey or scattered

* Finding yourself unable to focus on day to day tasks

* Nervousness or nervous energy

* Feeling overwhelmed

* Crying for no reason

* Feeling like your emotions are controlling you

* Forgetting to do important things

* Having a hard time organizing yourself or your life

* Experiencing chronic anxiety

SIMPLE GROUNDING TECHNIQUES

The simple grounding techniques will take a few minutes and will help pull you out of your funk so you can enjoy the life the way you are meant to live. They are all different methods to the same end. They use the principle of reconnecting to the strong, stable energies of our earth mother, and bringing that stability into yourself. Before we get started with the grounding methods, let's go over a quick review of how they work.

They are all based on the principle that we and everything on the planet are a part of the earth. But with our modern lifestyles we're not living in connection to nature the way traditional cultures have. We can go days without breathing any fresh air, let alone spending time in nature. Sometimes we get disconnected. Our energies instead entrain to the frequencies of EMF's being emitted from computers, or to the electrical currents in our homes.

The end result is where we find ourselves scattered and out of control, but you can take back this control!

Grounding is a process of reconnecting to the energy system of our planet. It uses the principle of drawing the calming energies of the earth into ourselves, so that we are living in balance with the living ecosystems and energies around us. It provides a sense of peace, serenity and balance where before we were unbalanced and out of control. The best way to explain grounding is just to let a person experience it for themselves, so let's get started.

GROUNDING TECHNIQUES WITH CRYSTALS

Hold a Root Chakra Crystal: Time Required: Seconds to a minute, or as long as you have: The main crystals to use for grounding are crystals associated with the root chakra. The root chakra is our connection to earthly energies, and root chakra crystals hold that energy and share it with you. Some great root chakra crystals to get started with are hematite, black onyx, and obsidian. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to find. Stop by any new age shop and you'll probably find some tumbled specimens for under five dollars. Whenever you are feeling scattered, slip one of the root chakra crystals into your pocket and keep it with you for the day. Remember to reach into your pocket and hold it every now and then.

GROUNDING TECHNIQUES ROOT CHAKRA JEWELRY

Wear a Root Chakra Crystal Jewelry Piece: Time required: None. Another option is to get a piece of jewelry incorporating a root chakra stone in it's design. You'll automatically be getting it's grounding energies throughout the day. It's best to have the stone touching your skin, but even if that's not possible, the stone will still be within your aura, so you'll be getting it's grounding energies all day long. Root chakra jewelry can be a pendant, a necklace, earrings, or a ring.

GROUNDING VISUALIZATION TECHNIQUE

Do a Quick Root Chakra Crystal Grounding Technique: Time Required: Two to twenty minutes. Those other two examples are passive methods. Here we're going to get into an active grounding method. Find a quiet, private place (even if it's a bathroom stall at work!). Hold your root chakra crystal in your left hand. The left hand is the receptive hand where we receive energies. Simply by holding the stone in your left hand you will feel it's energies working through your chakra system. While holding the stone visualize your connection to the planet, even if your on the thirtieth floor of an office building, there is still a connnection from your feet to the earth. Visualise roots sprouting out of the bottom of your feet and reaching down gently to the ground. Then visualise those roots working down deep into the soil. Now see in your mind's eye, the core of the earth, the womb of our planet. See your roots working all the way down to that core, and connecting, twining with it. Take three deep breaths, and feel the connection between yourself and the life of our planet. Allow yourself to stay there for as long as you need to. When the time is right, slowly pull your roots back, until they are all the way inside of you again.

CHANTING GROUNDING TECHNIQUES

Chant the Bija Mantra for the Root Chakra: Time Required: One minute to ten minutes: According to Tibetan tradition, there are seven Bija mantras associated with the seven chakras. The one for the root chakra is Lam. Lam can help you reconnect to earth energies simply by chanting it. Find a quiet place where you have some privacy. Start slowly chanting the word Lam, letting your voice carry the vowel for as long as feels right. Repeat from ten to fifty times. If you have time, spend ten minutes doing the chant. You'll feel like a new person!

CONNECT WITH THE EARTH GROUNDING TECHNIQUES

Take your Shoes Off: Time Required: One minute to one hour: This is one of the most powerful grounding energy healing techniques of all, and it requires nothing but taking your shoes off and actually feeling the earth beneath your feet. Combine this with the root visualisation technique above, for a powerhouse combo. If possible go to a beautiful place in nature, a park, the beach, a hiking trail. If you don't have time for that and need a quick emergency fix, do this technique anywhere. Find a grassy spot in a parking lot, or your own backyard and slip off your shoes. Extend the technique if you have time with a short walking meditation. With each step, feel your feet being supported by the earth beneath you.

TREE HUGGING GROUNDING TECHNIQUES

Hug a Tree: Time Required: One minute to five minutes: Tree roots extend deep into the earth. All day long and all night long they stand rooted to the earth. By touching or hugging a tree, you're not only connecting with the wisdom energies of the standing people, you're also absorbing some of their heavily grounded energy into yourself. Native Americans used to lean against a tree whenever they felt tired. They knew the wisdom, power, and energy of the standing people. Now you can too. If you don't feel comfortable wrapping your arms around a tree in public, and you can't get away to a private location, use one of these two alternatives. Simply touch the tree with the palm of your hand, or lean against it casually. Another alternative is to touch a plant. Plants are also rooted to the earth and are happy to share their grounded energies with you.

EARTH SITTING PRACTICE GROUNDING TECHNIQUES

Earth Sitting: Time Required: One minute to one hour: Connect to the earth mother and her planetary energies by sitting on the ground. You can lay a blanket down if you want, or just sit with nothing between you and our mother Gaia. If your time is short, do this for only a few moments or minutes, but if you have the luxury, spend twenty minutes. A regular earth sitting practice is a beautiful way to meditate. A promise if you do this for just twenty minutes you will feel completely revitalised and attuned to the divine.

GARDENING FOR GROUNDING

Gardening: Time Required: Ten minutes to two hours: There's nothing like getting your hands covered in rich, black dirt to connect you to the earth. Gardening is extremely therapeutic and is a wonderful grounding technique. The act of working in connection with nature to improve the landscape around you automatically connects you to the earth. It also stills the mind. It's very hard to think about the latest crisis at work when you're pruning a bush on a beautiful day. Your entire aura automatically entrains to the serene energies of the plants you're working with. It's an easy and extremely effective way to meditate, connect with the earth, and ground all at the same time.

You can combine any of these grounding techniques or use them as stand-alones. It's your choice. As always, follow your guides and the inner nudges they send to you. They won't lead you astray! For example consider earth sitting with a crystal. Or taking your shoes off, hugging a tree and chanting the bija mantra lam all at the same time. We kept the techniques simple to make it easy for those who are new to these concepts, but please don't feel like anything is set in stone! It's not. In fact, all of the techniques here are totally open for your interpretation. I believe that everyone has their own path to follow, the paths join with others on this planet, but ultimately we must all become empowered to dance our own dance, sing our own song.  So don't worry that you might be doing something wrong. Just do it, and see how much better you feel afterwards.