As a child, "getting grounded" was a form of punishment, it meant you had to stay in and not see your friends and was definitely something to be avoided at all costs. Nowadays " being grounded" is one of the most important things I do and forms a major part of my daily routine. It is the way I can get out of my head, get centred and connect to myself, others and the world around me.
To understand why grounding is important, we need only look to nature for our inspiration and our incredible tree cousins. Trees have long been considered to provide us with a wealth of wisdom and learning. Trees root into the earth affording themselves incredible resilience to weather the worst storms; their roots allowing them to be flexible and bend to prevent breaking. These same roots also provide them with the ability to utilise the many and bountiful nutrients contained within the soil, as well as creating an effective communication tool from tree to tree. Nearby trees are more connected than we might think, the root system allows them to offer support to one another as well as food and water and even warn each other of impeding danger.
So how can we apply the wisdom of the trees to our own lives and the practice of grounding? Well firstly trees stand tall and strong because they are firmly rooted to the earth, they thrive by maintaining this vital connection to the Universal energy and all it has to offer. When we ground, we too are able to fully connect to this powerful energy, recharging our bodies and releasing anything that no longer serves us back to the earth. Through this we are also able to be more aware of our own emotions and thoughts, to know who we are and what our purpose. The more we ground, the more able we are to send our roots deep into the earth providing ourselves with the strength to withstand the storms of life. Grounding also enables us feel more connected to ourselves, to others and to the world around us.
We can all find ourselves feeling ungrounded from time to time. Often we experience this as overthinking, anxiety, restlessness, confusion, feeling irritable, lacking focus , poor sleep or a sense of being disconnected from everything. This is the perfect time to ground. One simple technique is to just take off your shoes and socks and go and stand on the ground outside (although this may not be so comfortable on a winters day!) Even better, is to lay on the ground allowing your whole body to connect. Trees are also a great place to experience a sense of connection and no it's not a requirement to hug them (although they do quite like it). Find yourself a tree and take a seat on the ground beneath it with your back leaning against the trunk, take some deep breaths and allow yourself to just be.
There are countless ways to create a grounding practice and not all of them require you to go outside, although its safe to say that getting out into nature is without doubt one of the most effective ways. Grounding is all about taking a pause from the hustle and bustle of daily life and allowing yourself to come into the present moment creating that deep connection. You can use meditation, visualisation or simple breathing techniques. Mindfulness is a wonderful way to ground and can be done whenever and wherever you are. If you are a lover of crystals, there are countless crystals that help us to maintain that sense of connection and prevent us from disappearing into our heads. My favourites include Black Tourmaline, Smoky Quartz and Black Obsidian. Wear them, carry them or meditate with them to deepen your grounding practice.
Learning to ground yourself takes practice and patience but the rewards are amazing and you will soon find that you are able to remain calm, centred and connected no matter what life throws at you.
Love and light
Sharon x x x
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