Grounding 101

    

 Grounding is yet another buzz word that’s common on web sites about healing, articles written by life coaches and in conversation. The liability of buzz words is that their prevalence can push us to think we’re “supposed” to know what the word means. This often deters us from asking questions rather than making an assumption.

    So what is grounding? In reference to electricity, grounding is the process of connecting equipment or wiring systems to the Earth. This minimizes the risk of electrical current leaking into uninsulated metal.

    When it comes to humans, grounding refers to being connected to your physical body and present in the physical world. Because we all live in the physical world and have bodies it might seem like grounding is automatic. Unfortunately it’s not.

    Yes, we do have a connection to our physical bodies just by virtue of having one. However the level of connection varies. We’ve all met people who are more comfortable with mental energy and spend most of their time up in their heads. People like this are often absentminded and disconnected from the physical. They lose their keys and forget to tie their shoes because they don’t have a conscious connection with their bodies.

    This is common for people who aren’t grounded. Lack of grounding can also make it difficult for someone to be aware of where their body is in space. They bump into door frames and furniture. Ungrounded people can end up with cuts and bruises but have no memory of how they got them.

    So aside from not banging your shins on the coffee table, why is grounding important? The esoteric aspect of grounding has to with the way your bodies energy system, your chakra system, is fed.  One of the ways chakras get fed is through your connection to your physical body and the Earth.

    In practical terms your physical body is your vehicle. Even if you’re highly creative and love the world of ideas, those ideas can only manifest in the physical via your body. You need the connection with your body to create, build and do anything here.

    Your connection with your body is a vital aspect of your relationship to yourself. Being grounded gives you a foundation, a sense of being solid in yourself. Without that, it’s much easier to get throw off by daily events, have difficulty making decisions and react rather than respond. Grounding is your foundation for functioning in the physical world.

    So how do you know whether or not you’re grounded? I’m aware of my body. I’m aware of how I feel. I can distinguish my emotions from the emotions of other people around me. I’m less likely to take on feelings from others.

     When I’m grounded I feel solid, centered and in the present moment. While my mind and my emotions can easily stray into the future or the past, the physical nature of my body ties it to now. When I’m grounded the rest of me has an easier time staying in now.

     Symptoms of not being grounded include:

• Feeling spacey, dizzy and not quite all there
• Bumping into doorframes, furniture, etc.
• Losing your keys, your phone, etc.
• Having trouble focusing
• Feeling tired and scattered emotionally and/or physically
• Being overwhelmed by emotions without a sense of where they are coming from or whether the feelings are really yours
• Feeling disconnected from yourself and your surroundings           

     Some people are more naturally grounded than others. Grounding isn’t a natural state for me. It’s something I often have to do consciously.

    One of the most common grounding exercises involves visualizing your body as a tree and extending your roots deep into the Earth. Another common exercise is to follow your hara line, the column of energy that runs through the center of your body, down into the Earth.

    Both these exercises can be effective if you already have a basic relationship with your physical body. Without that relationship using visualization as way to ground is simply a mental exercise that may not produce any physical sense of connection.

     A basic part of grounding is learning to maintain focus on your physical body and your connection to it. That’s not to say all of your attention has to be there all of the time. However some part of your focus needs to remain centered in your body.

    If that sounds confusing or foreign, chances are your relationship with your physical body is tenuous. There are numerous ways to begin shifting that relationship. A simple way to bring your attention back to your body throughout the day is put a band aid on one of your feet. The discomfort will redirect your attention to your foot which gives you an opportunity to check in with your body and make some conscious contact.

     Post it notes that remind you to check in with your body can be helpful too. Stick’em on the bathroom mirror, the night stand, a kitchen cabinet or even on the dashboard of your car. If after a few days you get so used to the notes you don’t really see them anymore, put up new ones in a different color.

     Doing something physical is another good tool. Dance. Take a walk. Go to the gym. Rake some leaves. Mindfully engage in an activity that’s primarily physical. The mindfulness part is crucial. If I get on the exercise bike at the gym and read or spin around in my head about what I have to do during the rest of my day, I’m not exercising mindfully. To use the exercise bike as way to ground I focus on how my feet feel on the pedals, my breath, and the muscles in my calves contracting. I can do the same thing by taking a walk and paying attention to the contact between my feet and the Earth.

     Actually getting your hands in the dirt helps too. Repot a plant. Work in the garden or even just stand outside barefoot. Again mindfulness is the key. Pay attention to the contact between your hands or feet and the dirt. What does the ground feel like under your feet? Is it soft? Hard? Rough? Cold? Warm?

    Grounding comes from you. It’s an inside job but there are external tools you can use to assist in creating grounding. Keeping a small grounding stone, like hematite, in your pocket can help. You can even carry a small bag of dirt with you. Human beings have a strong relationship with scent memory so essential oils that smell of Earth can help with grounding. Tree based oils like sandalwood, cedarwood, pine, rosewood or frankincense are all good ones to try.

    If you’re not used to being grounded you may feel too heavy or dense initially. This sensation does pass. Grounding takes practice. Like any other practice, it’s going to seem like an awful lot of work at first. If you continue to practice grounding will become a natural part of your daily routine.