By Charli Lundholm
Life has been a tad intense recently. The overwhelm that many of us are feeling can affect us on many level. Do you feel like your thoughts are zipping around like they are in a pin ball machine? Are you having trouble focusing, or following through with ideas, plans or projects? Do you lose focus halfway through conversations? Being grounded is one of the easiest ways to stop the spinning chaos that is so present in our daily lives. It gets you back to your center and reconnects you with your inner source of balance and well being. And, according to Dr. Sinatra, a metabolic cardiologist, it has amazing health benefits. (He co-wrote an interesting book called “Earthing” on the subject. Check out Earthing.com. It has a wealth of information on the subject of grounding.)
So how do you ground? One of the easiest ways is to just go outside, take your shoes off, and get your feet in contact with the ground, preferably the dirt or grass. Concrete is ok, but wood or asphalt isn’t. Take a deep breath and as you exhale, allow all of your stress to melt away into the ground. Feel that beautiful earth energy come up through your feet, flowing up your spine. You can even visualize roots coming out of your feet, or the base of your spine. See these roots spreading deep into the earth, holding you firmly to the ground.
Certain foods can be grounding. Protein, salty and crunchy foods are all grounding. These can quickly get you back to center, especially if you are a bit “heady”. They are also good after a meditation, energy work or channeling session. They help bring you back into your body.
Certain stones, like obsidian, smoky quartz, black tourmaline, hematite and pyrite are especially grounding. (You can find grounding stones at our sister site: Earth Gallery) Holding a grounding stone, carrying it in your pocket, or wearing it in a piece of jewelry can help keep you centered.
Spend some time just breathing, focusing on energy coming into the top of your head and flowing all the way through your spine, out those roots and deep into the earth. Then reverse the flow, bringing the earth energy up and through you, letting it go out the top of your head out into the universe. Then reverse it again. Do this until you feel calm, centered and like your feet have sunk into the ground a bit. Then stop the flow in and out and feel that balanced energy of heaven and earth that resides within you. From this place you are connected to your source, where all things are possible.
Happy grounding!