Grounding

20 Jan

Barefoot BS or the Secret to Balanced Health?

“She’s so grounded”… “Oh this really grounds me”… “I’m feeling totally ungrounded right now”… These phrases float around more and more frequently these days. As humankind increasingly shifts their awareness to living in alignment with the earth, it is to be expected. The idea of grounding as a healing practice might raise some eyebrows. Scientific research, after all, hasn’t dug that deep into it. An awareness of the importance of connecting with the Earth’s energy (or rather reducing our disconnection), however, has been a feature of traditional medicine and “alternative” therapies since the dawn of time. So what exactly does it mean to be grounded? Or ungrounded, for that matter? Let’s start maybe by zooming in on the energy centre that is the “root” of our ability to ground ourselves.

The root or Muladhara chakra

This chakra or energy centre is situated in the area at the base of the spine. It is the foundation of the energy body, channeling the earth’s energy up through the feet through the spine, balancing the endocrine system. At the same time this chakra directs negative energy from the body and returns it to Earth.

Corresponding physical organ: The adrenal glands. Glands that produce the hormone essential for our fight or flight response. While production of this hormone in appropriate situations is vital to our wellbeing, most people today find themselves in constant states of high alert and stress resulting in overproduction and imbalance.

to be Ungrounded

If you have a blocked root chakra

The most obvious sign of being ungrounded is spaciness or feeling “floaty”… which can vary in intensity from a general feeling of being distracted, to a stronger one of being entirely out of one’s own body.
That disconnect from the self naturally extends into disconnection from those around you (friends, family, children).
You may feel as though you cannot get stuck into, or finish, tasks.
You struggle to remember things.
The feeling of not being able to connect deeply may also have you avoiding people and situations that require your energy.
You may feel unsafe and fearful.
You might notice that you are particularly clumsy.
You might be unable to let go of past hurts.
Tired with no motivation to do anything and procrastinating important tasks.
Low libido
Emotionally needy (clingy)
At its most extreme, it shows up as depression and feeling as though you simply don’t belong.

Overstimulated root chakra

Fear of change
You may find yourself feeling frustrated with those around you demanding your attention.
Obsessive-compulsive behaviour
Greed
Egotistical
Engage in self-destructive activity

VS feeling Grounded

In the physical sense you feel connected to the earth and others in it.
You feel comfortable in your body. While you feel energised you are also able to relax and be present.
Emotionally you are confident and trusting and connect easily with others. Mentally your thoughts are focused and you follow through with tasks.
Spiritually you feel simultaneously present while openly connected to your divine source of energy. You feel tuned in to the heartbeat of Mother Earth,

Ways to ground yourself

1. Step outside into nature

and plant your bare feet on the ground. Sounds simple enough, but it is something that fewer and fewer of us do each day, and sadly, fewer and fewer children experience this. Stand outside, feel the connection between the souls of your feet and the earth, do a few enriching inhalations and exhalations and affirm that you are grounded, connected to the earth and are present in your body.

While it is hugely beneficial to do this at the start of each day, in our frenetic world try and do it whenever you can.

2. Lie on the ground

This will allow you to fully relax and allow yourself to feel the earth supporting you. While doing it on a beach or in a field of flowers would be magical, doing it out on your lawn (if you have one) is perfect and even if you don’t have that, lying on any ground surface and visualising roots reaching down from you into the earth is a powerful grounding visualisation.

3. Grounding Affirmation

As you stand outside or lie down, say the simple affirmation, I am. You can add to it in a variety of ways… I am grounded. I am safe. I am nourished. I am love…

4. meditate

Do a grounding meditation or present moment awareness meditation. Daily practice of this will increase your focus and ability to be fully present in anything you are doing and increase your resilience in coming back from situations that have ungrounded you.

While meditation can indeed leave a person feeling spaced-out and as though they are on another plane - serving its desired purpose of connecting you to divine energy - it is important to ensure you are ground in this connection. It is always recommended that you learn to meditate with a trained teacher who can guide you to correct, safe practice and answer questions about sensations and emotions that may come up. And it is extremely important to ensure you are grounded after a meditation.

5. Say a Grounding mantra

Practice meditation using repetition of the grounding mantra: Lam.

6. Breathe

At any time of your day when you feel spaced out. Step away from what you are currently doing and take a few deep breaths in and out to energise your body and release stagnant energy. If you have time, do an energised body mind meditation.

PREGNANT MOTHERS NOTE: Kapalbathi breathing should not be done while pregnant.

7. GET YOUR Yoga mat

Find a class that incorporates asanas to open the Mūlādhāra. If you are feeling ungrounded and yoga is not an option, taking a few minutes to do a warrior pose or deep squat with your feet planted flat on the ground and your hands to your heart is a great simple grounding.

NOTE FOR PREGNANT MOMS: While I personally don’t recommend kegels, practicing squatting during pregnancy is a wonderful way to tone your birthing muscles and prepare your body for easy birth. Daily squatting will also open the space, encouraging the baby to move head down towards the end of the pregnancy. Squatting during birth will ground you in your power as a birthing woman, open your pelvis and allow gravity to assist in the easy flow of birth.

8. Follow your nose.

The sense organ that corresponds with the root chakra is smell. Focusing on your nose and your breath flowing through it (as mentioned above) is a good way to do this. Other more obvious ways to ground yourself using this sense would be to go outside and bring your attention to the smells of nature. We all know the feeling that comes with smelling the air after rain. Another way is to have grounding essential oils at hand. My personal favourite is patchouli but other beautiful ones are myrrh, frankincense and cedarwood, birch, clary sage, cypress, vetiver, sandalwood, cinnamon bark and cassia.

PREGNANT? Be sure to only use essential oils under the guidance of a certified aromatherapist. Certain “hot” oils should be avoided. Clary sage, in particular is a powerful oil to use during birth which will reduce fatigue (physical and mental) and calm nerves.

9. Water the roots

Like trees need water, so do we. The body is almost 90% water and being hydrated will ensure energy can flow easily from the earth and through the root chakra and other energy centres of the body.

10. Take the plunge

Start your day with a hot shower. I love to add a few drops of grounding essential oils to a flannel, place it on the floor of the shower so the fragrant steam fills the air. Then turn the jets to cold at the end and breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth as it invigorates you.

11. Self-massage

Sounds sexy right?! In reality learning the art of self-massage with beautiful warming oils is something every woman should learn. While being massaged by someone else is a beautiful way of connecting and balancing, self massage is a wonderful way of connecting with your physical body.

NEW MOTHERS: Get in touch with me to learn how to give yourself a beautiful oxytocin-boosting massage (using safe oils) after birth that will support healing and support your mood and connection to your baby.

12. Nourish the roots

Beyond water, roots need dense nutrients. While an unprocessed whole food diet free of toxins that tax the system is an obvious way to start, there are certain foods that specifically nourish the root chakra and ground us. Think root vegetables, and red fruit and vegetables. Protein and iron-rich food, including (sorry vegans) meat.

Remember that food, grown in soil dense in microbes (organic) will be producing the most nourishing crops.

13. Spice things up

Grounding spices to incorporate into teas and meals are turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and cayenne.

PREGNANT MOMS: Large consumption of turmeric and other warming spices during pregnancy is not recommended as they can move blood to the uterus too quickly.

14. Herbal help

Nettle and Tulsi (Holy Basil) are wonderful grounding herbs. My favourite is tulsi tea before bed. During the day, rooibos (South African Red Bush Tea) is a beautiful option, rich in iron and antioxidants.
Raspberry leaf is well-known as a uterus toning herb to drink ahead of birth and postpartum. Large amounts should not be consumed during pregnancy.
Ashwaganda is also a wonderful addition to any mother or healer’s grounding and chakra-balancing tool kit. This Ayurvedic herb is an adaptogen and will restore balance, relieving anxiety and depression.

Herbs should always be administered with the guidance of a certified herbalist.

15. Final gem

You absolutely do not need to spend money to ground yourself… the earth is right there. Simply holding a stone from the earth and connecting to its energy can be immensely grounding. There are, however, some beautiful gemstones that you can add to your toolbox. To find balance, try agate, bloodstone, black tourmaline, garnet, red jasper, hematite, obsidian, onyx, petrified wood, red carnelian.

If you feel overwhelmed by the choice of oils and gemstones listed here, take a few breaths and allow the stone or oil to choose you. You will feel drawn to the one most healing to you in this moment.

Colwyn Murphy