7. The essentials of grounding
Grounding is a term used to describe the feeling of being emotionally and mentally rooted in one’s physical body. For example, you might feel “detached” from your body when day-dreaming. Your mind is off somewhere else and awareness of what is happening around you physically or with your body is lessened.
This process can be likened to the roots of a tree. Even though the branches are up in the sky and not directly touching the roots in the soil, all parts of the tree still need to remain in communication in order to transfer nutrients, sunlight, and sensory information back and forth. Humans are similar in that the body is like the roots of a tree and thoughts and feelings are like the branches.
It’s why phrases such as, “stuck in your head” or “up in the clouds” are used to talk about one is who mostly focused on heady, cerebral or mental energies. Brining the branches (thoughts) in communion with the roots (body) helps the emotions settle in the physical body.
Continuous practice with embodiment can pull your feelings, mind, and awareness in closer to your physical self. This can breed a sense of stability, safety, and clarity.
By all parts of you being present in your physical self, you can distinguish between your emotions and those of others. You can then set better boundaries, fully assess situations, and approach life from a place of mindfulness as opposed to reaction.
This work is important for those who are highly sensitive. Your constant vigilance to what is happening in the unseen can be emotionally exhausting. Having grounding techniques that root you into the present moment and your physical self is essential for the empath toolbox.
Here are some step-by-step exercises:
1. Touch the ground or something solid.
It may seem simple but connecting to the earth is one of the most straightforward and direct ways to immediately bring yourself into the present. If your emotions are heightened, or you have been through a tense emotional situation, this is a good exercise to try.
Steps:
- If conditions allow, stand outside, barefoot on the ground or grass.
- Lie on the ground if you can, and feel your entire body being held by the planet.
- If you cannot get outside, you can touch a wall or lie on the floor.
- Interacting with anything solid can assist you with rooting into your body.
2. Work with grounding stones and gemstones
One of the best ways to manage grounding without exerting too much energy is to ally with gemstones and crystals that are known for their grounding properties. Grounding can be supported by keeping yourself protected from others. What others do or say doesn’t need to interfere with your feelings and destabilize your sense of grounding.
Here are the steps to making a protection bag that can help you maintain boundaries so you feel grounded and aligned in your body, mind, and spirit.
Materials:
- Small drawstring bag
- Lavender essential oil – known for its calming and protective qualities
- Table or sea salt – known for its grounding and cleansing properties
- 1 grounding gemstone – choose from black tourmaline, obsidian, smokey quartz, hematite, or small rock or pebble
Steps:
- Acquire a small piece of black tourmaline, obsidian, smokey quartz, hematite, or just a small rock from outside.
- Get a small drawstring bag, a little bit of salt, and lavender essential oil.
- Meditate with your stone for a minute to connect with its grounding energy.
- Asking the stone to support you in daily grounding allows your energy and the energy of the stones to work together.
- Next, place the stone in the bag and sprinkle some salt in with it.
- Add a drop of lavender essential oil (feel free to substitute with any essential oils you have on hand).
- Carry the bag around you with you when you are out or feel you need grounding support.
- Hold onto the bag when you are in a tense situation as a reminder to stay present, in your body, and to root your emotions into the here and now.
3. Meditation: Grounding into your roots
Meditation and deep breathing are excellent ways to ground. You can focus on the root energy center in your body which is located at the base of the spine.
Steps:
- In your preferred meditation posture, close your eyes.
- Begin breathing slowly and deeply.
- Let your rib cage and belly expand with an inhale.
- Then, slowly release the breath intentionally, following it out of the body.
- Bring your awareness to the base of your spine now.
- And imagine there are roots growing into the ground beneath you.
- See each of the roots reaching down, tethering you to the present moment.
- Breathing deeply, feel yourself getting more relaxed.
- Ease into the visualization of your rootedness.
- Feel safe in your sacred body.
- Sense the connection being tightly knit between your feelings and physical self.
- Sit here a moment breathing naturally, letting the energy settle and slow.
- When you are ready, take one final deep breath and open your eyes to end.
4. Wear grounding colors
Color can assist in shifting your mood and emotions. The colors you wear can project the energetic dimension of what you are trying to achieve or feel. In this case, we want to choose colors that are energetically denser, more solid, and heavier. If you are feeling emotionally disassociated from your physical body, try wearing the following colors:
- Earth tones
- Browns
- Blacks
- Burgundy
- Dark green
5. Remember to eat and hydrate
It may seem simple, but staying grounded sometimes just requires you to eat foods that pull your attention away from ephemeral emotions and into the body. When your body is processing food after a meal, more attention is going toward the mundane rather than the energetic influences in your mind and environment.
If you are feeling detached or overwhelmed by emotions, a meal can help you re-calibrate and focus your energy in a different way. A nutritious snack after spiritual work, a difficult conversation, or any task can bring you into the moment — giving your mind a rest from processing emotions.