“In the midst of the chaos when the wind is howling I hear the ancient song of the ones who went before and know that peace will come.”

- Anonymous

Grounding and coming back down to earth

Grounding is centering and reconnecting with life, and it’s refocusing, revitalizing, and replenishing. It’s often called “earthing” and connects with the earth and its natural energy. The science of grounding as earthing is about being at one with nature.

Grounding is also referred to as “centering,” as it helps us find peace within the chaos that might be surrounding us. When we’re centered, we bring calm to our emotions. We are in touch with ourselves and aware of our thoughts and feelings. When grounded, we are mindful and content with who we are.

Why we need grounding

Nowadays, we struggle so much. We have so much to do! We have so many places to go, and we are hyperconnected. What if we could stop and press the pause button to embrace the present moment? To truly feel connected. Not the way we connect now, the digital one, but the real one: that connection with who we are for real and what we feel and experience with every breath we take?

Grounding is our chance to do this! The human mind never ceases, and the thoughts it produces constantly crowd our life. This constant flow is one of the main reasons for suffering, so much so that the use of strategies that give peace and slow down this frenetic activity is widespread.

We abuse drugs, medications, alcohol, work, sex, physical activity, and more to extinguish the tormenting flow of thoughts. We want to cover our thoughts about our past or distract ourselves from thinking about our future full of dangers, fears, anxieties, and uncertainties.

When we do this back and forth between past and future thoughts, we don't perceive the present, and we're uncentered.

Types of grounding

There are many types of grounding. Some focus on reconnecting ourselves to the earth, and this can be done through either direct or indirect contact with the earth. Some focus on our mental and physical states of mind. Ultimately, grounding positively impacts our physical, mental, and spiritual health.

Mental: These grounding exercises use mental distractions to help redirect our thoughts away from distressing feelings back to the present. Some examples are: thinking in categories, describing something around you, visualizing something going well for you in your mind’s eye, or using a safety statement such as “I am safe. I am in the present not the past or future.”

Physical: These grounding exercises incorporate our five senses or uses tangible objects (things you can touch). Some examples are: breathing deeply, walking, and placing hands in water.

Soothing: This type of grounding provides comfort in times of emotional distress. These exercises can promote positive emotions and actions such as hope, love, and gratitude. Some examples are: saying a kind statement to self, picturing someone you care about, or saying a coping statement such as “I can handle this. This feeling will pass.”

Benefits of grounding

Numerous research studies have substantiated the benefits of grounding including:

-Increases energy

-Balances stress levels

-Reduces inflammation

-Improves sleep

-Decreases chronic pain

-Improves circulation and blood viscosity

-synchronizes cortisol hormone secretion

-Lowers blood pressure

-Accelerates healing

-Improves alignment with the natural 24-hour circadian rhythm

Seven ways to start incorporating grounding

We can use any strategy to help us to stay anchored to the present; meditation, mindfulness, physical activity or anything else that allows us to focus with pleasure on the moment we are living. Some recommendations for grounding practices are:

Savor a food: use your five senses and observe the sound, taste, sight, touch, and smell of the food item.
Take a brief walk: focus on your steps, notice the rhythm of your footsteps and how the surface feels underneath.
Do a body scan: lie down, sit, or stand. Focus on how your body feels from head to toe or toes to your head. Notice each area of the body.
Practice deep breathing: listen to the breath that enters and leaves your body and experience the stillness that produces the return to now.
Touch something comforting: this can be a smooth stone, favorite blanket, or soft t-shirt. Observe and notice how it feels under your fingers or in your hand.
List positive things: Write or mentally list 3 things that bring you joy in your life. Briefly visualize each of them.
Sit with your pet: spend unhurried time feeling her fur, noticing her colors, observing her characteristics, and witnessing her personality.