11 Ways to Ground Yourself

Caught in the race that life has become, you barely find time to stop and smell the roses. Most of the time, you are mulling over the past or worrying about the future, and hardly ever living in the present. Do you realize that? To be able to live in the moment, you need to gain complete control over your emotions and yourself.

You need to be fully aware of your thoughts and actions, and achieve complete focus on the present moment. Among the most effective ways to attain self-control is grounding. It is more than just establishing physical contact with the ground.

It is about finding that 'lost connection' with the Earth and with yourself. Grounding techniques help gain a sense of calm in stressful situations, concentrate on positive feelings, and think and act in the right direction. Here, we give you some great ways to ground yourself.

The intent is to bring your body in physical contact with the ground. Walk barefoot whenever you can; on the grass, on sand or soil, or in water. This drains the excess energy built in the body to the ground. Avoid using synthetic soled shoes.

They block the transfer of electric charge between the Earth and the body. Use footwear made from natural materials like leather. Make maximum skin contact with the Earth. Touch the ground with bare hands and sit or sleep on the floor.

An easy way to ground yourself to the Earth is to spend time in the vicinity of nature, away from the electrically polluted city areas. Due to the heavy use of technology, we are constantly exposed to electromagnetic radiation and surrounded by the dirty electricity that most modern-day appliances generate.

To reduce the effects of electrical pollution, at least for a while, take every chance to spend time in the proximity of nature. Visit the countryside and enjoy nature's company. Touch or hug trees, walk barefoot on soil, experience the calming effect of the greenery around, and reap the benefits of grounding.

If visiting a beach, make body contact with the sand and water. Take a dip in the water or touch the sand; it has a grounding effect on the body.

Yoga boosts both physical and mental health. Certain yoga poses are known to produce the effect of grounding. In Sukhasana, for example, we are in the seated position, and this makes us feel connected to the Earth. In Setu Bandhanasana, or the bridge pose, the feet are in contact with the ground, while the spine releases excess energy.

Virabhadrasana I and Virabhadrasana II are root chakra yoga poses that are known to give grounding by draining excess energy from the body to the ground. Trikonasana is another root chakra pose that has a stabilizing effect on the body. The mountain pose, or Tadasana, makes us feel connected to the ground, and has a relaxing effect on the body.

Pranayama is an effective way to activate the root chakra. It is when this chakra is low, that we may feel ungrounded or at a loss of energy. To practice pranayama, find a quiet place, settle in a comfortable position, and take a deep breath. Focus on your breathing and feel the air inhaled going through your nose, to the lungs, rib cage, belly, and then slowly exhale through your nose. While breathing, imagine drawing energy from the Earth up your spine. Experience the relaxing effect this has on the mind and body.

Huna breathing comprises four phases, namely, inhalation, pause, exhalation, and pause, associated with the elements fire, air, water, and earth. It is practiced by giving a specific duration to each breathing phase.

For example 3:3:3:3 would mean inhaling for 3 seconds, followed by a pause of 3 seconds, and then exhaling for 3 seconds, followed by a pause of 3 seconds. Extending the inhaling phase would help increase the fire element in the body, while extending the last phase that is linked with the Earth element would be useful to achieve grounding.

Breathe deeply. Concentrate on the tailbone while breathing, and feel the energy flowing through the body. This helps activate the root chakra. Imagine roots projecting from your feet and going deep down into the ground. Imagine pulling up the Earth energy into your body from your feet up to the head. Imagine pulling down energy from your head to the feet, and experience the stabilizing of energies in your body. This is one of the best ways of grounding, and is quite popularly used.

Some may like to combine this with positive visualizations about yourself. Imagine your stresses and worries flowing out of your system, and positive feelings entering your mind. Imagine that you are in a calm and comfortable environment. Picture green trees, beauty, and tranquility around you. Visualizations like these make us feel relaxed and grounded.

Originating in the Japanese martial art Aikido, it is a technique based on focusing on the present moment. It uses the mind to direct energy to the center of the body. The physical center of gravity of the body is considered to be two inches below the navel. Focusing on this part of the body and visualizing the flow of positive energy towards it makes one feel stable and grounded.

To practice the centering technique, breathe deeply, concentrate on your center, and visualize the release of negative thoughts out of your system. Imagine energy being channeled to your center and experience the sense of calm felt thus.

Eating anything that grows below the ground is said to help us connect with the Earth's frequency. Thus, including root vegetables like turnips, carrots, and beets in our diet can help feel grounded. Consuming meat is known to lower energy frequencies, which is not the same as grounding. Rather, a low energy frequency makes us less efficient, and poses a risk of illness.

Certain stones are known to help ground our energy.Keeping them with you or wearing them in a necklace or ring can produce a grounding effect on the body.Hematite has a grounding energy.Smoky quartz and Shungite are root chakra stones that make us feel grounded.Black tourmaline,red jasper,and Tiger's Eye are some other examples of spiritual grounding stones.

Listen to binaural beats. They act on the root chakra and provide us with grounding. Or, hum a high tone and experience the feeling it produces on the body. Direct this feeling to the base of the spine. This is said to activate the root chakra. Humming deep, low notes has a calming effect on the body. Practicing low notes is analogous to kharaj practice, done in the morning, which is the most important part of riyaz in Hindustani classical music.

Certain scents can help feel grounded. Vetiver, cedarwood, and lavender essential oils help grounding. Juniper, sandalwood, and Ylang Ylang are some other scents that have a calming effect. Choose a grounding fragrance you like, or combine two or more essential oils. Add a few drops to water, fill in a spray bottle.

For more on this, refer to essential oils that provide grounding.

Place clay or ceramic vases or sculptures in your room/office. This fills the space you are in with the Earth element, making you feel grounded. Use Earth colors like brown or beige, or fire element colors like red or orange for a grounding effect.

Wear these colors, have them around, or visualize your body being filled with them. It leads to a change in the body's frequency, and helps you ground. Fire element colors are not recommended for those experiencing anxiety or hyperactivity.

Practicing these grounding techniques on a regular basis benefits overall health. They are remedial for stress and anxiety. Adopt those that suit you well, and feel more peaceful and complete.