Courtney StarkI am blessed to live within a 5-minute drive of the ocean. There is nothing better than salt air, the sound of the waves and the sand beneath my feet. The waves and ozone are wonderful for my mental health and wellbeing and being on the beach is part of my spiritual practise connecting to nature. One thing in particular, having my feet on the sand, or grounding, is especially good for us humans.
Put simply, grounding is the removal of excess energy which has been stored up, either during normal activity or during ritual when we consciously raise our energy level. When we talk about people being “grounded” or “down to Earth”, we have someone who is reliable, not prone to flights of fancy and is settled. This is what grounding does for us.
Except for the past few generations, humans have lived their entire lives primarily in direct physical contact with the Earth. In modern times, we have insulated ourselves from the Earth by wearing synthetic shoes, driving cars with rubber wheels, and living and working in houses and apartment buildings high above ground. Connecting our bare feet to the Earth allows for an ionic exchange to occur between our feet and the planet. When your feet are no longer on the Earth, you become ungrounded and disconnected from Her.
Direct physical contact with the planet has been shown to make physiological improvements within the body such as an increase in beneficial antioxidant and anti-inflammatory responses. Not only that, but studies have also shown that naturally grounding increases the human body’s ability to regulate EMF’s, improves mood, reduces pain, and improves sleep.
Physiologically, electricity is an important part of our human body and our natural electrical current is responsible for (among other things) the synapses in our brains, nervous signal messaging, cell membrane permeability and even our heartbeat regulation. Grounding with the earth provides our body an opportunity to regulate excess energy we receive from the myriad of Electro Magnetic Field (EMF’s) omitting devices we are surrounded by each day. The electrical currents in our home are grounded to the Earth to prevent surges in electricity frying our appliances (and ourselves). It makes sense that we should, as electrically charged beings, also need to ground.
Here are a few simple ways to ground –
- Sit on the ground and take deep calming breaths, imagining the energy flowing out of the base of your spine and connecting into the Earth beneath you. Continue to take deep breaths while visualising negative energy going out of your body and positive energy being drawn back up from the Earth.
- Take a shower and scrub your body with earth – salt, Epsom salts and mud masks are all from the Earth and can be used to cleanse body and soul.
- Wear or inhale Patchouli Root Cologne (available at www.thesacredwillow.com.au). The earthy scent will help you to connect into the earth the plant was removed from.
- Carry a stone in your pocket and direct excess energy into it.
- Sit with a string of mala beads (preferably made from lava stone or some other crystal) and draw them through your hands, allowing excess energy to drain away.
Of course, the easiest way to ground is to do what your ancestors did for thousands of years. Just take your shoes off and connect your bare feet with the Earth. Try it for yourself and feel what this simple technique does for you.
Sources are available upon request.
Rebecca-Lee
Jacq Koloski
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