Grounding yourself is exactly what it sounds like: it means to touch the ground, or be connected to the Earth. This can be done physically, by going outside and walking barefoot for example, or energetically, by meditating and doing rituals that connect you more deeply with the Earth element. If you tend to be clumsy, have intense dreams or daydreams, you don’t deeply associate with your body or physical reality, or you can see visual artifacts or auras around people without trying, then grounding practices will be especially helpful for you to be effective in the world.
It’s so easy to let your head float in the clouds, daydreaming about otherworldly landscapes and getting lost in pleasant fantasies. After all, there are lessons to be learned in the Astral realm. Gaining wisdom and insights from non-physical adventures has great value, but if you aren’t sufficiently grounded it can be difficult to share what you’re learned with your tribe, and you won’t be able to bring your True Will into the world. It feels nice to let your mind slip away, but when it happens too much, you might forget you have Earthly responsibilities like a job and bills to pay. If you have a daydreamy nature, you have a dominance of the Air element, and more Earth in your life will bring you into better balance and harmony.
What is body grounding?
Grounding is a way to bring yourself back to your physical senses and into objective reality. There are lots of ways to ground your body and your mind, and you can choose the methods that work best for your own lifestyle. Of course, using rituals that focus on all of the elements, such as the Pentagram and Hexagram rituals will help, but you want to make additional space for Earth if you find yourself feeling like too much of you is in another world.
Earth is a heavy, solid, strong element, so you want to choose activities that emulate these qualities to effectively ground yourself. So, what are some things you can do to ground yourself regularly?
• Eat enough calories
Eating physically anchors you to the world of objective reality, and reminds you that you need a healthy body to accomplish your True Will. Conversely, fasting is encouraged when doing certain meditation practices so astral travel and visions become easier. Not eating enough will prevent you from exploring your full earthly potential. Fasting and eating sparingly can be done sometimes for certain purposes, but when you’re focusing on grounding, aim for nourishing foods. Aim for sufficient macronutrients (protein, fats, and carbohydrates) as well as micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).
• Lift heavy things
Nothing reminds you that you’re connected to the Earth faster than picking up the heavy things and putting them back down again. Hello gravity! Not only does this make you stronger (and is a reason you need to eat enough calories), but you’ll be so focused on the present moment that the distractions of past events and future uncertainty, as well as your imagination, are forced out of your mind.
• Focus on physical responsibilities
Having your head in the clouds doesn’t help you to live a stable life in physical reality. Sure, going to work and paying bills, running errands, and cooking nutritious food can be tedious, but it’s all part of incarnating into a human life. Being mindfully present to the daily physical activities of life is an excellent grounding practice.
• Do work that produces results
There used to be a trend in modern spiritual culture that business and making money were somehow wrong. And yet, this is the only way to have a real effect in the world! Nothing today happens without money, and mastering the money game is a great way to connect with more earth energy. Money enables you to have an effect in the world and spread your message. Once you know your True Will, it’s pretty likely you’ll need money and to interact with other businesses, if not create a business yourself, to bring your Will into the world.
How does grounding your body work?
Did you ask for the cool science behind how grounding actually works? Behold, it’s a real thing with actual studies! (And you might be surprised at how many scientists are into magick and the occult…)
Touching the ground with your bare feet, skin-to-dirt contact initiates an exchange of electrons and generates beneficial signaling molecules that reduce stress and reset circadian rhythms. The hormonal signaling that takes place can help to balance the immune system and decrease excess inflammation, as well as make it easier to fall asleep at night. This process leads to a decrease in ROS, or Reactive Oxygen Species, which are at the root of oxidative damage, and why antioxidants are so good for you.
Grounding is a way to counteract the massive levels of electromagnetic pollution we’re exposed to through cell phone towers, wifi, and other electronic signals passing unseen through our bodies since the surface of the Earth is literally electrified. The Earth has it’s own frequency called the Schumann Resonance, and re-tuning our bodies to this frequency simply by being in contact with the Earth calms your overactive nervous system and brings the subtle energy body back into harmony with the planet.
Subjects in studies report decreased pain, improved sleep, greater ability to both focus and relax, and elevated moods when practicing grounding. Given how little many of us step outside in bare feet, this seems like an easy enough element to add to a daily ritual to have profound improvements in your life.
Grounding body to earth
What’s the point of being incarnated in a human body if you constantly want to float off into the astral realm? Human incarnation is the most sought-after experience in the multiverse!
The astral, or imaginal realm is full of things we can learn about the nature of existence and how the universe works, and is the best place to get inspiration for all sorts of things we can bring into the physical world. But that’s just it: we must bring those ideas back and DO them, not just think about them. For this reason, all progress depends on your ability to come back to the solid world and ground yourself. Take your shoes off and walk on the bare grass for a while, go out in the morning and meditate on the ground, or go take a walk through the woods. You will feel invigorated and find it easy to overcome obstacles that may have seemed insurmountable in the past. This is a daily practice, so you must remain mindful and consistent.
Grounding the human body and mood
Spending time in the woods taking deep belly breaths is a surefire way to boost your mood, and it’s virtually inevitable to keep yourself from smiling when you get frequent doses of nature. Just look around at how beautiful the trees and the sky are! We’re built to be a part of nature, so it makes sense that we’d have an automatic sense of joy and wonder when we get to be immersed in it. There are even peer reviewed studies that discuss how effective grounding practices are for mental (and physical) health.
Should you incorporate more grounding into your practice?
If you’re feeling like your head is always in the clouds, if you feel overwhelmed with emotions, or if you’re on fire “getting things done” but not really accomplishing anything, the answer is a resounding YES! Grounding is an essential practice for keeping a healthy perspective about your life and your True Will. A regular grounding practice will help you to sweep away the daily distractions and reprioritize your mind to focus on what will make the biggest difference to yourself and your work in the world. Grounding will anchor your intent into physical reality so you can accomplish more while you feel like you’re doing less. This ties into the concept of Wu Wei, or effortless action, so you can feel a sense of flow without overexertion or struggle.
Grounding is also necessary to keep your mind in the present moment. It’s so easy to get lost in events of the past or worry about the uncertainty of the future. The truth is, you’re experiencing life right now, exactly where you are. Grounding often will allow you to experience more of your life instead of drifting into rumination.
To get a deeper understanding of the four elements and to balance them in yourself, take the guided Adept Initiative course. You will explore the depths of your own mind to find your True Will and bring the elemental forces into balance. You will be empowered to create a life of freedom and security for yourself and your loved ones while having an impact on the world. Take the next step in your evolution through The Adept Initiative to gain the control and insights you can use as a modern mystic and remember who you truly are.
References:
Chevalier, G., Sinatra, S. T., Oschman, J. L., Sokal, K., & Sokal, P. (2012). Earthing: Health implications of reconnecting the human body to the earth’s surface electrons. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2012, 291541.
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