Really interested in other views on grounding

[SunsetKay]

I've been really out of balance lately so I decided to do some grounding today. When I say this, I'm being literal. I realize from reading that grounding means totally different things to other people. So now I'm curious as to what other people do. I think that the guiding principle is the same though - rebalancing your personal energy; whether it's by releasing excess or negative energy, or even energy that just doesn't mesh well with your own. But I'm curious as to what this process actually looks like to different people.

Personally, it involves actually planting my bare skin in the earth. This can be feet, hands, both, etc. There is a small part of earth in my yard that has had the appropriate workings (and blessings) performed on it. That ties it to me and me to it and allows for rebalancing when I'm in it.

For those of you willing to share and who do so, how do you ground?

 

[Barleywine]

Although we haven't done so yet, my wife and I intend to create a "grounding circle" in our yard that we will use for barefoot connection to the Earth on a daily basis. Ideally, we hope to place it near the house so it will be usable in the colder months without too much snow-clearing or excuse-making to deal with. This is an idea she picked up from one of her forums, and it seems like a good one to me for spiritual centering as well as energic balancing. Over the years, on our daily walks, I've been collecting interesting bits of New England quartz and granite, and plan to make a kind of "druid circle" with them using John Michael Greer's suggestions from The Druidry Handbook.

 

[SunsetKay]

Although we haven't done so yet, my wife and I intend to create a "grounding circle" in our yard that we will use for barefoot connection to the Earth on a daily basis. Ideally, we hope to place it near the house so it will be usable in the colder months without too much snow-clearing or excuse-making to deal with. This is an idea she picked up from one of her forums, and it seems like a good one to me for spiritual centering as well as energic balancing. Over the years, on our daily walks, I've been collecting interesting bits of New England quartz and granite, and plan to make a kind of "druid circle" with them using John Michael Greer's suggestions from The Druidry Handbook.

I just bring a pot of dirt inside before the ground freezes. Your idea sounds so much nicer as you still get to be outside and that's so much more helpful! Not to mention, a stone circle with quartz just sounds beautiful and excellent for energy flow... Like it would feed itself. Sorry if I'm being dense, but I'm just learning.

 

[RiverRunsDeep]

I have a few different methods of grounding.

First, during the warmer weather months, I agree with the "bare skin" bit you mentioned. I have to take my dogs into the yard fairly often, so I will go out there in my bare feet and feel the connection with the warm, solid earth.

I also have a black pocket stone I like to use for grounding. It is black obsidian. In the morning, I will hold it in my hand for a few minutes while focusing on my breathing, then carry it in my pocket throughout the day.

I discovered another effective grounding method in a book entitled "You Are Psychic" by Debra Lynne Katz. (Btw, this book was recommended to me by the wonderful ATer, celticnoodle. ). I visualize a grounding cord (it can be anything: a tree trunk, a crystal wand, colored light, etc.) connected to my root chakra at the base of my spine and extending down into the earth. I then visualize that the energies that aren't serving my best interests are draining out of me through the grounding cord.

 

[earthair]

Literally- walking barefoot on beaches in the sea, in rivers or pools or wet grass.

Anything involving standing in water!

When stuck elsewhere, turning off all electrics, getting as far away from wifi sources as possible then lying on floor, relaxing outwards like a big puddle of water.

 

[SunsetKay]

Literally- walking barefoot on beaches in the sea, in rivers or pools or wet grass.

Anything involving standing in water!

When stuck elsewhere, turning off all electrics, getting as far away from wifi sources as possible then lying on floor, relaxing outwards like a big puddle of water.

I do that sometimes too (putting my feet in the water)!! There are spots all along the rivers here that kind of attract me when I'm feeling a little too emotional. I don't know why, but I've never actually thought of it as grounding until you called it that. I love this!

 

[SunsetKay]

I have a few different methods of grounding.

First, during the warmer weather months, I agree with the "bare skin" bit you mentioned. I have to take my dogs into the yard fairly often, so I will go out there in my bare feet and feel the connection with the warm, solid earth.

I also have a black pocket stone I like to use for grounding. It is black obsidian. In the morning, I will hold it in my hand for a few minutes while focusing on my breathing, then carry it in my pocket throughout the day.

I discovered another effective grounding method in a book entitled "You Are Psychic" by Debra Lynne Katz. (Btw, this book was recommended to me by the wonderful ATer, celticnoodle. ). I visualize a grounding cord (it can be anything: a tree trunk, a crystal wand, colored light, etc.) connected to my root chakra at the base of my spine and extending down into the earth. I then visualize that the energies that aren't serving my best interests are draining out of me through the grounding cord.

Nothing better than bare skin in/on the ground sometimes, right?

I don't know much about stones, so I didn't know you could ground with obsidian. I was always taught that it was for spirit work. I may have to try that, it could be incredibly useful for when I'm at work and can't make a quick run down to the river... especially now that it's starting to get really cold. I'm definitely going to have to up my knowledge in this area as well. I wonder how many stones I have that have other uses that I know nothing about. Probably all of them. Lol.

I may have to buy that book and read it. I've never tried to visualize for grounding before, that could be interesting. Thanks for the recommendation!

 

[celticnoodle]

Oh, I agree about the bare skin in the earth! I use to do my best to walk in our yard in my barefeet. Now,mind you--my parents would NEVER allow us to go barefoot--not even inside the house! We always had to have something on our feet--shoe wise and WITH socks--except when we wore our slippers. We weren't even allowed to wear flip flops! So, it wasn't easy for me to walk around outside in my barefeet at first.

My doctor at the time also recommended it to me--to help me keep my legs strong. She was of the thought (she left the practice, so I have a new doc now)-that you need to be as natural as possible whenever you can. Short of walking outside in the nude, walking barefoot is very powerful in many ways! Grounding yourself to the earth is only one gift it gives.

However, this past summer I have ceased doing this exercise in our farm yard, because a very poisonous snake was found next door in their back yard. so, I now always have shoes on and miss this. I never thought about bringing some earth inside! I might do that. And, Barleywine, I love your idea of having a small plot close to the house that is free of snow.... I also love putting my feet into our river at the vacation home. reminds me of being a kid again.

Basically, all I do is eat/drink grounding foods. Milk-potatoes (my 2 faves) cheese and /or beans and root veggies.

I also like to imagine roots growing out of the bottom of my feet and going into the ground, deep, deep into the ground like the roots of a big tree. My tree that I often imagine I am when I do this is the Mighty Oak Tree. Sometimes I will imagine other trees--but there is just something about the Oak tree for me that seems special.

good question and thread, SunsetKay.

and, RRD, thank you for the very sweet way you referred to me as. I'm so glad that you are getting a lot out of that book. I just picked it up again today off the bookshelf when I was cleaning, and I thought, 'hmmmm...I should re-read this again!' I have re-read it so many times, its a wonder I can't just recite it page by page.

 

[Barleywine]

I also like to imagine roots growing out of the bottom of my feet and going into the ground, deep, deep into the ground like the roots of a big tree. My tree that I often imagine I am when I do this is the Mighty Oak Tree. Sometimes I will imagine other trees--but there is just something about the Oak tree for me that seems special.

This is a wonderful image! Creative visualization is one of the very best ways to reinforce any spiritual connection, in my opinion.

 

[MandMaud]

I do the tree one too, and with a glowing core of light/strength, up through the soles of my feet, right up the middle through the long bones and the major organs, through neck and head - basically that joins all the chakras - continuing up through the crown. Awareness of the energy connecting above, and then above that... (though I know this isn't the grounding bit, this is the other direction ) ... and connecting below, feeling how deep it goes, and then deeper... all one length of brightness without division, not really any point where I end or begin but I'm like a bead on the cord.

Sometimes the branches and twigs sprout and I end up covered in rustling young leaves.

Someone introduced me to a meditation where you continue on down and reach, eventually, a wide and bottomless lake down there, which is the source. Very powerful.

It is important to balance the two, not focus entirely on ground or on sky but to make sure you're connected fairly equally with both. It is ok to do one at a time, but over a week or so, you can lose touch with the "other end" as it were and then over-grounded can lead to depression, while over-airy can leave you spinning off in a stressy fluster or else dreamy, head in the clouds, either way not able to get on with things very well.

Another lovely visualisation is of the land, the ground, the hills... as Mother. You sink into them (I do this one lying down) and she embraces you. It is so calming and strengthening. She's warm, and soft in a solid way, you feel absolutely safe and peaceful. After that the rest of the world, I mean everyday life, is back to being pretty small compared with the universe. This one's good if you have trouble getting to sleep, too.

Generally, though, I try to do little bits of grounding whenever I've got distracted and find myself wasting time, or get angry with what's on the news, or being petty or "not myself" talking with someone. Just thinking about my soles on the ground, even if I'm upstairs and in shoes! It's hardest in a moving vehicle, but with a bit of focus can still be done if needs be. This is only to tide me over, of course, not instead of properly giving it attention.

Stamping, forcefully, gets the energy flowing "harder" and helps when it's difficult to make that connection. Your feet really start to tell you that this is the bloomin' ground down there!

In a parenting book I remember a tip for staying in control when embroiled in a row - in control of yourself, not controlling the other person! Grab a wall or doorpost or the stair rail, anything, even the back of a chair but something that can't move is better, and feel it making you steady, and think about your feet firmly on the floor. Say out loud that you're doing this and why. It helps settle things when there's too much fire and air in the room. (When I was reading this kind of parenting book I didn't know the term 'grounding'!)