Do you run around looking for your phone while you are talking on it? Do people seem to move slower than you but get more done? Are you in a constant frantic rush and wish you could just chill? If this sounds like you, you need to get grounded.
Energetic grounding is similar to the principle of grounding a building with a lightning rod. The rod goes into the ground and connects with metal parts of the building. When lightning strikes, the electricity goes into the ground, rather than damaging the building, electronics, or people inside.
A lightning rod takes a powerful force and directs it into the earth to prevent harm. That’s what grounding can do for you in the midst of all the emotional energy swirling around you on any given day.
When we aren’t grounded, all the things large and small that life throws at us are like lightning hitting an ungrounded building. The experiences fry and frazzle us, and may prompt us to react in ways that we regret.
If you aren’t grounded, you are like a tree without roots. How well would the trunk stand up in strong wind if it wasn’t rooted in the ground? Not well.
By learning to ground, you can withstand the winds of life much better while maintaining a level head and be more productive. You can become one of those seemingly slow-moving people who get a lot done. Sound good? Try these exercises:
Grounding your roots
Ask yourself: “Do I feel grounded right now? Am I calm or nervous? Am I overthinking things or is my mind clear?” Observe how you feel overall and assign a number from 1-10 in your mind, with 1 being ungrounded and 10 being very grounded.
Use your intuition and envision roots coming out of the bottoms of your feet.
How far in the ground are they? What color are they? Are they bright and looking healthy? If they are fairly shallow, envision pushing them further into the ground. Focus on them going deeper instead of just spreading out. How do you feel?
Grounded root breathing
First, perform the technique above and get your roots into the ground.
Next, take a deep belly breath through your nose and breathe up through your roots.
Hold it for about eight seconds.
Feel the energy coming into your body and calming you down.
Now breathe the nervous energy out through your mouth.
Repeat this a few times until you feel calm and your thinking is more clear and rational.
Really observe how you feel before and after these techniques. To retrain yourself to be grounded, it’s best to practice these exercises first thing in the morning, at night before bed (it helps you sleep), and during the day when you feel yourself holding your breath or running around frantically.
Like anything else, being grounded is a habit. By doing this every day, over time you will inherently be more chill while getting more done and commanding your presence in the world.