Born on this beautiful earth, we have the privilege to utilize all of earth's gifts. One of those being the endless natural electrical charge of energy. Mother Earth has a marvelous way of transforming energy; allowing everything to grow, flourish & thrive!
In the literal term, grounding means to be part of the ground; to gain all the benefits of nature's unlimited resources. We see that in our trees, plants & animals! Feeling one with the earth!
As humans, we can most definitely benefit from grounding too. When we are grounded we feel;
• centered
• connected
• in-harmony
• balanced
• at peace
Our human body powers electrically; your cells transmit multiple frequencies that run to and from every organ & system. Unfortunately, in today's industrial society, we are very much the opposite of grounded. We are surrounded by walls, wearing shoes on our feet & covered in clothing that keeps us detached from nature's earth! Therefore, I would say that we are pretty much the opposite; disconnected, ungrounded. It is not by accident that we are surrounded by "dis-ease", ailments, illnesses, & pains.
Grounding has so many benefits!! Studies have shown that grounding has tremendous effects on physiological health; inflammation, immune responses, wound healing, as well as prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases (Oschman et al., 2015).
Further studies have also shown reduced stress levels (Ghaly et al., 2004). Results indicated that grounding the human body to the earth ("earthing") during sleep reduces night-time levels of cortisol and resynchronizes cortisol hormone secretion more in alignment with the natural 24-hour circadian rhythm profile. Interestingly enough, results were most apparent in females. Furthermore, subjective reporting indicates that grounding the human body to earth during sleep improves sleep and reduces pain and stress.
Earthing has also shown to increase blood circulation (Chevalier et al., 2013). Grounding appears to be one of the simplest and yet most profound interventions for helping reduce cardiovascular risk and events.
In another small clinical investigation, earthing and grounding effects were studied on hypertensive individuals, and results showed that systolic boood pressure levels decreased 8.6%–22.7% with an average reduction of 14.3%. The pilot study clearly demonstrated that grounding for a minimum of ten to 12 h per day resulted in remarkable blood pressure lowering (Elkin & Winter, 2018).
In another less popular yet outstanding finding, it was noted that pre-term babies who were grounded were able to sense the environment and the babies were more relaxed when grounded. There was improved vagus-nerve tone among the premature babies which could potentially enhance regulatory mechanisms (Passi et al., 2017).
Furthermore, earthing has shown a significant influence on the electrical activity of the brain, generating an immediate change in brain scan results via electroencephalography (EEG), surface electromyography (SEMG), and somato-sensory evoked potentials (SSEPs). The normalizing effect of earthing on the brain, as indicated by the tests performed in this study (Sokal & Sokal, 2011), indicates that grounding may play a primary role in regulating neurological and nervous system function.
So it is without a doubt that grounding has several benefits!! Now, the key is to learn how to practice it and include it in your daily lives!! Here are my top 5 favorite methods that I incorporate not only in my life and within my household but also with my students and clients;
1.Walk barefoot in nature; for me personally this is a daily must! It's the first thing I do after I've completed my daily practice as it helps me recharge and start my day afresh. I also encourage my kiddos to walk barefoot in our backyard and even at the parks we visit. It's a great connection, stimulation and grounding exercise.
2. Wear barefoot shoes; I did this transition a couple years ago and I really felt fhe difference!! Most shoes inhibit our foot function, to our detriment. With barefoot shoes, your ankles get stronger, which is better for control and stability. Also, many knee and hip injuries stem from a collapse at the feet, so strengthening the muscles in your feet encourages better posture and reduces your risk of injuring yourself in the future. In addition, the bottoms of your feet have proprioceptive nerves that send out information about where your body is in space to different areas of the brain involved in movement coordination, balance control, spatial perception, and so much more. And one proven way to optimize this foot-brain connection is to wear barefoot shoes. So you get some extra benefits apart from the grounding experience.
3. Mindful mobility; there is nothing better than connecting to the earth to feel grounded through movement! Check out these poses & incorporate them in your daily lives;
child’s pose
butterfly pose
Sphinx pose
Downward facing dog
Crescent lunge
Knees to chest pose
Happy baby pose
Legs-up-the wall pose
4. Use grounding crystals; they are a powerful sources of strength, stability, and balance, allowing you to ground yourself in the present moment and release negative energy that doesn’t serve your mind, body, or spirit. Have them in your space or wear them on you, these are my top favorite; Hematite and smoky quartz bring about strong grounding energies, and bloodstone and tourmalinated quartz to help remove all the negative energies, while red jasper brigs forth stability and security!
5. Practice a daily grounding meditation;
Find a place outside where you can walk at a leisurely pace with your feet bare or wearing something that won’t impede the transfer of energy between your body and the earth. Pay attention to the sensations in your feet as you walk. Try to establish a pace that works with the pace of your breathing. Your goal here is to connect with the earth, not get your heart rate up. Breathe evenly in and out of your nose, paying attention to how each breath feels in your body! Keep breathing at your own pace. As you breathe, imagine the earth’s energy rising into your body through your feet with each inhalation. Imagine that energy circulating throughout your body with each exhalation, healing everything it touches, restoring balance, and radiating light, health, and healing. With every exhale, any stale, lethargic or tired energy leaves your body through your feet, transferring to the ground where it travels to the earth’s center to be purified and renewed. The same energy that leaves your body stale and gray is recycled. As you breathe and as you walk, fresh, healing energy comes in with each inhale. With each exhale, it circulates, heals, balances, and radiates. And with the next exhale, any stagnant energy still left in your body, it finds its way out and you feel refreshed, renewed, restored!