When you feel exhausted, confused, anxious, sad, pain, angry, or unsettled in any manner, that is the perfect time to take a few moments with yourself to sit in stillness and ground yourself or center yourself. Connect your mind, body, and spirit to be in unison and flowing fully together. A grounding meditation can a powerful tool to help you to relax and focus on the present.
The best way to explain the concept of grounding, or “earthing” as some may call it, is to think of it in literal terms. Grounding is simply when a person comes back down to earth as if you’re planting yourself in the moment. If you’ve ever studied chakras, this is why your lower chakra is called your root chakra because it literally translates to rooting yourself in steadiness, safety, and security.
When your focus is elsewhere—possibly due to racing thoughts, overrunning emotions, or even deep spiritual experiences—grounding brings you back to being fully aware of what is right here, right now with a sense of clarity, steadiness, and sturdiness. Rather than allowing one part of your experience—your mind, your body, your emotions, or your spirit—to primarily rule, when you ground yourself, these parts become connected and feel balanced.
Let’s say for example that I’m having anxiety. I am disconnected from the moment because my mind isn’t fully focused on where I really am, but rather focused on anxious thoughts and feelings. When this happens, everything feels bigger than me and I feel a loss of control. Grounding techniques are useful in regaining my power by connecting with my environment.
A common grounding exercise, for example, is the 54321 method, which is based on becoming aware of your five senses right where you are. The way it works is you pinpoint five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.
Grounding is useful in everyday life because we’re used to focusing on many things that have nothing to do with where we are in the moment. Countless things happen on autopilot during the day as our minds do the work to keep up with whatever it is we are trying to keep up with that day. It’s normal and necessary, but sometimes in doing this we can really get away from being connected with ourselves.
Grounding is calming and as stated earlier, connects the mind, body, and spirit by slowing down thoughts, emotions, and your breath to allow you to center in real-time. While they are many ways to achieve this, one of my favorite ways is through meditation.
Let’s start with a few deep breaths. As you inhale, let the air fill your belly and as you exhale, let it all go.
Take a few deep breaths in nice and slow, really letting that air fill your body as you inhale and as you exhale feeling the release, really let it all go.
Let’s do this together a couple of times, just breathing. Your only job in this moment is to breathe. Focusing on your breath flowing in and out. Feeling it move in and out of your body.
As you continue to breathe, imagine that with every inhale you take, the life force energy that connects us all is illuminating your mind, body, and soul. It is a beautiful, peaceful, calming, and loving light.
Exhale allowing anything that feels rigid to simply float. Anything weighing on you, don’t fight it. Just let it be. Let it float. Knowing that the answers will come in due time.
Again, just letting that breathe of air and illuminating light, fill your body, and exhale letting everything else go and letting it be.
Feel the steadiness of the ground beneath you and allowing that to feeling of stability to flow through your mind, your body, and your soul.
Inhale deeply and slowly acknowledge that you are doing your very best.
Exhale slowly reminding yourself that no one’s life is without challenges.
Imagine an illuminating light flowing straight through you from top to bottom balancing you in complete stillness, peace, and love. It is encompassing you. Loving you and protecting you.
Continue to Inhale and exhale focusing on the calm and centered balance within you. It’s there, even if it feels ever so slight.
As you continue to breathe, we’re going to do some affirmations. Repeat after me:
Sit with this for a few moments as you continue to breathe.
When you’re ready, focus on your breath again, feeling the ground beneath you, placing your hands or feet on the ground if you need to. Begin to open your eyes and come back to the space you’re in slowly at your own pace.
Take a few more deep breaths.
I hope you are feeling more balanced and sturdy as you continue to come back to the space you’re in. Take your time observing and just being before rushing to your next activity. Enjoy a few more moments with yourself. You may even want to write about your experience. Whatever your experience is, just know that it is for you. There are no accidents.
I hope you move forward into your day with clarity and in connection with yourself as you both absorb and radiate peaceful strength.
Want to learn more about grounding and meditation? Contact me about coaching.
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