Grounding 101: The Basics
We are spiritual beings in physical bodies. There must be a balance between the spiritual and the physical.
The weight of trauma and external stressors can overstimulate our nerves, making the soft edges of our spirit want to disassociate and retreat. That weight hangs overhead like a stormcloud, making it more and more difficult to come back into ourselves.
Even spiritual work can leave you too “top heavy” - you know that spacey, floaty, anxious, dazed, out-of-body and disconnected feeling? These are all symptoms of being ungrounded. If you notice you:
- Have trouble focusing
- Clumsy, bumping into things, stubbing toe
- Dizzy, light-headed
- Spaced out, fuzzy, daydreaming
- Get lost easily
- Losing track of what you were about to do or say
- Forgetful, misplacing your keys, etc
Remind yourself that your body is your home right now. Remind yourself that you belong in this world, on this plane, in that beautiful body you call a home. Remind yourself you are here for a reason. Your existence is not by chance.
Remind yourself also that there must be a balance. We are both spiritual AND physical beings.
What is grounding?
In the simplest form, grounding is connecting to the earth to balance and center the body to the present. This connection is energetic and can be physical or spiritual. Grounding allows us to take claim back in our body and be present in the now.
I’m going to reference the root chakra often in this post because it is the chakra that connects us to the earth, helping us feel protected, belonging and grounded. I work with this chakra often, especially if I cannot physically be outside due to things like the weather.
Here are a few simple ways to ground yourself when necessary:
Simple ways to ground yourself
Nature
The second you walk outside after a long day, can't you feel the wind giving you a hug? The trees whispering sweet nothings against your shadow? The warm or fading sun massaging the crown of your head? Nature is sacred; nature is healing; nature is the first place you should go to recharge and ground yourself.
At work, take breaks and go for walks. Go to the park or to your backyard and spend time putting your bare hands or feet on the ground. Demonstrate your love for the earth by protecting it. I don't care how hippie-dippie this sounds - love on the earth. Connecting with the earth is revolutionary. Protecting, caring for, understanding, and connecting with nature are our duties as humans. Of course, this is true in the Yoruba religion. The sun, the rivers, the wind, the rainbow, the trees, the deepest part of the ocean are all sacred in Yoruba. Nature is a core pillar in ritual, prayer, and devotion.
Experience nature. Experience this world that supports you and feeds you and waters you. How can you truly protect what you don’t understand or know? Use nature as your sanctuary. As your recharge station. As a place to heal trauma.
The weather sucks for most of us right now, so I know going for walks and putting your bare feet on the ground isn’t possible, but once the weather permits, make it a point to experience nature regularly.
Salt Baths, Massages, & Body Scan Meditations:
The natural healing property of salt makes salt baths not only purifying but balancing as well. Salt Baths feature 100% Dead Sea Salt, which is rich in minerals that your body can absorb. The grounding, plant energy of the flowers and essential oils lift, relax, and soothe the body. If you're pressed for time or don't have a tub, soaking just your feet in this bath is great for grounding as well.
Massages are another great way to come back into the body and reconnect to your physicality. Massages are great for activating the root chakra. Mix some of our Oshunita Self Love Oil with lotion for a fragrant, confidence boosting massage. We just posted a wonderful self-massage ritual in a previous post that allows us to take some time with each part of our body. Similar to a massage, body scanning also allows us to take time with ourselves, by checking in with and evaluating each part of the body. I love body scans because it's one of those meditations you can easily get back into after not meditating for a while.
Eat
After any spiritual ritual, event, or experience, it is important to eat. Eating is probably the simplest form of grounding the body by reminding us we have a body we must nourish. This refocuses the body’s energy less on the spiritual energy, back to bodily functions like digestion. I know this may be a no-brainer for some, but how many times have you meditated, or received a reading, or did an aura cleansing and felt a bit disconnected from the present or the body? Consuming anything, even tea, can help you come back to your body. If you've done a more intense ritual or ceremony, eating is often suggested afterward.
We haven’t gotten into all of the five senses yet on the blog, (other than SOUND) but Taste is an interesting way to soothe, open, or support the different energy centers, chakras, of the body. Here are some ideas of grounding foods that are great for the winter:
- Dandelion Root Tea helps purify, rebuild, and ground the body, like many root-based teas. Dandelion root can soothe depression associated with an underactive root chakra. I also love Rhodiola root, ginger root, and burdock root teas for grounding and balancing the body.
- Root vegetables like parsnips, carrots, and radishes are plentiful in the winter time and are hardy enough to keep you full and satisfied. Root veggies help fortify the root chakra and nourish the body. Because root vegetables are grown underground, they are good for stabilizing and grounding.
- Ashwagandha is an adaptogen that helps balance and regulate the whole body. It helps energize and reduce stress. Cacao helps lift the spirits, and warming spices help aid in digestion. All of these ingredients are good for nourishing the body and grounding yourself.
Here is a tasty, stress-reducing hot chocolate recipe featuring each of these ingredients. Always do your research if you’re new to working with adaptogens or ashwagandha.
Grounding Hot Chocolate
Makes one serving - yes, just for you 😘
- 1 1/2 cup Plant-based milk of choice (or regular milk)
- 1/2 teaspoon Ashwagandha powder
- 1 tablespoon of cocoa or cacao powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
- Spices like star anise, cardamom, clove, and cinnamon to taste
- 1-2 teaspoon of sweetener (or more to taste)
- Add your milk and desired spices to a pot, letting it simmer. Add a small amount of spices now, and add more later if needed
- Gently warm the milk, and whisk in the ashwagandha and cacao.
- Once warm, remove from the heat and sweeten to taste.
- Pour up your drink and enjoy!
- I will often mix some of my brewed Rhodiola tea inside of this blend because I am obsessed with the balancing, energizing effects of Rhodiola.
Exercise
I prefer to exercise in the morning. After a long night of playing with your subconscious in dreamland, a good Sun Salutation is an amazing way to re-enter your body and welcome the day. Below in Sun Salutation B, which is similar to the version I do.
Movement of some sort like yoga, walking, weightlifting, or dance is a great way to both activate the root chakra and ground yourself. Exercise is also very meditative, healing, and restorative. If you want to start establishing a deeper connection with your physical body and you don’t already exercise, do so. If you noticed you haven't been feeling like yourself - spacey and almost out-of-body - incorporate more physical activity to see if it helps these feelings subside.
I learned a few Tai Chi moves last October that left me a bit speechless. After a long, draining day a few minutes of Tai Chi took me from nodding to bright eyed. I decided to stan then, and have been curious to explore Tai Chi more since then. If you have any good resources or are a good resource for Tai Chi yourself, please please reach out to me using the contact form.
Venerating Ancestors:
I’ve written about ancestor veneration before, but ancestor veneration is basically showing respect, honoring, and caring for those who came before you. Working with, lifting, and caring for the ancestors is a way to help ground yourself, and appreciate your life, the body you inhabit and the world you experience now. Venerating the past helps you appreciate the present.
Genealogy research or just building a family tree is an amazing project for you and your family, that will also be spiritually and physically grounding. Collect the elders in your family, and start piecing together your family's story this holiday season. For extra support on research, my mom actually helps others learn how to research their people, and is also bomb at doing the research/family tree planning for you. We're still working on launching her website, but feel free to contact me if you’re interested in learning more about ancestral research
Other ways to ground and activate the root chakra
- Expressing gratitude.
- Appreciating your current abundance & blessings.
- Meditation
- Self-defense class
- Foot massage
- Wear the color red
- Get a grounding mat
Just because you can’t meditate outside this winter doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways to ground yourself. The lack of adequate sunlight in the winter always leaves me a bit low, so adding more of these grounding techniques definitely me during the winter months.
1 comentario
Another great post!