The Nature of Feeling Grounded
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Grounding practices enrich creative flow, but how can you ground yourself in busy cities—let alone a busy life? Here are some tips to get started.
A few years ago I began meditating. Before that, I participated in closing my eyes at the end of yoga, and occasionally sat in lotus position when I felt particularly frazzled. Over the years, I’ve developed that practice into something I do every day. So when I proudly told my reiki teacher about what I felt was a personal accomplishment, she challenged me, “That’s great for clearing your mind, but how are you grounding yourself?”
Creativity requires roots. Ideas start in your head but once planted, they need direction to grow. For me, grounding nurtures those roots and creates a focus for life energy (qi) to manifest into a physical experience. The most simple grounding practice, and arguably most fun, is to kick off your shoes and stand on the ground. From here you can visualize yourself rooting into the ground. However, the act of connecting with Earth and loved ones, and being aware of the connection, is most important.
Grounding practices enrich creative flow. Unfortunately, for those of us in big cities, finding a grassy patch is like being on a treasure hunt in which few find the loot. The last time I was barefoot I was sprinting across the hot coals of a Vietnamese beach to cool water. Before that, it was the summer in Wales when I ditched my shoes and walked circles around a prickly field. By the end of the two weeks, I’d written and completed a short story. In Vietnam, where I live it’s different. I shared my no-nature dilemma with my teacher.
"Touch a tree," she said. "It’s that easy."
If you’re like me and want to incorporate a regular grounding practice, check out this video for a 10 minute, straightforward practice. In the future, I may create a practice to share, but this is the practice that introduced me to grounding meditation. Check it out!
If you live near nature, or even have a small patch of Earth, spend a few moments standing on the Earth. You can visualize yourself growing roots, connecting with the ground and spreading the roots to loved ones. Once a week, for a few minutes is a great start to this practice. Soon, you’ll find yourself doing it whenever you need to recharge and feel tethered.
Even I have trees in my neighborhood, so pause and touch a tree that attracts you. Many of our trees blossom, so be sure to admire all aspect of the tree, not just the trunk, which helps to nourish the blooms, but the blooms too. They make a big sacrifice to ensure the continuation of life.
Finally, bring nature indoors. I make clippings and disperse them throughout my house. Unfortunately, potted plants don’t do well for me inside my home. I also diffuse natural, wood scented essential oils like Cypress, Douglas and Siberian Fir. There’s science behind the use of these wood-based essential oils which you can read more about here.
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