Self-help / / Visualisations / Grounding

Grounding yourself is a great way to release any negative feelings, thoughts and physical pain.

Are you feeling afraid, unsafe, unconnected to other people and the world? Or perhaps you're feeling angry or jealous. These and many other negative feelings can be overcome by learning to 'ground' yourself. Physical pain and uncomfortable sensations can also be reduced through 'grounding'.

To be unconnected to the earth's energies can lead you to be withdrawn from other people and a happy fulfilled life in some way. To feel connected again will make you feel more at ease. To be grounded is to feel safe, comfortable with yourself and your environment, calm, at peace, connected to the world and those around you, clear headed and like everything's OK!


Tips For Grounding Yourself

Visualisation Techniques
These techniques, once mastered, can be performed anytime and anywhere! If you're not used to visualisation techniques then please be patient with yourself. Some people are naturally good at visualisation, but others need to practise. If you struggle initially then know that it will get easier in time. Just keep trying. There are alternatives below but if you can learn to do this then you won't need any props - your ability to remain grounded will be entirely in your own hands, you will have control of your own emotions, feelings and physical sensations at any time.

In these exercises, sit or stand with your feet flat (soles down) on the floor. If you can do this bare foot then this would be best, but this does not suit all situations - in your shoes is fine! Take a few deep breaths before starting the exercise. Focus your attention on your feet and their connection to the ground. Feel that connection - take notice of the surface of the floor, how it feels to your feet (cold, warm, smooth, grainy or uneven). Then begin the exercise, remembering to breathe calmly and slowly in through your nose and out through your mouth throughout.

Try out each of these exercises to find one that suits you most. Everybody is different, and if you come up with an alternative just go with that. Find what works for you. And let me know! I'd love to share your grounding techniques with others out there that need help.

Note: Some people find it easier to ground themselves from their feet downwards. However, others find it easier to ground from the end of their tail bone, or root chakra down. Women can find it easier to ground from their sacral chakra (below the belly button), as this is the emotional centre for the body. Experiment with what feels right for you.


~ Exercise One ~
Imagine that your feet are taps and that water is flowing out of your feet (out of the taps) and down into the ground. Imagine the water pouring through into the ground. In your mind's eye, follow the water as deep into the earth as you can imagine. Increase the depth the water travels into the earth on each breath out. Continue until the water from your feet reaches the very core of the earth. With practice this will happen quickly and easily.

Once you have the water flowing freely from your feet to the core of the earth, send out all your negative feelings, thoughts or pain out of your feet, through the water, releasing them deep down into the ground.

When you are feeling calm and pain free, you can slowly turn off those taps. Give yourself a little bit of time before returning to your normal daily routine - and sip a glass of water if possible.


~ Exercise Two ~
Imagine that you are a tree and that your legs are the trunk of the tree. Imagine roots starting to grow from the toes, soles and heels of your feet down into the ground. In your mind's eye, extend the roots as deep into the earth as you can imagine. Increase the length and depth of the roots into the earth with every breath out. Continue until the roots from your feet reach the very core of the earth. With practice this will happen quickly and easily.

Once you have the roots from your feet securely anchored at the core of the earth, send out all your negative feelings, thoughts or pain out of your feet, through these roots, releasing your feelings and thoughts deep down into the ground.

When you are feeling calm and pain free, you can slowly remove the roots - let them become part of the earth in a way that is comfortable to you. Give yourself a little bit of time before returning to your normal daily routine - and sip a glass of water if possible.


~ Exercise Three ~
This is a more powerful, fast exercise. This could be more suitable for those who are bottling up their anger or just need a quick release of built up negative energy. Imagine that your negative feelings, thoughts or pain are lightning electricity! Lightning must be earthed, so send your negative energy down your body, through your feet, and deep into the ground. Zap! Send the negative energy out with every out breath. Try to get the lightning to travel deeper into the ground each time, until you can reach the core of the earth. With practice this will happen quickly and easily.

When you are feeling calm and pain free, feel that you have retained an energetic connection to the core of the earth. Give yourself a little bit of time before returning to your normal daily routine - and sip a glass of water if possible.


~ Exercise Four ~
Imagine a cord attached to your tail bone, or to your feet (whichever is more powerful for you). See (in your mind's eye) the cord grow down into the ground. Extend the cord further and further down into the ground with every breath out. Continue growing the cord down until you can attach it to the very core of the earth!

Once you feel this attachment, send all your negativity down through your body, out of your feet or tailbone, and down the cord to release the negative energy from your body.


Guided Meditations or Brainwave (Alpha Beta) Music
These are a great alternative to visualisations. You can find some excellent meditations and music at http://www.brainsync.com/

My partner and I have also started to create some visuals for each chakra - see 'The Chakras' in the folders on the left of this page. We have one for the root chakra which you might find grounding. Alternatively the brow chakra one is great for meditation. We are hoping to add healing tones/'music' to each of these visuals at some stage. See the throat chakra for an example of what is to come!


Crystals
Holding grounding crystals will help you create a connection to the earth's energies. You can carry crystals around in your pocket too for protection and grounding throughout the day. If you have trouble sleeping you can place grounding crystals at the end of your bed to keep your connection to the earth.

Try using one or a combination of these crystals while you practice your visualisation techniques, or during meditation.

Some examples of powerful grounding crystals are:

* Hematite
* Magnetite (also known as Lodestone)
* Tiger's Eye
* Red Jasper
* Bloodstone
* Obsidian
* Jet
* Smoky Quartz


What you should aim to achieve with grounding
Grounding should create a feeling of heaviness and relaxation. You should feel fully connected to the earth, like nothing can knock you off balance. It can take practice to feel fully grounded, so keep trying. Once you have learnt to do this you will notice that not only can you release negative energy into the ground but you can draw up positive earth energy from the ground into your body too, just like you can pull positive energy down from the universe through your crown chakra. Try to get a flow going of positive energy coming in through the top of your head and down into the ground, and positive energy coming up through your feet and out through your crown into the universe.