The Healing Benefits of Grounding the Body

If you’ve been feeling stressed, spacey, and disconnected from both your environment and the people around you, you are not alone. There have been a lot of changes (rapid changes) in our world and many people are feeling increasingly alienated as they try to adapt to a new reality.

Fortunately, there are ways to cope in a healthy way with these changes and to reduce our symptoms of disconnection, distress, and feeling overwhelmed. Forest bathing, and its companion practices of earthing and grounding, are effective ways of reconnecting with nature, your home and work environments, and other people.

What Is Forest Bathing?

Many cultures around the world have long known the therapeutic properties of getting out into nature. Forests can be particularly healing due to the natural coverage of the trees, the incredible variety of flora and fauna, and essential oils released by trees and plants. Over the past few decades, the Japanese have popularized the practice of Shinrin-Yoku, or “forest bathing.”

The practice of forest bathing can be deceptively simple. It isn’t just about getting into nature or taking a hike. Instead, it is a conscious practice of mindfully being in nature, spending several hours taking in the sights, smells, and experience of being in a wild place. While it is certainly possible to engage in forest bathing on your own, there are also guides who can host small groups to engage in forest bathing together.

Even in major urban areas, such as Chicago, there are plenty of green spaces available for forest bathing. Check out park district maps for local forest preserves and hiking trails, and talk with friends about their favorite places to spend time in nature.

What Is Earthing?

Another practice that you may have heard of is “earthing”. This is the practice of connecting your bare skin to the ground. Like forest bathing, it involves getting outside, but does not require you to be in the wilderness. You can earth anywhere there is ground and where you can safely take off your shoes.

While the practice sounds simple, many of us simply fail to make any kind of meaningful connection with the ground. This is often because many of us wear shoes whenever we go outside. While there are good reasons for wearing footwear, our failure to connect with the Earth may give us a sense of rootlessness and instability.

You can begin an earthing practice by simply identifying places where you can stand, lie down or sit on the ground. Many practitioners believe it is possible to earth yourself by standing on concrete, so if you only have access to a sidewalk or a paved area, you can still engage in this practice. Make sure the area is free of debris that could cause injury, and stand, sit or lie down on the patch of ground that you’ve chosen. Relax, breathe in deeply and focus on feeling the supportive energy of the ground below you.

“The Earth is a battery charger of pure prana life force. Sync up. Bare feet on the ground. Back against a tree. Lungs open. It’s better than sugar, caffeine, or scrolling for dopamine. It’s also a way of saying thank you for life.” - Danielle Laporte

How to Ground, Even When You Can’t Be Outside

Many people are more familiar with the idea of “grounding” themselves and they are earthing and forest bathing. This is because most of us also understand that one of the best remedies for feeling disconnected, frustrated, or anxious is to actively stabilize ourselves using gravity.

Terms such as “flying off the handle,” “out of it,” “sends me into orbit” reflect the very real feelings that people have when their emotions or even life circumstances are out of control. In truth, however, human beings don’t fly, we don’t exit reality, and we certainly are not going to shoot off into orbit no matter how upset or confused we might be. Reminding ourselves far deeper connections to the earth and to each other is a good way to reorient ourselves, no matter what our circumstances might be.

A good grounding practice requires only a chair and a few minutes:

1. Sit in the chair and straighten your back.

2. Plant your feet firmly on the ground.

3. Rest your hands on each knee, palms down.

4. Breathe deeply, paying special attention to the soles of your feet.

5. Spend a few minutes mindfully grounding yourself. Focusing on your connection with the Earth, with your breath ….. Slowing your breath down, in for 3, out for 3, in for 4, out for 4. (don’t forget to check out our post on belly breathing!) Noticing how your feet feel planted firmly on the ground. Repeat until you feel a sense of peace wash over you, welcoming in the present moment with gratitude and a big smile.

This kind of practice can be performed just about anywhere, and at any time. If you don’t have a chair, no problem, sit or lie on the ground, focusing on the connection (be it your bottom or entire body) to Earth and your breath. You may also want to combine “grounding” with a mindful shower or bath as a way of cleansing and refreshing your energy.

Remember, the more you practice grounding, the more automatic it becomes. If you take even a few minutes a day to practice, you’ll not only have better energy in your daily life, you'll be able to ground quickly and instantly when you're in an uncomfortable (or upsetting) situation.

A Prayer, a Mantra and a Few Quick Meditations

Dear Angels of the Earth, with both of my feet on the ground and my spine erect, I allow my spiritual energy to connect with every major organ of my body. I allow any extra energy to go into the planet to heal it. I now allow cords of light to come from my feet and to penetrate the Earth as they anchor me into the ground, providing safety and stability. I am grounded, I am earthed, I am safe and strong. And so it is.

- Angel Prayers - Harnessing the Help of Heaven to Create Miracles by Kyle Gray

I am rooted and grounded in Mother Earth. Blessings be to Mother Earth. (repeat mantra until you feel anchored)

There are tons of Grounding Meditations on YouTube, here are a few of our favorites:

A beautiful 10-Minute Guided Meditation that combines breath, awareness, and visualization.

Start your day off centered with this wonderful 5 minute morning meditation.