Get Grounded

In the earlier stages of humanity, we lived without a separation from the earth. We slept on the ground, played in the dirt, and walked with bare feet.  Up until less than 100 years ago, we regularly made contact with the earth, either through cultivation of our crops, or simply by walking in shoes which were all soled with leather or other permeable materials.  As children we had instincts to connect with it's power.  We would run around with bare feet, defiantly kick off our shoes at every opportunity, lay in the grass, dig in the sand, and play in the mud.

When I was a young girl, I recall digging holes in the gravel driveway and filling it up with water in the summertime.  I would climb in, with or without my clothes, and bathe in the warm puddle.  Shoes were optional for me, and often not used, as I ran about barefoot in the grass and dirt, allowing the warmed earth to squish beneath my toes.  This was a comforting connection that I had forgotten.

Eight years ago I was horribly ill with pneumonia.  For almost two weeks I felt like I was drowning, my throat and chest burned just to swallow and breathe.  At night while I lay awake just concentrating on my breath, I kept getting visions of digging a hole in the backyard and covering myself with dirt.  I dreamed of burying myself alive, and feeling safe and healed.  I seriously contemplated getting out the shovel, but it was the middle of January, and trying to lift a layer of snow and frozen earth in the well below zero temperatures typical of a Canadian mountain town winter, prevented me from trying.  I had obviously not heard of 'Earthing' yet, but I was being guided to do just that.  Once I began to research grounding/earthing I learned that indigenous persons around the world would do just as I described, laying extremely ill people in a hole in the ground to allow the energy of the earth to help heal them. This is ancient medicine.

Many of your day to day activities are able to unground you, such as using computers, cells phones, radiations and regular exposure to other wireless signals.  Regular consumption of processed food, and a lack of mineral rich fruits and vegetables in the diet, also contributes. Trauma, anxiety, depression, & chronic illness can separate the relationship of connection to the earth and ourselves, also causing us to be ungrounded.

So what is the benefit of exercising a connection with the earth? 
~A gentle and healing energy~

Everything is made of energy, and humans have many energy systems.  Our energy systems were created to connect with the electrical heart of mother earth.  Earthing and being grounded is being studied more all of the time, and the effects are clear.  Direct bare skin contact with the earth can allow us to contact negatively charged ions.  These negative ions neutralize the effects of free radicals that contribute to chronic inflammation and dis-ease. Earthing and being grounded, is the original and free, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging medicine.

The benefits of being grounded have been documented and you can experience many positive effects such as:

- Reduction of elimination of chronic pain
- Improved sleep
- Lowered stress
- Improved clarity and concentration
- Normalization of natural body rhythms
- Improved blood pressure and flow
- faster healing
- Improvement of many inflammation related disorders (diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, etc)
- Increased energy
- Improved overall health and vitality

 The results are best when there is a direct bare skin contact with the earth energy as the water in our body acts as a super conductor.  The easiest and cheapest way to reap the benefits is to spend half an hour daily being barefoot in direct contact with the earth.  This is made even better with a moist connection such as on damp grass, or in the wet sand on the beach.  Being in close connection with trees on a regular basis is also very grounding.  
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Here are some other techniques below, that will also help you get and stay grounded.

- Eating food that grows in or on the ground (root veggies, onions, ginger,  garlic, squash, Celtic or Himalayan salt, potatoes, dark leafy greens, squash, beans and legumes, berries, and herbal/root teas,  etc) will help your body to stay grounded.

-  Grow like a tree.  When out in a wooded area, take time to acknowledge the trees that rise up around you.  Focus your thoughts upon their root systems, the water and nutrients that they are drawing from deep within the earth, up into their branches and leaves/needles.  While you let yourself feel connected with the earth's energy as well, imagine that you are a tree too. Visualize roots growing out of your feet and into the soil, drinking up healing earth energy whenever you feel the need.  

- Submerge yourself in natural waters, such as oceans, springs, lakes, and streams. Water is a natural transmitter and holder of energy, so through the ground below and around, the water delivers it's healing to you. 

- Lay directly in the ground, without a mat or chair beneath you.  A simple cotton sheet will work fine as a gentle barrier if you don't like to get dirty or don't enjoy the feel of fresh grass or sand on your skin.

-  Connect your root and earth star chakras to earth energy by visualizing an energetic cord connecting the root chakra (at base of pelvis), to the earth star/foot chakra (12-18" below the soles of your feet), going down and connecting you to the magnetic core of the earth.

- If finding time is something that you struggle with, you can consider getting a grounding/earthing mat, mattress, or sheets and sleep grounded.  For those suffering with chronic illness, are unable to get outside, or are having restless sleep, an earthing sheet may be very beneficial. 

- Consider purchasing EMF protection devices.  There are many small devices on the market now that help to dampen the effects of radiation coming from our electronic devices.  If you are someone who spends a large majority of time of the computer or phone, getting some kind of protection may be beneficial.

-  Carry or wear stones that are useful for grounding and protection such as obsidian, shungite, black tourmaline, black kyanite, or orgonite containing these stones.  I personally find a good quality shungite or orgonite to be the best.

- Essential oils for grounding include Cedar, Black Spruce, Patchouli, Frankincense, Myrrh, Cypress, or Sandalwood.

- Simple blockages to grounding can be a frozen or blocked K1 point.  This is located on the bottom of your feet.  It is also known as the wellspring of life and is used and documented in Chinese medicine as part of the kidney meridian.  This kidney meridian point can be improved by massaging and/or making figure 8 patterns on the ball of your foot using the back of a silver or stainless steel spoon.  You can also rub in a drop of one of the essential oils above. 

​As a bio-energetic practitioner and autoimmune warrior, I have found that many people with chronic illness like myself, are often  ungrounded. 
​Daily reintroduction to earth energy in a stress free manner can help to reform the connection, and may reduce symptoms.
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