How To Stay Grounded?

Our strength, resilience and emotional stability come from the state of being grounded. It is the place of being present, open and non-judgmental to any experience. So how do we become grounded? And how do we stay this way?

I woke up this morning to the sounds of birds chirping and to the faint smell of lavender brought by the light breeze through the open window. I took a deep breath; I made a long stretch; I placed a long gaze at the palm trees in front of my house. And then my alert mind reminded me of the “reality”: the instability of the outside world, the uncertainty of the future, the invisible threat lurking around. Only a few months ago, it was much easier to have a view on how the world works. Now nothing is certain. I don’t know what is right. I don’t know how I should act. I don’t know if I can plan anything or what the outcome of my action will be. I got carried away by the phantasies, “what ifs”, I started noticing anxiety arising in my solar plexus, I felt unbalanced, and I noticed some negative self-talk creeping in. And at this moment I knew - I needed to ground myself.

Now more than ever, we need to take care of ourselves lovingly and compassionately, and one of the essential means to do that is to ground ourselves. We hear this expression when we attend yoga classes or when we listen to spiritual teachers and mindfulness experts. But do we know what it means to be grounded?

Aware in the present moment 

Being grounded means knowing in an embodied sense that we stand firmly on the ground, we are connected to Mother Earth, and we are aware of the space around us, we are aware of our external and internal world in this moment. 

When we are grounded, we are completely aware and conscious in the present moment. We are aware of our body - we feel the pressure of our feet against the floor, we are aware of the sensations in our body, the areas at ease and those with discomfort or tightness, we are aware of our breath and any emotions that may be present. We are able to observe our thoughts as they come and go and still be present with the breath and the body sensations. When we are grounded, we open ourselves to what is - here and now. 

When we are ungrounded, we let our energy disconnect from our physical body. We react instead of responding. We do not pay attention to what we are doing, and we get stuck in flashbacks or worries. 

The state of calm and peaceful awareness of being grounded is optimal for making decisions, acting coherently and effectively and expressing our creativity. We become more joyful, and we make choices more naturally. 

Grounding techniques

The Cambridge dictionary explains: “Someone who is grounded makes good decisions and does not say or do stupid things”. Wouldn’t we all want to be grounded then? I would like to share with you the ways that I use to create space from distress, both for myself and for my clients. I practice them when I want to calm down when the situation feels overwhelming (I used them a lot in the lockdown) and I reach for them also in moments of tranquillity - to strengthen my resilience and sense of presence.

Remember not to judge yourself or anything that you notice, just be present with it, like a newborn child that discovers the world without labels and meanings. You do not have to change anything. Just be with the experience.

Breathe deeply

Take a slow breath in - feel the air entering your nostrils, notice its temperature, its texture, the smell - and then breathe out by letting the air leave through the nose again, without effort, just letting it go.

Savour a food or drink

I like to practice this technique with a mug full of hot chocolate (but not too often...). Smell your food or drink. Take a little bite or sip and fully taste it. What is its primary taste? What is its texture? What do you feel when you chew it? How does it taste on your tongue? What are all the flavours on your palate?

Take a walk

If you can take a walk in nature - even better! Feel the soles of your feet touching the floor, the pavement, the grass. Do you start every step with your heel first or your toes? How does your ankle feel? Can you feel the stretch of your calves? How your knees bend, how your hips sway? How does it feel to put your feet on the ground and then lift them again? What is the rhythm of your walk? Maybe you feel a sudden inspiration to skip - do it! Notice how it feels in your body.

Stomp

If you cannot go outside, permit yourself to stomp for five minutes. You can turn on a tune or song with a fast tempo and a heavy beat. Pay attention to how your body feels with each movement. How does the floor feel when you put your foot down? How does energy flow? Do you feel warm or cold? Do you lift your hands and arms? How does the air feel? How does your breath change? Observe yourself.

Body scan

With your inner felt sense, without thinking about it, feel your whole body - starting with your feet. Maybe you’re sitting - how does it feel to rest your feet on the ground? Are they cold or warm? Can you feel your shoes, if you’re wearing them? Can you feel the gravity pulling you to the earth? Is your back straight? Is it leaned to the side or the back? How do your buttocks feel against the chair? Is it hard or is it soft? Can you feel your stomach? Is it empty or full? Is it relaxed or tight? Can you feel your heartbeat? Is it steady or is it rapid? How do you notice your clothes on your skin? Are your arms and shoulders loose and relaxed or contracted and tight? How do your hands feel? Curl your fingers. And then open the palms of your hands again. Observe the subtle sensations of moving your hands’ muscles. 

These are just some of the grounding techniques you can bring to your everyday life. If you have your own tricks that help you connect, please share them with me.

This post was first published on July 23rd, 2020, on Transformation Station’s website.