Grounding Meditation: 5 Minutes to a Calmer You

Grounding meditation is a technique that helps you to feel more stable and focused in the present moment.  It is especially beneficial for people who have high levels of anxiety.  Indeed, anxiety is the most common mental health disorder affecting people from all over the world.  People who suffer from anxiety have exaggerated or unrealistic fears and worries.  Physical and emotional symptoms also accompany it. These symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, heart palpitations, and muscle tension.  While anxiety is not dangerous, it can cause stress and insomnia, making the symptoms much worse.

Unfortunately, when we have those feelings, we often reach for a pint of ice cream, a box of cookies, a cigarette, a glass of wine, or a joint of weed.  Fortunately, there are many ways to relieve the symptoms of anxiety.  Mental health professionals recommend using techniques like deep breathing, mindfulness, and meditation to help you manage stress, anxiety, or panic attacks.  In this blog post, we will cover a meditation technique called grounding, or self-soothing.

The Goal of Grounding Meditation

Grounding meditation aims to balance the emotions or bring them back under control after a traumatic or upsetting event or even in anticipation of one.  More importantly, it keeps you in the present moment.  It is always essential to have a circle of friends to call when you feel overwhelmed or stressed.  However, you also need to develop and master a grounding or self-soothing technique to do alone.   

Now, you don’t want to miss this.  Please don’t wait until you feel stressed and anxious to do a grounding meditation.  Instead, learn how to do it while you’re calm and in a good mental space.  Like deep breathing exercises, intentionally doing a grounding meditation daily or a few times a week works wonders for your mental health.

How to Do a Grounding Meditation

A grounded meditation can be done anytime and anywhere.

If possible, stand on bare feet (preferably) to do this meditation.  However, if you’re more comfortable sitting, then do so.  If you are in pain, sit on a pillow or blanket to relieve pain in your hips, back, and buttocks.   

Steps in a Grounding Meditation

1. Find a quiet place.
2. Turn off your phone and remove any other distractions.
3. Regardless of your position, plant your bare feet firmly on the ground.
4. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.  Do a minute or two of box breathing before starting if you have the time.
5. Focus on the movement of your breath.
6. Breathe in deeply and focus on the sensations in your body. 
7. Breathe out slowly and focus on the sensations in your body. 
8. Follow your breath in and out.
9. If your mind wanders, gently bring it back to the present moment.
10. Continue breathing in and out for five minutes.

Doing a Grounding Meditation in Nature

Being out in nature is a perfect time to do a grounding meditation.  Why is that?  Well, nature is a big self-soothe box that stimulates smell, vision, touch, taste, and hearing.  Great places to do this meditation include the following:

• Backyard
• Beach
• Park
• Mountains

What About Using Other Grounding Devices?

Many people wear grounding bracelets as a physical prompt to breathe and stay calm when they feel anxious or stressed.  Interestingly, grounding is scientifically referred to as earthing  When we stand barefoot on the ground, the surface electrons from the ground transfer energy to the body.  Numerous studies document that grounding reduces:

• Chronic pain
• Chronic fatigue
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Stress
• Insomnia and sleep disturbances

When going outside is not an option, connecting to a conductive device while sitting or sleeping gives the same benefits.  People who do not want to connect to an electrical device use therapeutic products like grounding:

• Mats
• Socks
• Bands
• Patches
• Sheets
• Blankets

Grounding mats, socks, patches, sheets, and blankets are available online.

Use Grounding Devices with Caution

There are few risks to grounding techniques like walking barefoot in the grass or on the beach.  However, medical conditions such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, and chronic pain often have underlying medical conditions.  Thus, it would be best to get these conditions assessed by a licensed healthcare provider.  Do not use or rely on grounding devices as the first or sole line of treatment. Additionally, when using a grounding device, please follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

What About Using Chakra Bracelets for Grounding Meditation?

Some people use chakra bracelets as a part of their grounding practice.  In Ayurvedic medicine, chakra refers to the body’s core energy centers.  The energy stream runs along the backbone, stretching from the base of the spine to the crown of the head.  There are 7 chakras that have different physical, emotional, creative, and spiritual components.

Benefits of Chakra Bracelets

Many people believe that the gemstones in chakra bracelets prevent or restore energy imbalances.  Some bracelets contain stones that balance all of the chakras.  However, root chakra bracelets are used for grounding.  The root chakra, located at the base of the spine, is symbolized by the color red.  Indeed, the color red represents the earth element.

Chakra bracelets are available online in several styles and price ranges.

Now, It’s Your Turn

Well, I hope you’ve learned more about the importance of practicing grounding meditation.  It is one of many techniques that helps to reduce anxiety and stress.  You can do it anywhere, whether sitting in a chair or lying on the floor.  Just close your eyes, take a deep breath, exhale slowly, and repeat for a few minutes.  Remember to focus on your feet, imagining the energy from the earth flowing up your legs and into your body.  With continued practice, you feel like a leaf floating on the wind.   

While the medical literature documents the health benefits of grounding, the information in this post is not medical advice.  Furthermore, it does not replace or contradict the advice from medical providers.

I think you will enjoy the posts on how to make a self-soothe box, the mental health benefits of walking outdoors, 55 powerful affirmations for health and healing, and journaling for manifestation.

We look forward to hearing about your experience with grounding. And, you can join the conversation on the Keep It Tight Sisters Facebook Page. If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your social networks.  Your subscription to the blog is also appreciated!

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