GROUNDING

Grounding is one of the most vital and healthy self-care activities you can do. It is easy and should be done on a regular basis. But what exactly is grounding?

Grounding is the process of bringing your energy in harmony with the Mother earth. Grounding slows, calms, and fills you with strength and steadiness. It is a vital practice for everyone, but particularly for sensitive people who may often feel "wound up," "ungrounded," or drained by their surroundings.

Grounding is also important because our modern lifestyle sometimes rips us away from the healing, strengthening qualities of nature and the earth. Luckily, you don't have to go on a woodland retreat to reconnect with nature. Grounding can easily be done in various way around your own
home:

Methods to Ground

1. Garden Mindfully. The next time you work in your garden, yard, or tend to your houseplants, take time to truly notice the plants. Pay close attention to the shapes of their leaves, the saturated color of the flowers, and feel their textures. We often take plants and trees for granted, never taking the time to appreciate their beauty.

2. Grounding Bath. A bath can be made grounding with bath salts.Salt is very grounding and purifying. In your next bath, add salts and picture the salt extracting your worries and unwanted energies, while you feel yourself connecting with water and earth. 1/2 cup of Vinegar, 1/2 cup of Bath Salts/Epson Salts and some of your favorite herbs in a little herb bag in the bath is not only great for grounding but great for your skin.

3. Eat Grounding Foods. Many foods are very grounding including root vegetables (such as carrots and potatoes) and unrefined grains. Cooking with plenty of herbs and spices enhances the grounding quality of your meals. Carbohydrate found in foods such as potatoes and bread are not only grounding but have a very calming affect on children/adults. In a evening meal can help you to sleep.

4. Trees. Get to know the trees in your neighborhood and nearby parks. Many of us walk, jog or run for stress-relief when all the while we are zooming past one of the best stress-relievers on the planet - trees! Trees are more than happy to help teach you how to ground. During your next walk, take time to stop and notice particular trees that stand out to you. They may be particularly majestic or unusual. Feel the tree's bark, appreciate its form, and let the tree's energy flow through you. Especially take the time to get to know the trees on your property.

5. Routine: Setting a regular routine of self-care may help you. Allot time in the early morning, afternoon, AND evening for yourself. Even if it is just 5 minutes each time, use these times wisely to breathe slow, deep breaths, meditate, and ground. Your day will take on a much different tone with this slight adjustment to your schedule. Make these self-care times part of your daily routine, and stick to it!
If you are a parent with small children, use your child's nap time, favorite TV time, and a time when your partner can watch the children to implement these small, but extremely important self-care rituals.

6. Grounding Meditation. Grounding meditations should be a regular part of your meditation practice. Following is an example of a grounding meditation. If practical, try this meditation outside sometime, on the ground, or near a tree. If you are sitting inside, make sure your feet are planted firmly on the floor.

Quick Grounding Meditation
Sit peacefully and relax. Let the ground or chair support you. Let your muscles go. You don't have to exert any effort to sit there. Take in an easy, deep breath...and let it slowly realease out your mouth. Let your arms feel heavy, pulling down your shoulders. Breathe... Let that heavy feeling flow down your body down your legs, so you feel heavy and relaxed all the way down to your feet firmly placed on the ground. Releasing stress and old unwanted energies from your body into Mother Earth for healing.

Now picture and feel roots growing from your feet down into the ground. Just like a tree's roots...going down into the layers of cool dirt...growing around rocks...traveling further and further down into the earth. Let the roots grow as deeply as you wish.

Now feel the healing, rhythmic energy of the earth itself flowing up through your roots...slowly traveling up...through your roots, up to your feet and quickly filling your entire body. Feel this positive, grounded, earth energy throughout your being. Take in a deep, cleansing breath... and release.

When you are ready, open your eyes and know that this grounded energy will remain with you throughout your day.

While doing the Grounding Mediation you may want to hold a crystal/stone to help enhance this grounding exercise, below are some that are recomended as having grounding properties, these also can be worn as a necklace/braclet etc. Mant Darl crystals/stones are know to aid in grounding, I think Hemitite is one of the favorites here tho.

Hemitite: Grounding and protection . It is one of the most grounding of all stones, it reduces stress and combats insomnia. It is said to help increase courage, concentrate energy and strengthen the heart. It is very beneficial to those attracted to it, but it is one of those stones that you either love or hate

Mahogany: Increased grounding and protection.

Apache Tear : A stone of protection that prevents emotional draining from others, works as a shield against unwanted vibrations, sharpens vision, helps with transitions

Red Jasper: Protection against unseen lower astral entities. Enables you to work with heavy negativity. Stabilizes emotions

Oils are also know to help ground:

To be grounded means to be in the body and connected to and sustained by the energy of the earth. When we are ungrounded we may get confused, nauseous, light-headed or spacey, and feel unable to hold our ground or perspective. The oils that help to ground are: vetiver, patchouli, oak moss, myrrh, and sandalwood.

AURIC PROTECTION

To be protected in this way means that our boundary is secure, and we keep out negative thoughts, feelings, and projections sent to us by others. When our boundaries are breached, we will take on these negative beliefs about ourselves. We can feel depleted, depressed, and empty, vulnerable to other people's stuff. A healthy boundary allows in good support, but keeps out whatever is toxic to us. The oils that protect and seal the aura from negativity are: rose, lavender, juniper, eucalyptus, rosemary, and fennel.

RELEASING TOXINS

No matter how protected we are, some times negativity gets in--maybe we're tired, or the person knows how to hit our most vulnerable button, or they may be a master of energetic abuse. If we notice that something has gotten through our defence, several oils may help us to release it: eucalyptus, juniper, niaouli, and hyssop.

CLARITY OF THOUGHT AND COMMUNICATION

If we are grounded and protected, our mind can perceive any dangers or threatened attacks, and we can determine the best way to respond. Sometimes we choose silence, sometimes we speak, sometimes we leave, and sometimes we stay. The following oils help us to open our third eye to understand exactly what is happening and what is needed: rosemary, lemon, lemongrass, cedarwood, lime, sandalwood and eucalyptus.

If we determine that we must speak, the oils that teach us how to speak our truth from a place of integrity and power are the chamomiles--both German and roman. Many people have issues around speaking up, so using chamomile as a part of our daily practice can help (drinking the tea with this intention is also helpful).

ENERGY

The great energy healer Roselyn Bruyere has said that the best protection is being full--you can't pour anything into a container that is already full. Oils that help us to be energized include pine, orange, spruce, basil and ginger.