Grounding
Perhaps, like me, being “grounded” as a kid was the height of punishment. It would involve the temporary removal of anything that seemed fun, in order to stop you from doing whatever inappropriate thing you were doing, and replace it with something you absolutely did not want to do, like clean your room.
As we lean into Spring and find ourselves bombarded by chaos, I have been reflecting on the understanding I now have of the nature of “grounding,” and how it can benefit us in times of upheaval, whether natural or (hu)man-made. This idea of grounding was introduced to me through my yoga practice many years ago, and I have found it repeated across many domains of wisdom and spiritual practice. It’s even a remedy for jet lag. At its most basic, the idea is to intentionally connect yourself to the Earth, thinking of your lower body as the roots of a tree. Yogic wisdom calls this the muladhara or “root chakra.”
“When we are grounded, we are humble and close to the Earth…We can embrace stillness, solidity, and clarity, “grounding out” the stresses of everyday life, and increasing the vitality of our basic life force.” –Anodea Judith, Ph.D., “Wheels of Life”
Now, I know not all of you have a yoga practice and for some of you, this might be coming close to the edge of “woo woo” in a way that does not feel relatable. Whether you are a practicing yogi or this all feels a little beyond to you, my hope is to share some very practical strategies you can use to ground yourself whenever you’re feeling caught up in a swirl of any kind.
Go outside. Whether it is cold, sunny, rainy or snowing, take a moment and go outside. Be still and breathe. Look around and find something that makes you smile.
Phone a friend. Call, text, Marco Polo, FaceTime, or even write a note. Even if you’re leaving a message, taking the time to connect with someone who cares about you can do wonders for breaking any kind of mental spiral.
Move your body. This can be as simple as leaving the room you are in and wandering around for a bit or as elaborate as going for a walk, a workout or a dance break. See if you can feel how this shifts the energy in your body and your brain.
Sing! But only if you like to. It matters not whether you are “good” at it, nor if anyone hears you.
Do Nothing. When I was feeling overwhelmed by work and grief last year, this was my therapist’s prescription for me. Read a book. Watch mindless TV. Stare out the window. Don’t go anywhere. Don’t make any plans. Put the phone down. Stop scrolling. Get still and let your brain reset.
Whether you have five seconds, five minutes, five hours or a whole day, give yourself the gift of grounding.