When life gets overwhelming, knowing how to ground yourself in the present can return you to a sense of balance, calm, and inner peace. It can also be your go-to practice to combat anxiety, panic attacks, and even insomnia.
Above all, this potent practice is a universal way of reconnecting with the sacred power of Mother Earth and your inner self. And when you are deeply rooted in your true essence and present with life itself, you can go as high as you are destined to go.
What is Grounding?
Grounding is an umbrella term for techniques that help you connect with the present moment and with the energies of the Earth:
- Connecting with the present moment implies becoming fully aware and engaged with the current moment through mindfulness practices.
- Connecting with the Earth involves becoming physically and energetically connected with its energies. It can be done by walking barefoot on the ground, hugging a tree, or visualizing roots growing from your feet into the Earth.
Both ways help you become more present—in your body and Soul. Juan Pablo Barahona, spiritual teacher and trainer of Mindvalley’s Ultra Presence Quest, calls this state “ultra presence.”
When you master ultra presence, you become presence itself. And this is the ultimate goal of most spiritual practices.
3 Grounding Techniques for Your Body
Practicing grounding techniques for the body can help promote improved physical health. Studies show that grounding improves the body’s immune and inflammatory responses.
Here are three grounding techniques to help you keep you levelheaded:
1. Nature walks
Nature walks are the most natural way to ground yourself. All you need is to find a natural setting, such as a park, a forest, or a beach, and take a mindful stroll.
As you do so, focus on your surroundings. Notice the beauty of nature—the sounds, the smells, and the textures. Allow yourself to be fully present in the moment and connect with the energy of the earth beneath your feet.
If you find a giant tree, give it a long hug, as direct contact with the tree’s surface transfers electrons to your body and helps reduce inflammation.
Learn more: Why “Earthing” Is the Ultimate Biohack – And How to Do It Today
2. Exercise
Exercise is a great way to ground yourself physically and mentally, as it engages your body and mind. Not only does it help you become utterly present, but it also increases your body awareness, releases tension and stress in your body, boosts endorphins, and improves sleep.
If you aim to ground yourself with exercise, a simple walk can be enough to do the trick.
3. Spoon your feet
Donna Eden, energy medicine pioneer and author of Mindvalley’s Energy Medicine Quest, explains that your feet can attune to the rhythms of the Earth through an energy vortex at the bottom of each foot.
When that natural connection is disrupted, it affects your entire system. Luckily, you can restore that connection by simply spooning your feet.
The spooning technique is simple: just grab a stainless steel spoon and tap on the soles of your feet before you go to bed.
3 Grounding Techniques for Your Mind
Grounding can be beneficial for your mind and overall mental health as it reduces stress and anxiety, improves focus and concentration, and promotes relaxation. In fact, it is one of the essential parts of any mindfulness practice or meditation.
1. Mindful breathing
Mindful breathing, or mindfulness meditation, is a technique that involves focusing on your breath and observing it without judgment. According to Gelong Thubten, professional meditation teacher and trainer of Mindvalley’s Becoming More Loving Quest, mindfulness meditation can be as simple as breathing, noticing, and returning, with your eyes closed or open.
How to do it:
- Find a comfortable place to sit.
- Keeping your eyes open or closed, focus on your breath.
- When you notice you lost your focus, return to your breath.
- Do this for 5-10 minutes to calm your mind and reduce stress.
You can also listen to a free guided mindfulness meditation (available on the Mindvalley app):
2. Creative visualization
When you mentally and energetically connect to the core of the Earth, you get the same benefits as physical earthing. So, visualizing yourself in your favorite natural environment can instantly ground you and relax your racing mind.
How to do it:
- Find a quiet and safe place where you can sit comfortably.
- Close your eyes and imagine a place that makes you feel relaxed and at peace. It could be a beach, a forest, or a mountain.
- Imagine yourself in that place, engaging all of your senses.
- Feel the breeze blowing on your face, smell the flowers around you, listen to the sounds of water and birds, and touch the grass.
- Feel at peace and totally relaxed.
Learn more: How to Use the Power of Visualization
3. Observe your emotions
JuanPa compares emotions with a rollercoaster—today they take you high, and the next day you feel angry, frustrated, or sad. This is how emotions rob you of your presence. He says, “Instead of going with the emotions, it’s crucial to learn to feel them as they are meant to be felt.”
So you can learn how to use the energy of emotions by simply observing them. When the emotion arises, ask yourself:
- What am I feeling right now?
- Where is this emotion coming from?
- Where am I feeling it in the body?
The key is to observe them without judgment and to breathe.
Learn more: How to Control Your Emotions in Any Situation
3 Grounding Techniques for Your Soul
Believe it or not, grounding is an essential part of your spiritual well-being. According to Jeffrey Allen, spiritual teacher and trainer of Mindvalley’s Duality Quest, learning how to ground yourself spiritually helps you tap into your intuition more easily.
When you are grounded, you are more connected to your inner self and open to spiritual guidance.
1. Grounding meditation
Grounding meditation is about connecting yourself energetically to the Earth through the root chakra and releasing your confusion, tension, and stagnant energy into it. It’s a powerful technique for anchoring your spirit in your body and healing your physical and energetic bodies.
Try this powerful grounding meditation guided by Jeffrey Allen to help you release your biggest blocks.
3. Practice breathwork
Breathwork regulates the flow of energy in the body, which can instantly help you ground when you feel scattered. By directing the breath to different parts of the body, you can bring energy and attention to those areas and balance your overall energy. Also, breathwork gives you insights into how to ground yourself during a panic attack or combat anxiety.
According to Niraj Naik, SOMA Breath® creator and trainer of Mindvalley’s Breathwork for Life Quest, you can reach a state of total bliss and attain inner peace on demand—all through mastering your breath.
You can use the deep abdominal breathing technique for grounding.
How to do it:
- Sit or lie in a comfortable position with your eyes closed.
- Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. As you breathe, the bottom hand should move, while the hand on your chest should stay still.
- Inhale through your nose for about four seconds, feeling your abdomen expand.
- Hold your breath for two seconds.
- Exhale slowly through your mouth for about six seconds.
- Repeat for 5-15 minutes.
Read more: Reaching the Peak Human Experience With Breathwork
3. Chant mantras
You don’t have to follow a specific religion to harness the power of mantras.
Chanting mantras can be a powerful tool for grounding because it enables you to focus your mind on a single word or phrase. On top of that, mantras hold the sacred key to your spiritual growth and enlightenment.
Here’s how to use chanting mantras for grounding:
- Choose a mantra that resonates with you.
- Find a quiet space where you can chant your mantra without interruption.
- Sit comfortably in a chair with your back straight and your feet firmly on the ground.
- Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Then, begin chanting your chosen mantra in a slow and steady rhythm throughout the duration of your exhale.
- As you chant, focus on the sound and feeling of the mantra, allowing the vibration of the sound to fill your body and ground you.
- Continue chanting for as long as feels comfortable to you.
Learn more: Mantra Meditation: The Beginner’s List of Mantras for Meditation
Access Your Highest Potential with Mindvalley
The reason why grounding is such a powerful practice is that it connects you with the Earth and helps you access your highest potential. In many spiritual traditions, the Earth is viewed as a sacred and powerful source of energy and wisdom, so grounding allows you to tap into this wisdom and access your own inner guidance.
Most importantly, it connects you to your true divine nature and aligns you with the natural rhythms of the Universe.
If you’re looking to return to your true divine nature and awaken your greatness from within, Mindvalley is the place to be. There’s a range of transformational Quests available, such as:
- Duality with Jeffrey Allen,
- Breathwork for Life with Nirak Naik,
- Becoming More Loving with Gelong Thubten,
- Energy Medicine with Donna Eden,
- Ultra Presence with Juan Pablo Barahona, and
- So much more.
You will discover tools and techniques to help you connect with your inner self, unlock your full potential, and create a life that’s truly aligned with your purpose.
The best part is that you can sample a class of these Quests by unlocking your free access.
Welcome in.
