“The wise man in the storm prays to God, not for safety from danger, but deliverance from fear” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
What does it mean to be grounded? If you think of a strong old tree, tap root reaching deep into the earth like an anchor, other roots reaching out under the ground like strange subterranean branches, then you’ll begin to understand what I mean.
With such a deep root system, big storms can blow and the tree will weather the worst of gales, hanging on soundly because of the strength of those roots, and their wide grasp of the world’s foundations.
For a person to be grounded we need to have that same deep connection, that same energetic stability that holds us firm and safe, no matter what is going on around us. We need to earth ourselves.
When we are well grounded we naturally make good decisions for ourselves, and gravitate towards healthy relationships and situations that support our highest good. When we are grounded we are emotionally stable and mentally strong. We come from a place of balance, and we have great endurance even in the most difficult of situations.
Being grounded is essential when life becomes difficult. It is a vastly under-rated coping mechanism, especially in the face of uncertainty.
How do you know if you’re not well grounded? You may feel spacey, vague, depleted or drained. You may over-react to the smallest of things, or not bat an eyelid at something monumental. Unable to make decisions or to trust your own judgement. You could have a sense of perpetual panic or overwhelm, or feel totally disconnected from life. You may even feel unsafe, distressed or upset, without a clear reason why.
Here are some simple ways to create that strong sense of anchoring in our lives, so that we live from a place of balance, connection and security:
1. Choose foods that have a grounding effect on the body.
Foods that have a grounding effect are things that nurture and calm us.
Avoid stimulants such as sugars, caffeine and refined/processed foods. Also avoid cold and raw foods.
Emphasise root vegetables, like potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, ginger, garlic and onions.
Other great foods for grounding include warmed milk and all roasted, baked or stewed vegetables and meats, chick peas, white beans, lentils, figs, olives, coconut, avocados, soups and warming spices like cinnamon, star anise, curry spices, cumin, fennel, coriander, cloves, allspice and nutmeg.
2. Take an Epsom Salts Bath.
Epsom Salts Baths are a wonderful way to de-stress, unwind, top your body up with magnesium, and cleanse your auric field. Highly recommended when you are around toxic people or situations.
3. Get back into your Body
No-one can be grounded when they live in their head! Pull back from the computer or TV. Organise a massage, go for a walk, swim, run, climb, ride, dance, stretch, play, get moving. Physical exercise and activities help burn off stress and re-balance your body chemistry.
4. Spend time in Nature
They call it ‘grounding’ for a reason. Nature helps defuse the tension within us, and relaxes our minds and bodies. You don’t even need to be active. Relax on a park bench in the sunshine on a winter’s day, dig in the garden, wander along the shoreline, fly a kite…
If you can, take your shoes off and stand with your bare feet on the earth. Walk around for a bit if that is possible. This allows you to discharge built up electromagnetic energy, and re-orient your body’s inner compass. If you suffer from feeling ‘spacey’, exhausted, drained or disconnected, bare-footed reconnection to the Earth will do you wonders! You could also sit on the grass, or rest with your back against a tree.
5. Breathe
That’s right! Sit in silence, be still and just focus on your breath, being aware of your breathe entering and leaving your body. Breathing in. Relaxing. Breathing out. Relaxing a little more. You can do this to calm yourself down at any time during the day, but giving yourself the gift of five or ten minutes of stillness and mindful breathing is a powerfully grounding and energetically restorative act.
6. Meditate
Meditation calms the mind, soothes the spirit and relaxes the body. You’ll find plenty of simple guided meditations and meditation techniques here on my blog (just use the search box at the top right hand corner of this page).
I’ve also recorded a simple guided meditation specifically for helping you to ground into the earth. All you have to do is close your eyes, and follow my voice. Set aside fifteen minutes to relax, ground and heal. This is a very useful and powerful meditation, and I hope you enjoy it! Click on the link or button below to listen:
Nicole Cody’s Guided Meditation for Spiritual Grounding
Be well. Trust that you are Guided. Know that you are Loved. ♥ xx
Thank you for showing me how to be grounded I am finding life a little hard rite now,but listening to your voice soothed me but made me cry….I guess i have been punishing myself for a long time! thank you again I will try to listen every day..
Sharon xx
Really loved the meditation Nicole.
Thanks Jeanette! 🙂 Bless xx
I never thought getting indecisive shows need for grounding!
Have been wishing for some guided meditation, thank you for obliging. Big love bubble to you and yours Nicole. Nina
Oh, Thank you Nina! Bless xx
Wow, I love this post (as I love all your posts! ♥). But this one especially ‘spoke’ to me today. Thank you.
If it was speaking, I hope you listened…
Love and hugs to you xoxo
I really enjoyed your meditation, I discovered that I like being a tree! When I think of it now I can’t help smiling, it was a great start to my day, thank you. It made me want to walk along a beach with the sand running through my toes.
I needed this – thank you!
Am able to open meditation-thank you….I really need this now!
Yay!
Beautiful recommendations. I’m a fan of all … Much love and peace to you, Mel
Love and peace right back to you, beautiful girl xx
XO
You never fail to post about something that I feel is so necessary to me in this moment. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
And no more salads for me 😉
LOL to the no more salads. I think that as long as you layer your salad with sips of soup, or put some baked vegetables or chicken etc in your salad for a ‘warm salad’ you’d be fine.
Went to awesome meditation class today and had so many insights! But your blog on staying grounded is “the icing on the cake.” Speaking of food, now I know why I crave olives, avacados and figs!! Thank you for a lovely post, Nicole
Some of my favourite foods! Hugs and love to you xoxo
Ofcourse I love this post. Thank you SO much Nicole. Going to take barefoot walk right now! I couldn’t open the meditation though- could you re-post?
Should be fixed now!
Two days ago, I was asking my friend what she meant when she told me: you need to ground yourself” Thank you for explaining it so well!!Much love
I’m glad you found it helpful. {{{HUGS}}}
Wonderful reminders. I know these, but hearing them over and over is important for me. Yesterday I had many root/grounding foods, nature, etc. Felt very grounded. Today, too much chocolate, too much computer, etc. I am affected very quickly when I am not actively aware. Ever since I wrote: I Am Tree, I am seeing the message everywhere! I love how the universe works. Also, the quote about fear… that is usually the main thing I pray for/visualize: The release of fear. 🙂 Thank you for these words. 🙂 Sam (Going to share this one)
‘I am Tree’ – I LOVE that!!!
Much love to you xx
Not been up long and have just finished my own rituals this morning including balancing, centreing and grounding. It is so important to stay grounded as it allows us to deal with those emotional, stressful energetic times that are around at the moment, as well as those emotiional, stessed out, wired people walking around now knowing what is happening to them – it allows us to stay within our body and to deal more easily with those things the Universe loves to throw at us. Have a very grounded centred day to day, being consciously aware of being grounded makes everything a little easier to deal with. Thank you for the great meditation.
You’re so very welcome. I’m a big fan of bring grounded – makes life so much easier!
I just wrote the rough draft of my Monday blog this morning, and it’s about being centered. Obviously, this message is something that is needed right now. Good post. Thank you.
Absolutely, Brenda. So much change in the air!
Much love to you xoxo
Another great post! Look forward to trying out your meditation 🙂
Thank you! 😀
Your so awesome! I was thinking to myself today, how it’s so important to stay grounded. I work with people in high emotional stress, sometimes it easy to take it in. I always try to remind myself to stay grounded emotionally and spiritually, I needed to learn more tips on how to maintain that. So thank you, just want I needed today. 🙂
Much Metta.
Glad we’re in synch on things. Have a beautiful day! xx