With another national lockdown impending it's easy to let your mind run away with itself, daydreaming, worrying, feeling stressed or anxious and its completely understandable too. This pandemic has affected SO many of us in a variety of ways.
This heightened state of stress however affects our physical and mental wellbeing, where we become reactive rather than responsive, we can lose our centre, our attention wanders and our sense of grounding is lost.
So What is Grounding?
"Grounding is a process of dynamic contact with the Earth, with its edges, boundaries and limitations'. It allows us to become solidly real - present in the here and now.' Anodea Judith
Grounding brings awareness into the body, it helps us anchor our roots and find stability, clarity and security. Building strong roots is the foundation of who we are, it helps us become more present in the moment and at home with who we are.
Practising grounding is a good way to cope with the stresses of daily life, when we are grounded we are humble, have a stronger sense of self, we feel calmer and more connected. Most of us spend too much time in our heads which is sending energy up up up and we can often feel overwhelmed or scatty, Grounding its about creating that sense of balance and sending energy downwards, back down to earth where we are able to live more in the moment.
Here are a few grounding exercises you can try:
- Walking barefoot outside - on the beach, on the grass, wherever you are, really bring your awareness to your feet, feel the connection to the earth, notice the textures, the temperature against your bare feet, feel the subtle current of energy flowing from your feet down to the earth.
- Grounding meditation - sitting up tall on a chair with your feet planted firmly on the ground. Bring your awareness to your breath. As you inhale feel the body rise and expand and as you exhale send the breath down through the body, down the legs and through the feet in to the earth. Feel that connection. Notice any sensations, maybe tingling or numbness. Feel the weight of the body resting on your chair and how you are supported here. Take a few slow deep breaths. Notice how you feel.
- Practising Yoga. Here is a 30 minute grounding Yoga class for you to try..
- Resting - Slow down, sit comfortably in a chair, relax and do nothing. This doesn't mean sit scrolling through your phone, this means just enjoy the silence, allow your body to settle, do an internal body scan to notice the areas you are holding tension and see where you can relax more. Your body supported by the chair, allow yourself this time to just be.
- Mindful Eating - Cook your favourite nutritious meal, put your phone away and sit down to eat it, savouring each bite, allowing yourself to fully enjoy the flavours and feel that sense of comfort it brings you.
Give them and go and let me know how you get on. Take little steps each day, doing things to help you feel calmer and more grounded, it's an ongoing process and every day is different.
Look after yourself xx