What is Grounding?

Do you remember the last time you walked barefoot on the beach, through the grass or in the bush and simply felt reconnected with the Earth?

Years of extensive research has shown that connecting to the Earth’s natural energy, by walking barefoot on grass, sand, dirt or rock can diminish chronic pain, fatigue and other ailments that plague so many people today.  This connection is referred to as Earthing or Grounding.

Grounding is a self-soothing skill to use when one is having a bad day or dealing with a lot of stress, overwhelming feelings, and/or intense anxiety. These techniques helps keep us in the present and reorient us to the here-and-now and to reality. It can also serve as a distraction from the difficulties we are dealing with in the moment.

The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Game

This grounding exercise is about using all 5 of your senses to soothe: seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and tasting.

• Name 5 things you can SEE around you: Ideas for self-soothing through sight: pictures, art, stargazing, etc.
• Name 4 things you can FEEL: Ideas for self-soothing through touch: fabric, rocks, hands, pets, a soft blanket, your feet on the floor, the chair on your back, etc.
• Name 3 things you can HEAR: Ideas for self-soothing through sound: your favorite song, nature sounds, fingers tapping on the keyboard, stand-up comedy, etc.
• Name 2 things you can SMELL: Ideas for self-soothing through smells: a scented candle or lotion, food aromas, soap, etc.
• Name 1 thing you can TASTE: Ideas for self-soothing through taste: sweet, sour, chewy foods, etc.

Apart from this technique, going barefoot outside for at least half-hour can really make a difference in the stress or pain level. Sit, stand, lay or walk on grass, sand, dirt, or plain concrete.  These are all conductive surfaces from which our body can draw the Earth’s energy. Wood, carpet, asphalt, sealed or painted concrete and vinyl won’t work and will block the flow of electrons as they are not conductive surfaces. 

Experience for yourself the healing energy of the Earth at work next time you are stressed, in pain or unwell.

When your bare feet or skin comes in contact with the earth, free electrons are taken up into the body.  These electrons could be referred to as nature’s biggest antioxidants and help neutralise damaging excess free radicals that can lead to inflammation and disease in the body.  The Earth is a conductor or free electrons and so are all living things on the planet, including us.  The body is composed of mostly of water and minerals which in combination are excellent conductors of electrons from the Earth providing there is direct skin contact or some other conductive channel for them to flow through. 

Benefits of Earthing or Grounding has been shown to help with:

• Defuse the cause of inflammation, and improve or eliminate the symptoms of many inflammation-related disorders 
• Reduce or eliminate chronic pain
• Improve Sleep and promote a deeper sleep
• Increase energy and vitality
• Lower stress and promote calmness in the body by cooling down the nervous system and stress hormones
• Normalise the body’s biological rhythms
• Thin the blood and improve blood pressure and flow
• Relieve muscle tension and headaches
• Lessen hormonal and menstrual symptoms
• Dramatically speeds healing time and can help prevent bedsores
• Reduce or eliminate jet lag
• Protect the body against potentially health disturbing environmental electromagnetic fields (EMFs)
• Accelerate recovery from intense athletic activity