The Importance of Being Grounded
Web Source: www.examiner.com/article/the-importance-of-being-grounded
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Are you stressed out? Irritable? Over tired? Do you need a nap or another cup of coffee to help you find your motivation for the day?
These are all symptoms of not being well-grounded. When we are not properly grounded on a day to day basis we are easily stressed out.
We react emotionally to all the disturbances around us. Our minds and hearts race and we feel anxious and unsettled.
We may feel drained of energy, irritable and tired. We feel unfocused and can become susceptible to viruses.
We may have a buildup of negative energy within our bodies or perhaps the Universal Life Force energy that flows throughout our bodies is low and we feel like we need a ‘boost’.
This is why those energy drinks and coffee houses are so popular right now.
Think about it.
You probably don’t really need that caffeine jolt, what your body really needs is a little grounding to get you back into that place of balance for body, mind and spirit.
On a deeper level, the act of grounding refers to the process of connecting to earth energy as well as the activation of the body’s first chakra, or root chakra.
If you are not familiar with the body’s Chakra System, there are 7 different energy centers within the body temple.
Chakra in Sanskrit literally means ‘wheel’ and refers to the clockwise spinning direction of each of these chakras when they are open and balanced. Imbalances and blocks within the body’s chakra system disrupt the natural flow of energy and can affect our wellbeing at a mental, emotional, spiritual or physical level.
Energetic imbalances and the collection of too much negative energy over time in the body temple may lead to fatigue, hyperactivity, irritability, discomfort or even dis-ease.
The primary function of the Root chakra or Muladhara is to help the physical body eliminate negative or stale energy and replace it with positive energy by grounding and connecting to the earth’s energy.
As we ground ourselves, the root chakra (located at the base of the spine) is activated and our body eliminates energy down into the earth where it is transmuted and transformed into positive energy.
As we eliminate this stale or negative energy from our bodies, we create space for new positive energy to enter.
Think about your day and notice all the different situations you encounter where you might pick up energy that is not yours.
On the way to work as you sit in traffic someone cuts you off. Your boss is in a bad mood and you have to walk on eggshells all day long.
You are stuck late at the office finishing up a long and tedious project.
Then you fight traffic all the way back home again to retreat to your sacred space with your family or roommates who have all had their own encounters with toxic energy throughout the day.
How much of that energy you passed through affected you in one way or another? Are you holding onto this energy somewhere in your own body?
What about the people you live with? Whether you are aware of it or not when it happens, the energy is there and bits of it stick to us throughout the day.
The simplest way to activate the Root chakra and ground oneself is simply by walking.
In Chinese medicine it is taught that energy leaves the body through the feet.
The act of simply placing one foot in front of the other and walking activates these energy centers and begins this process.
I personally like to visualize a trail of energetic footprints of that which no longer serves my highest good trailing behind me as I walk.
Sometimes as I walk I connect to my breath and as I breathe in, I focus on the energy coming up from the earth into my feet and filling my body.
As I breathe out, I focus on the stale or negative energy leaving my body through my feet and going down into the earth where it can be transformed into something positive.
The act of visualization and doing this at a conscious level increases the flow of energy entering and leaving the body.
Another simple grounding technique is to kick off your shoes and walk in the grass or on the sand. Or sit down on the earth underneath a tree.
Science has shown us that the energy of trees is very similar to the human energy field and that trees actually use our negative energy as a kind of ‘fertilizer’.
Therefore, grounding yourself underneath a tree not only helps you but it helps the trees too.
As you do this, connect to the power of your own breath and breathe in the energy of the tree and the energy of the earth and know that air is what fills the space between all things, connecting everything.
Repeat the mantra ‘All is One’ and feel the beauty of your connection to the All as you meditate in nature’s sanctuary.
There are many other ways to ground yourself too. You may use crystals (ruby, black tourmaline, red jasper, garnet, black obsidian, apache tears, bloodstone, hematite); aromatherapy (cedarwood, myrrh, vetiver, patchouli, sandalwood, frankincense); gardening; soaking in a saltwater bath; sculpting with clay; horseback riding; yogi squats; rock climbing; singing or listening to music in the key of C; and eating foods rich in protein are just a few ways to ground yourself.
However, my personal favorite way of grounding myself is through the simple act of walking.
As a Reiki Master, I highly recommend it as a method to maintain balance at the mental, emotional and physical levels in our lives. Walk at a brisk pace for 20 minutes a few times a week.
When you feel stressed at work or home, take a break and go out and walk around the block. I promise, you’ll feel much better, refreshed and invigorated when you come back.
And when you’re out there on your walks….remember to always stop and smell the roses!
Web Source: www.examiner.com/article/the-importance-of-being-grounded
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