connection to the earth

After I started practicing reiki, I started reading about the importance of grounding oneself before energy work. Quite honestly, this sort of seemed like a nuisance. However, for some reason, which I have since forgotten, I tried a grounding exercise one evening, just to see what would happen.

I tried it in a moment when I was feeling rather worried and scatter-brained. Wow. Immediately afterwards, I noticed that my mind was calmer. It felt like I was more in my body and less in my mind.

A week or so ago, I talked about being caught up in the stories in your head. When I remember to do this exercise regularly, I find that it really helps me in my daily life. {I'd credit someone, but I've seen versions of this in many places so don't really know where it originates.}

• Stand with your feet planted firmly on the ground.
• Imagine that there is a tree trunk growing out of each foot into the earth. Maybe there is even another tree trunk extending down from your torso into the earth.
• Imagine roots growing out of the tree trunks and snaking their way out to the horizon and down, down, down, down - until they reach the center of the earth and wrap themselves around the small, hard core at the center. (Here, I must confess, my imagination fades as I get distracted, wondering why the roots aren't burning up since I believe it's extremely hot at the core, but the exercise seems to work anyway.)

The best way I can describe what this feels like in my body is to say that it feels as if my weight is sinking into my belly. It's like my center of gravity moves to the center of my body - and I am more fully in my body, and less in my mind. This makes it easier for me to react to what is going on in the moment.

If you try it, let me know how it works for you! Or if there are ways that you pull yourself back to center, I'd love to hear them.

Comments

[Caroline]

Funny...I too had forgotten my grounding exercises. I love that exercise and have begun doing it again. What a difference it makes!

[steph]

I have gotten out of the practice of regularly doing a grounding exercise, and your talking about it here has helped spur me into resurrecting that practice. Thank you!

My favorite version starts out similarly to what you described. After that, though, you imagine branches growing out of the top of your head (crown chakra) up to the sun. And then you can alternate breathing in earth energy and sun energy and imagine them mixing all up together in your heart.

I like the way this version grounds me and makes me feel connected in more than one dimension (kind of. it's hard for me to describe how it feels different than when I do just the first part).

[elizabeth @ the blue lotus]

@steph: I was out of practice too. I had just started again - and remembered how useful it was - which was what inspired the post.

I have tried a version that incorporates energy from above and below and mixes them. I find that much harder to do. It feels like my brain is trying to look all the way to the right and all the way to the left at once, and it gets really confused and hurty - if that makes sense. But I really like how you describe it - maybe that would work for me. Thanks!

@Caroline: it really is! It is such a good thing to do in the morning before anything happens.

[steph]

"It feels like my brain is trying to look all the way to the right and all the way to the left at once"

Oh yes, that makes sense to me! In doing guided meditation style groundings, I've had some folks try to lead me through things like breath earth up on the inhale and sky down on the exhale while simultaneously envisioning them mixing in my heart. And I just can't encompass all that. But I can do a few breaths of earth up, and then a few breaths of sky down, and then a few breaths of them mixing together in my heart.

I figure whatever works for each of us is good. :)

[elizabeth @ the blue lotus]

@steph: exactly. and your method seems much more doable. :)

[R]

The way that I do it is similar to yours, I visualize the tree and roots sinking but as they go down they pass through earth, air, water and then fire when they reach the core. Then I visualize the energy coming back up the root, like feeding the tree, fire, water, air, earth, coming up through the tree, through my body and out through the branches of the crown of my head to circle down the sides and back into the earth.

[Elainegrundy]

Hi Elizabeth, just found your blog via Havi, what a treasure you are!!
I was never taught grounding with Reiki and honestly I haven't found it necessary, I do prayer pose and focus a few breaths on my middle fingers, or I shoot my breath out through my feet whilst saying to myself 'I ground', but that's probably cos I'm a lazy old so and so!

[elizabeth @ the blue lotus]

@R: That is fascinating! Thank you for sharing your method. I will definitely try it sometime!

@Elainegrundy: Thank you for stopping by! (And for the sweet comment.) I don't remember being taught grounding in my class either - actually, that's not entirely true, she said we could draw the power symbol on our feet and that would ground us - but I would read about it or other reiki people would say how it was needed. I like your way - short and sweet. ;) And as it turns out, my need for grounding might have been totally unrelated to energy work.