MIND-BODY-SPIRIT
The Importance of Being Grounded
The Practice of Grounding 3UDFWLFLQJ SK\VLFDO *URXQGLQJ RU (DUWKLQJ LV DV VLPSOH DV JHW - ting outside and walking either barefoot or wearing shoes with nat- ural soles, which allow the earth’s electromagnetic energy to connect with your body’s electromagnetic energy. Another enjoyable way to get grounded is through camping — sleeping in a tent, so close to the earth, allows us to connect directly with the earth’s electromagnetic energies. If you can’t get outside, there are other ways to get grounded. Al- though they aren’t considered Earthing, so are not substitutes for con- tact with the earth’s electromagnetic energy, they are great for bring- ing you solidly into body awareness: • Stop for a moment and notice where your body is being supported. ,I\RXDUHVLWWLQJQRWLFHZKHUH\RXUERG\PDNHVFRQWDFWZLWKWKHÀRRU and the furniture. If you are standing, notice the feel of the ground supporting your feet. • Take a moment to be present with your breath, feeling the move- ment of your chest and belly as you inhale and exhale. • Do a body scan, taking a few minutes to bring awareness to your body by slowly moving your attention from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet, checking in with any sensations you encounter without clinging to them or judging them. • Imagine you have energetic roots growing from the bottoms of your feet, connecting deep into the earth. Take a moment to breathe in and out of your roots. And, if you’d like to add a little extra something to your daily *URXQGLQJURXWLQH\RXFDQXVHWKHIROORZLQJḊUPDWLRQ ³7KH(DUWK supports me and meets my needs. It is safe for me to be here. I am held DQGVXSSRUWHG´ *LYHQDOOWKHEHQH¿WV,KLJKO\HQFRXUDJH\RXWRVSHQGDWOHDVW¿YH PLQXWHV HDFK GD\PDNLQJ FRQWDFW ZLWK WKH JURXQG %DUHIRRW LV LGH - al, but as I mentioned earlier, you can always wear shoes with soles PDGHRIDQDWXUDOPDWHULDOWRDOORZWKHÀRZRIHOHFWURQV5XEEHUDQG synthetic soles block the transmission (think of the coating on an elec- WULFDOZLUH 7KLVWLPHRI\HDUDIXQZD\WRJHWJURXQGHGLVE\YLVLWLQJ DSLFN\RXURZQ IDUP<RX¶OOEH LQFRQWDFWZLWK WKHHDUWKDQGFRPH away with some fresh, local produce. 6RJHWRXWVLGHDQGJHWJURXQGHG²\RXZLOOQRWLFHWKHGL̆HUHQFH 0DU\+$.HDUQVDXWKRURI Lessons from a Reluctant Healer: On /HDUQLQJWR/LVWHQWRWKDW6WLOO6PDOO9RLFH:LWKLQWR%HWWHU%ULQJ<RXU *LIWVWRWKH:RUOG , is an internationally sought-after healer, intuitive coach, author, developmental psychologist, and retreat leader who has studied a wide array of holistic methods with world-renowned H[SHUWV+HUPLVVLRQLVWRKHOSSHRSOHGLVFRYHUDQGQRXULVKWKHLU,Q - QHU/LJKW6LQFHVKHKDVR̆HUHGZRUNVKRSVDQGWDONVRQDZLGH UDQJHRIPLQGERG\VSLULWWRSLFV0DU\KROGVD3K'LQ'HYHORSPHQ - WDO3V\FKRORJ\IURP)RUGKDP8QLYHUVLW\LVD5HLNL0DVWHU7HDFKHU &HUWL¿HG /LIH &RDFK DQG 5HJLVWHUHG <RJD 7HDFKHU <RX FDQ OHDUQ PRUHDERXWKHUZRUNDWZZZ\RXUVWHOODUVHOIFRP
BY MARY H. A. KEARNS, PHD
$FRXSOHRI\HDUVDJR,ZDVZDONLQJDORQJVW6WUHHWLQ0DQKDWWDQ in the rain. I spotted a young woman up ahead standing on the side- walk holding a baby, seemingly oblivious to the fact they were getting VRDNHG³<RXUEDE\VHHPVWREHHQMR\LQJWKHUDLQ´,VDLGVWRSSLQJWR smile at the baby. The woman looked up and smiled at me, and said, ³7KH RQO\ WLPH VKH LVQ¶W FU\LQJ LVZKHQ ,¶PZDONLQJ DURXQG RXWVLGH ZLWKKHU±QRPDWWHUZKDW WKHZHDWKHU´ ,DVNHGKHUZKLFKÀRRU WKH\ OLYHGRQDQGVKHVDLG³:HOLYHRQWKHWKLUGÀRRU´ , WROGKHU ,KDG UHFHQWO\ OHDUQHGDERXW*URXQGLQJ LQD¿OPDERXW /DXUD.RQLYHU0' D SK\VLFLDQ DQGPHGLFDO LQWXLWLYHZKR GLVFRY - ered that walking outside barefoot with her baby (she lived in the FRXQWU\ ZDVWKHRQHWKLQJWKDWFRQVLVWHQWO\VRRWKHGKHUEDE\¶VFROLF Since then, she has collected many medical studies supporting her ob- VHUYDWLRQDQGQRZDGYRFDWHVIRUWKHSUDFWLFHRI*URXQGLQJRU³(DUWK - LQJ´DVVKHFDOOVLWDVDZD\WRVXSSRUWPLQGERG\VSLULWKHDOWK³7KDW PDNHV FRPSOHWH VHQVH´ WKH \RXQJPRP VDLG , FRPPHQGHG KHU IRU being such a caring and perceptive mother, then headed on my way. -XVWOLNHJURXQGLQJDQHOHFWULFDODSSOLDQFH*URXQGLQJKHOSVPDNH sure you don’t become overwhelmed by the energy in and around you. *URXQGLQJ DOORZV HOHFWURPDJQHWLF HQHUJ\ WR WUDYHO VDIHO\ DQG Ḣ - ciently travel through your body, distributing it to where it is needed. It is especially important for people who are intuitive, highly sensi- tive, or healers to stay grounded. In order to be your best, it’s neces- sary to get grounded before you explore the world of energy healing, higher-realm meditation, etc. If you don’t ground yourself well before ZRUNLQJZLWK WKH KLJKHU UHDOPV \RX FDQ VX̆HU QHJDWLYH VLGH H̆HFWV such as jitteriness and lightheadedness. One teacher of mine likened it to being a tree — when reaching for vibrational heights, you need deep solid energetic roots so you don’t get blown over or lose your footing. Sensitive people can lose touch with their bodies because of a de- sire to escape the physical reality, which can undoubtedly be painful. %XWZKHQZH¶UHJURXQGHGZHQDWXUDOO\IHHOPRUHSHDFHIXO$QGEHLQJ rooted in our physical reality is extremely important. Without that, we can lose perspective and become easily manipulated, losing touch with our truth. ,Q DGGLWLRQ WR HPRWLRQDO DQG VSLULWXDO EHQH¿WV *URXQGLQJ DOVR KDVPDQ\ NQRZQSRVLWLYHSK\VLRORJLFDO H̆HFWV5HVHDUFK VKRZV WKDW grounding to the electron-enriched Earth results in better sleep, lower blood pressure, and less pain. And being grounded infuses your body with negatively charged ions, which boosts immune responses, wound KHDOLQJDQGSUHYHQWLRQDQG WUHDWPHQWRI FKURQLF LQÀDPPDWRU\DQG autoimmune diseases.
PATHWAYS—Fall 21—17
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