Grounding is the practice of cultivating a direct connection between our personal energy and the neutral energy of the Earth. This earth energy is transformative, able to be channeled and utilized for a variety of purposes. Grounding serves as a critical precursor exercise to energy manipulation and energy balancing, such as spellwork, meditation, and healing. Grounding helps us absorb the Earth’s neutralized energy, restoring balance and mindfulness, and thus making it a vital part of self-care.
From energetic protection, raising vibrations, accessing inner wisdom, to achieving a deep state of mind for focused work, grounding presents a vast array of benefits. In this comprehensive guide, we explore in detail the concept of grounding, its significance, how it’s done, and its numerous benefits.
What is Grounding?
Grounding is when we make a direct connection between our personal energy and the neutral energy and strength of the Earth. Energy gathered up from the earthly plane can be transformed for many uses and grounding is often a precursor exercise to forms of energy manipulation and energy balancing (spellwork, meditation, healing, etc.). Grounding can also be used to transfer energy into the ground and is often accompanied after a spell to shunt any leftover energy, similar to how a grounding wire is used to discharge electricity safely into the earth. The Earth is able to effortlessly alchemize and recycle these frequencies into healing light energy (2). Grounding is an important component of self-care as we absorb the neutralized energy of the Earth and return to a balanced and mindful state. According to yoga, “grounded” means that mind and body are in sync (11).
Reasons to Ground
Below are some of the many reasons to ground:
- Energetic protection
- Become fully aware and present
- Raise vibrations
- Access inner wisdom
- Anchor yourself: return to your physical body
- Connect to your energy body
- Connect to nature
- Connect to breath
- Find stillness
- Lift mood
- Draw personal energy back in
- Access a deep state of mind for focused work
- Send emotions and blocked or excess energy into the ground
What’s Special about the Earth’s Energy?
Kat Fowler describes the Earth’s energy as “nurturing, soothing, cooling, gravitationally heavy, slow, healing” (2).
Clairvoyantly, this is golden light, or occasionally green or terra-cotta colored sparkling light. The Earth’s electromagnetic field has been measured at 7.83 hertz, also called the “Schumann resonance,”…This is a very low and slow frequency that is similar to the theta brain wave frequency band, where deep and even miraculous healing can occur.
When consciously directed, Earth energy introduces its healing, slower frequency into our energetic system and physical body. This can stabilize our mood and promote a sense of deep relaxation, allowing the body’s natural healing mechanisms to turn on. Earth energy creates a deep sense of feeling grounded and “at home” for many of those who have trouble sitting still in their bodies.
Once a healing grounding circuit is created with this energy, it acts like a magnet for any disharmonious or disruptive frequencies in the body, gently pulling them down into the Earth for transmutation. Creating this grounding connection is wonderful for those who feel anxious, stressed, run-down, and ungrounded, or for those with nervous system disorders or sleeping issues.
The Ultimate Guide to Energy Healing (2)
In addition, the Earth’s energy is considered neutral because it has no intentions, making it a great resource to draw from and put into your workings. This is in contrast to most herbs and crystals, which have specific vibrations and work toward specific intentions. Earth’s energy can be manipulated into any type of intention.
What are the Benefits of Grounding?
Grounding re-anchors you in your physical body, which in turn helps you become aware of the present moment, a place that can be a source of calm, stillness, focus, and contentment.
When Should You Ground?
My personal recommendation is to ground at least once a day, preferably twice, once in the morning (does not have to be upon waking, but whatever works best for your lifestyle and schedule), and once in the evening before bed. Grounding should also be done before and after any energy work. Other than that, you should ground when you feel led to ground. Arin Murphy-Hiscock, author of The Green Witch, shares a similar opinion, suggesting grounding when you wake up, last thing before bed, before any energy work, and whenever you are feeling a little out of sync (6).
When to Ground for Rituals, Spells, and Magical Workings
Grounding should be the first step before any ritual or magical working. Many energy practitioners will use it to shake off the outside world and fully step into their power.
Grounding is often performed after a spell or ritual to release and clear any excess energy. Many practitioners will also use Earth’s energy to neutralize their own energy after a spell.
What Happens When You Don’t Ground?
When you do not ground, your focus can be scattered, you may not feel safe in your body, and your mood may be negatively affected. You may feel as if you are being overtaken by an overabundance or a lack of energy.
In Pyschic Witch, author Mat Auryn suggests that you can cause damage to yourself when choosing to work ungrounded because you run the risk of working with energies that your system cannot handle. He says grounding is one of the most crucial forms of protection when working with energy. “Grounding is like a release valve that relieves any excess energy.” (5)
In Spells for Change, author Frankie Castanea warns that without grounding, we can get lost in spirituality and spelling, losing a grasp of what is real and what isn’t real. (4)
How Do You Ground?
There are many ways to ground. Some of the most common suggested methods include walking, sitting, or standing barefoot on earth (called earthing), visioning exercises that help the practitioner imagine they are securely anchored to the Earth’s core, eating grounding red foods and root vegetables, working with various chakras (root, foot, earth star), moving the body (through exercise, yoga, dance, etc.), massaging the Kidney 1 meridian point on the feet, and working with crystals.
Grounding is not complicated and there are many ways to do it. What is most important is your intention. My favourite way to ground is by earthing. I like to sit on a blanket with my bare feet touching grass (in a park). I do this once a day for a minimum of 20 minutes when the weather allows it (usually longer). Sometimes while I do this, I tune in to feel the energy as it leaves my body and the new energy coming in from the earth.
Other popular ways to ground:
- Visualization (see examples below)
- Indoors on a grounding mat or sheet that connects to the grounding port of your power outlet
- Taking a shower
- Swimming in a lake or ocean
- Meditation
- Working with crystals, gem or plant essences
- Caring for houseplants
- Spending time with a loved one (sometimes)
- Taking a nap
- “Grounding can be as simple as noticing the contact between your feet and the floor when you are sitting in a chair at work or standing in line at the grocery store. ” (7)
Emergency Grounding Technique
If you need to ground in an emergency, you can do so by placing your feet, knees, hands, arms, and crown of your head on the floor and ground for a few minutes while you imagine all the excess energy is flowing out of you and safely into the ground (5).
Grounding Example to Discharge Energy using Visualization and Intention
From the Book: Tarot by the Moon
This method was extracted from the book Tarot by the Moon by Victoria Constantino. To do it, use your intention to send unwanted energy (trapped, stuck, excessive, blocked, etc.) into the earth to be transmuted.
Intend that these energies are cleared and released from your field. Visualize and feel them leaving you as they move down through the foundations (if you are indoors) and into the earth to be neutralized.
Tarot by the Moon (3)
Grounding Example: Lying Belly Down on the Earth
From the Book: The Moon Book
The following technique for grounding/earthing is from The Moon Book by Sarah Faith Gottesdiener (10):
If you have the time and the access, lie belly down on the earth while breathing slowly for some time, releasing any unwanted energy or thoughts. After you feel lighter, let the earth fill you up with its vibrant green and brown energy. Allow the ground to completely hold and support you.
The Moon Book (10)
Grounding Example: Visualization
Imagine energetic roots (as a tree) or a golden cord or anything else you like, coming out of your sacrum (if you are sitting) or feet (if you are standing) and going into the ground, deeper and deeper until they reach the centre of the Earth. Visualize them anchoring you firmly and securely to the Earth.
If you can’t go outside, you can imagine a golden cord of energy flowing out of the base of your spine, or through your legs and feet, and connecting to the earth’s core.
The Moon Book (10)
From the Book: The Green Witch: Your Complete Guide to the Natural Magic of Herbs, Flowers, Essential Oils, and More
1. Take three deep, slow breaths.
2. Next take a moment to feel your own energy flowing through your body. Focus on a point in the center of your chest and visualize a small green glowing light there. This is your energy center.
3. Now visualize a tendril of green energy growing from that energy center down toward the earth. Let it reach down past your feet. Visualize it growing into the earth itself, spreading into roots and twisting through the soil. Take a moment to feel how solid and stable your root is in the earth.
4. Now that you have formed a connection with the earth, you can either allow your excess energy to flow down to mingle with that of the earth or draw some of the earth’s energy up to replace the energy you are missing.
The Green Witch: Your Complete Guide to the Natural Magic of Herbs, Flowers, Essential Oils, and More (6).
From the Book: Psychic Witch
Make sure that your legs are planted firmly on the ground about shoulder width apart. Alternatively, if you’re sitting on the ground, ensure that your legs are crossed. Take a moment to focus on your body, and feel all of the natural energy running throughout it. Bring your awareness to the top of your head, and slowly scan your body downward with your attention. As you reach your pelvis, imagine that your energy is running like roots through your legs. Keep scanning your body awareness, bring that sense of examining yourself down farther past your legs as you feel your energetic roots begin to gently dig into the ground. With a firm but relaxed sense of willpower, extend your energy down these roots below you. These roots are an extension of your energy body.
These roots begin traveling downward through the soil and bedrock, through the underground caves and pockets of air, through underground streams of water, and finally to the molten core. The molten core doesn’t burn or cause any pain; instead, it soothes you even deeper as you feel its warmth with your energy. Your roots keep traveling through the molten core until they reach the very center, the heart of the earth. This heart is made of a beautiful bright white light. It is the source of infinite power, the soul and consciousness of the earth itself. This is one of the most important energies that you will ever come across as a witch. As you feel the white light inside of the earth’s heart, you find that its energy is like a dream and a song. You take a moment to meditate on what that means, and to feel it deeply. The dream song of the earth is powerful, but a steady, secure, and anchored power—one that is self-regulating, ensuring that you are energized as much as you can handle. Any energy that you cannot handle is released through your roots, blessing and healing the earth and all its inhabitants. Take a moment to feel how fastened and secured you feel to the earth. You are grounded.
Psychic Witch: a Metaphysical Guide to Meditation, Magick & Manifestation (5)
Grounding Example: Earthing
Take off your shoes and walk, sit, or stand with your bare feet/skin touching the ground (soil, sand, grass, sidewalk, etc.) for at least 20 minutes.
Grounding Example: Stimulate K1 Point on Foot
From the Book: Electric Body, Electric Health
Eileen McKusick says stimulating the Kidney 1 (aka K1 or KD1) acupuncture point at the bottom of the foot is a excellent way to ground your energy:
As the lowermost energy point on the body in Chinese medicine, it’s often used in acupuncture and acupressure to ground a patient’s energy and drain excess energy from the head, neck, and shoulders. The Chinese name for this point translates to “Gushing Spring,” which gives you a sense of how powerfully it can release energy…Simply rub the K1 point on each foot with a strong hand for thirty to sixty seconds in the morning or at night to ground and clear your energy body.
Electric Body, Electric Health (13)
How Often Should You Ground?
You should ground multiple times a day.
How Do You Know You Are Grounded?
When you are grounded, you are calm and at peace with the present moment. You feel connected to this plane of existence: your body, the earth, and the world around you.
You feel completely supported by the Earth, anchored and stable. You are able to act with ease on your goals and have a generally positive outlook in life.
You are content to be in your body and to feel the emotions as they pass through you. There is a deep comfort in knowing that the physical part of you came from the earth and you will return to the earth. You do not fear death.
Other Signs you are Grounded
From the Book: The Ultimate Guide to Energy Healing (2)
- Tingling, heaviness, a warm sensation of healthy circulation in the feet, legs or root chakra
- Feeling deeply relaxed, supported, and calm
- Feeling very present and in the “flow” of life
- Feeling a loving connection to Mother Nature
- Feeling emotionally well
- Often initially, sleepiness
From the Book: Abundance (11)
- Feeling physically safe, comfortable in your body
- Welcome your current situation, being present
- Stable biorhythms (including appetite and sleep)
- Feeling emotionally stable
How Do You Know You Are Not Grounded?
When you’re ungrounded, you feel unsafe. You don’t feel connected to yourself or to Mother Earth. You feel anxious and worried about the future. You are not able to maintain your focus on anything (except maybe your anxiety).
Other Signs you are Ungrounded
From the Book: The Ultimate Guide to Energy Healing (2)
- Feeling off balance, dizzy, anxious, worried, overly emotional
- Feeling spacy, light-headed, “up in the clouds”
- Repeating situations over and over again, “living in your head”
- Clumsiness and feeling “out of it” due to not energetically being in your body
- Forgetful, often misplacing things
What is the Difference Between Grounding and Earthing?
Earthing is a type of grounding. Grounding means to connect with the energy of the earth, and earthing is connecting with earth energy directly through bare skin, usually the feet.
What is the Science Behind Earthing?
When the suns rays hit the Earth, electrons are distributed and scatter across its surface. When bare skin touches the Earth’s surface (aka the ground) the body is able to pick up those electrons and use them for repair and regeneration, as all cellular processes (and all bodily process) involve electron transfer. Increasing the number of electrons in your body is a natural way to become more energized and balance internal energy scales.
The electrons enter the organs, tissues and cells via the bloodstream, where they neutralize positive charges (free radicals), which are scavenger molecules that are missing an electron and are responsible for aging, mutations, damaged immune function, and a slew of chronic diseases including cancer, heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and vision loss (1). Electrons have antioxidant properties and also reduce inflammation, so the idea is that spending time absorbing the earth’s electrons through earthing is a method to improve health.
What are the Proven Scientific Benefits of Earthing?
There have been numerous scientific studies done on earthing, and it has many benefits, including:
- Healing inflammation
- Neutralizing free radicals
- Slowing cellular oxidation
- Reduced pain
- Reduced anxiety
- Improved sleep
- Shift to alpha brain wave state (better mood, lowered cortisol)
- Protection from electromagnetic fields
- Faster injury healing due to thinner blood, more oxygen able to be transported
Do You Have to Take Off Your Shoes when Earthing?
Modern humans are considered to be electron deficient. This is because we do not spend as much time out in nature, touching the ground, as our early ancestors did. For hundreds of thousands of years, early humans lived and worked close to the earth. Today, many of us spend most of our lives indoors in buildings and away from the ground.
Most of us also wear shoes with plastic or rubber soles when we are outside, and these types of materials act as barriers to electron transfer. So when we are outside on the ground, we are still not getting the benefits of earthing. Our early ancestors would likely have been barefoot or worn leather-soled shoes, which would have allowed the electrons to transfer from the earth to their bodies.
Additionally, shoes prevent the release of excess energy:
Whatever the body is trying to release is bouncing off the soles of our shoes and back up into our bodies. Rubber is an insulator, so not only does it block the flow of electrons coming up from the earth, it also halts the flow of protons, the positive flow that descends through the body from above the crown. When we connect to ground (either barefoot, ideally, or in leather-soled shoes), we’re sending that ascending energy into the earth and then pulling up the negative energy through K1 so that our feet have a balanced positive and negative charge.
Electric Body, Electric Health (13)
The feet are the strongest drawers of earth energy due to the proximity to the foot and root chakras. It makes sense that the body part most in contact with the ground (pre-dating modern footwear) would be the one that would be best for absorbing this energy. Therefore, to experience earthing, you must take off your shoes so that the skin on your feet can absorb the earth’s electrons. You can absorb electrons via any type of skin-to-element contact, but the pads of the feet are the best for absorbing the electrons. If you have to wear shoes, use shoes with conductive or pure leather soles.
At the same time, what no longer serves you can escape through the feet, transmuting within the earth.
Kundalini Yoga Demystified: a Modern Guide to What It Is and How to Practice (8)
Which Surfaces Work for Earthing?
The following surfaces are best for earthing:
- Soil
- Sand
- Grass
- Sidewalk / Pavement
- Rock
- River bed / Ocean floor
It is not necessary for the surface to receive direct sunlight in order to work well for earthing.
Grounding Foods
Eating foods that grow in the ground can be another way to connect with the earth’s energy. Examples include onions, potatoes, ginger, garlic, radishes, carrots, parsnips, beets, and sweet potatoes.
Digestion is one of the ways the body naturally grounds itself. Certain foods such as vegetables and fruits are beneficial for assisting your energetic perception and abilities, but for grounding, the best foods tend to be dark chocolate, carbohydrates, and red meats. However, we all have different dietary and health needs, so use your own discernment when it comes to food.
Psychic Witch: a Metaphysical Guide to Meditation, Magick & Manifestation (5)
Grounding and the Chakras
Grounding is associated with three chakras: Root, Earth Star and Foot.
Grounding and the Root Chakra
The first energy centre, Muladhara, or “Root” chakra is is located at the base the spine and associated with the earth element. The root chakra helps us to embody reality by giving us a sense of safety and confidence to “stand on our own feet”. The root chakra is deeply connected to family of origin, feelings of survival, and belonging. This chakra also governs primal feelings and affects instinctual urges around food, sleep, sex and survival. Unblocking the root chakra is a beneficial grounding practice.
Grounding and the Earth Star Chakra
Grounding is also associated with the 10th energy center, the Earth Star chakra, located 1.5-2 feet under the ground and related to ancestral beliefs, environment, and spirit in the natural world. It holds our higher dimensional blueprint for our Soul’s plan on earth, and when it is activated, we can easily ground and connect with Gaia (2).
The basic life energy, which can be considered the red energy of the first chakra, is fed by subtle elements that come in through all the orifices in the body, as well as the red zone. The most imperative subtle energies enter through the tenth chakra underneath the feet, are passed upward though the legs, and are transmitted into the first chakra, which turns these subtle elementals into life-giving properties, or basic life energy.
Advanced Chakra Healing (12)
Grounding and the Foot Chakra
In Electric Body, Electric Health, author Eileen McKusick explains that a healthy foot chakra has an important role in facilitating the movement of energy that is no longer needed out of the body:
One key function of a healthy foot chakra is allowing energy that’s passed through the system and is no longer needed to be released from the body and recycled back into the earth. If the foot chakras are open, energy passes through freely and consistently. This allows us to be in energetic equilibrium with the environment. It’s a whole lot easier to feel grounded when our energies are circulating properly and discharging through the feet.
Think back to your toroidal biofield: the ascending and descending streams of energy, what the yogic tradition calls the Ida and Pingala, are continuously flowing up and down the central channel. The role of grounding is to keep that flow of energy moving in both directions. Through the feet, we release the descending (positively charged) energy that’s made its way through the system down into the earth and simultaneously soak up fresh new life force (negatively charged) from the ground beneath us.
If your foot chakras are weakened or congested, that process of release is thwarted. Instead of passing through and out the feet, the energy just recirculates back up into the higher energy centers, creating a backlog of excess electrostatic energy in the body, which builds up over time and creates inflammation.
Electric Body, Electric Health (9)
Crystals for Grounding
- Smoky Quartz
- Hematite
- Black Tourmaline
- Red Jasper
- Tiger’s Eye
- Red Calcite
- Mookaite
Yoga Poses for Grounding
Below are some recommended yoga poses for grounding:
- Mountain Pose
- Tree Pose
- Downward Dog
- Child’s Pose
References
(1) Whiteley, Sharon & Chiasson, Ann Marie. Barefoot Wisdom. Schiffer Publishing, Ltd, Aug 2020.
(2) Fowler, Kat. The Ultimate Guide to Energy Healing. Fair Winds Press, Aug 2021.
(3) Constantino, Victoria. Tarot by the Moon. Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD., July 2021.
(4) Castanea, Frankie. Spells for Change. Andrews McMeel Publishing, Mar 2022.
(5) Auryn, Mat. Psychic Witch: a Metaphysical Guide to Meditation, Magick & Manifestation. Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD., Dec 2019.
(6) Murphy-Hiscock, Arin. The Green Witch: Your Complete Guide to the Natural Magic of Herbs, Flowers, Essential Oils, and More. Adams Media, Sep 2017.
(7) Blume, Michele L. Mindful Somatic Awareness for Anxiety Relief. New Harbinger Publications, Sep 2020.
(8) Downing, Erin Elizabeth. Kundalini Yoga Demystified: a Modern Guide to What It Is and How to Practice. Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD., Sep 2021.
(9) McKusick, Eileen Day. Electric Body, Electric Health. St. Martin’s Publishing Group, Jun 2022.
(10) Gottesdiener, Sarah Faith. The Moon Book. St. Martin’s Publishing Group, Dec 2020.
(11) Chopra, Deepak. Abundance: The Inner Path to Wealth. Harmony/Rodale, Mar 2022.
(12) Dale, Cyndi. Advanced Chakra Healing. Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD., Dec 2021.
FAQs
What is grounding and why is it important?
Grounding, also known as earthing, involves direct contact with the Earth’s surface to balance the body’s energies. It’s important for reducing stress, increasing energy, and improving sleep.
How does grounding connect us to neutral earth energy?
Grounding connects us to the Earth’s natural energy, which is thought to neutralize free radicals and reduce both inflammation and stress in our bodies, promoting a sense of well-being.
What are some simple ways to practice grounding?
Walking barefoot on grass, sand, or soil, gardening without gloves, and lying on the ground are simple grounding practices that connect you with the Earth’s energy.
Can grounding help with anxiety and stress?
Yes, grounding has been reported to help reduce symptoms of anxiety and stress by promoting a calm state of mind and balancing the body’s natural rhythms.
How long should I practice grounding for it to be effective?
Even 30 minutes of grounding can be beneficial, but longer periods may enhance the positive effects. Regular daily practice is recommended for the best results.
Is there scientific evidence supporting grounding?
There is a growing body of research indicating grounding can reduce inflammation, improve sleep, decrease stress, and enhance overall well-being.
Can I practice grounding indoors?
Yes, grounding mats, sheets, and other devices can simulate the Earth’s electrical charge and are designed for indoor use to provide grounding benefits.
What are the best surfaces for grounding?
Natural surfaces like grass, soil, sand, and concrete (which is conductive) are ideal for grounding. Asphalt, wood, rubber, and plastic do not conduct the Earth’s electrical energy and are not suitable for grounding.
Does grounding have any side effects?
Grounding is generally safe for most people. However, individuals with conditions that require regulation of electrical devices in the body, such as pacemakers, should consult their doctor first.
How can grounding affect sleep?
Practicing grounding can improve sleep quality by normalizing the body’s circadian rhythms, reducing nighttime levels of cortisol, and calming the nervous system.
Can grounding improve physical health?
Grounding is associated with various physical health benefits, including reduced inflammation, improved cardiovascular health, and faster recovery from muscle damage.
How does grounding influence mental health?
By reducing stress and promoting relaxation, grounding can have a positive impact on mental health, potentially alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Can everyone practice grounding?
While grounding is accessible to most people, those with certain health conditions should consult a healthcare provider. Practicing grounding in safe, non-hazardous environments is also crucial.
What should I wear for grounding?
When grounding outdoors, it’s best to have as much skin contact with the Earth as possible, so going barefoot or using conductive grounding equipment indoors is ideal.
How can I incorporate grounding into my daily routine?
Incorporate grounding by walking barefoot in your yard, using grounding equipment while working or sleeping indoors, or simply taking time to connect with nature regularly.
