Grounding
Grounding is used to keep us connected to the physical world which is necessary as we are physical beings.
There are a variety of methods of grounding and we give 2 exercises here that you can practice to use before you do a Spiritual or Otherworldly journey, meditation or ritual.
It is also important to ground after you have finished your journey/meditation ritual. Always take time to return slowly then ground when you feel fully returned. You can ground afterwards by eating, or doing a physical activity such as walking or gardening.
Some Shaman or other experienced practitioners may not ground before journeying to the Otherworld. That is because they have learned to ‘walk the line’ between the physical and spiritual world and are balanced. They also have learned how to judge perfectly how they feel and when additional grounding may be needed before or after their practice.
I would strongly advise anyone starting out on their adventures in personal and spiritual discovery, to ground both before and after they work.
Basic Grounding Exercise A
You can do this exercise indoors but may find it easier the first time to do it stood on grass or earth.
Stand with your feet slightly apart.
Be aware of your feet. Feel them stood on the ground.
Visualise roots going down from your feet into the earth beneath you, as if you were a tree.
Feel the growth of the roots and how they connect you to the earth.
Feel the strength of the roots and how they tie you securely to the earth.
Basic Grounding Exercise B
Exercise A came first as it is sometimes easier to start with to feel roots from feet than it is from hands! However if you relax with your feet up it can be difficult to visualise rooting yourself from your feet.
Sit in your comfortable relaxation position and relax.
Place your hands besides you palms down.
Visualise the earth beneath you. It does not matter if that earth is several floors down.
Visualise the physical connection between the object you are touching and the earth. For example, my bed is connected to the floor, which is held up by walls which stand on a floor which is on foundations which are on the earth.
Visualise your hands growing roots, which connect you directly to the earth.
Visualise the roots growing strong, connecting you and holding you securely to the earth.
What to do if you become lightheaded/dizzy
Warning signs of being ungrounded include feeling lightheaded, dizzy, sick/nauseous and/or ‘spaced out’*.
Frequently this is because we need grounding for some reason. We may have got so involved we have been practicing something for ages, we may have travelled further than we intended or taken a ‘big leap’ forward all at once. We also may have been affected by a mass of energy, for example, if lots of people get together and all are expanding their energies it is very easy to pick up on the sheer volume of energy and feel ill.
The best thing to do if you feel like this and you haven’t got a physical illness that could be causing it (e.g. flu, or an illness that means you get sudden exhaustion) is to go and do something physical and forget about all the spiritual stuff for a while. Any physical job is good such as housework or particularly gardening.
If you can’t use physical energy or are physically tired as well then go and distract yourself with something cheerful that doesn’t need thought such as reading a book or watching something lighthearted on tv.
I would advise also taking at least a 24 hour break from spiritual learning and if you feel really dazed, a week's break wouldn't hurt. Listen to your instincts on how much break you need.
Don't worry about needing a break any more than you would worry about needing a holiday from any other kind of work!
*If you feel any of these symptoms do check first that they are not due to a physical illness. For example if there is a virus ‘going round’ it is very likely you may have it. If there is no obvious physical reason do check with your GP especially if symptoms continue.