Grounding ~ What It Is & Why It Matters
Photo by Heather Morse on Unsplash
As a self proclaimed nerd, I love exploring how different worlds collide, different fields intersect, and how language is a thread that can connect them. Somatic therapy has gained some popularity on social media and as it does more of the terminology used in sessions or trainings is being used more publicly. The word ‘grounding’ is a more common term these days and I find it a fascinating one because it has such universal meaning but is used slightly differently depending on the context or framework. Let’s take a look at a few examples of how the word is used to promote human healing and see if we can deepen our understanding of the concept.
Feet to earth
In the world of earth-based healing, grounding refers to the physical connection of our bare feet to the ground of earth. Also referred to as ‘earthing,’ ongoing research is finding that the earth has a charge that fuels the antioxidant defense system in the body. If direct contact with the earth isn’t easily available, more products are being developed to simulate the same kind of charge in the forms of mats, sheets, bands, and pads. Findings show an improvement in sleep, a reduction in inflammation, and an improvement in wound healing. In ecotherapy, outdoor sessions can be held with bare feet on grass, soil, rock, water, and even on tree trunks. In this context, grounding refers to the practice of plugging into the earth and recharging energy in our bodies like a battery. In my office, I have baskets of rocks and shells as well as tons of plants for clients to hold and touch. In classes, I might offer exercises to connect with the feet and where they make contact with the floor of the room as well as visualizations to connect to the earth’s charge.
“To begin, stand and simply feel your feet on the ground. Notice the springiness and stiffness in your legs. Feel the way your feet contact the ground, almost like suction cups. With your feet firmly planted, sway slowly from the ankles, first from side to side, and then forward and backward. This will help you locate your center of gravity, in the upper pelvic area. Place your hands on your lower belly and sense your center of gravity. It may be helpful to continue swaying gently while doing this.”
From protection to peace
Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a therapeutic approach developed by Peter Levine that helps people reconnect the mind and body after traumatic experiences. During traumatic experiences, our internal experience is overwhelming and we disconnect from the awareness of the body as a means of survival. For those living with trauma, our past survival responses get stuck in the body and we get caught in patterns of protection even when we are technically safe in the present. Trauma therapies like SE help us get unstuck by completing old stress responses and reconnecting to a sense of safety and peace. An important initial step in trauma therapy is to learn tools that help clients shift out of protection and into peace. Exteroception refers to the body’s ability to receive cues of safety or danger from the external environment through the five senses of touch, sight, sound, smell, and taste. In SE, practices of orienting to the space around us through the senses is a way of grounding awareness back into the body through exteroception. I might encourage clients to notice peaceful sounds and smells or explore movements that connect to the sense of touch. We can even do this through visualization by imagining our most ideal peaceful place and exploring the 5 senses.
“To dwell in the here and now does not mean you never think about the past or responsibly plan for the future. The idea is simply not to allow yourself to get lost in regrets about the past or worries about the future. If you are firmly grounded in the present moment, the past can be an object of inquiry, the object of your mindfulness and concentration. You can attain many insights by looking into the past. But you are still grounded in the present moment.”
Coming back to the here and now
Grounding is often referred to as the antidote to getting caught up in the thinking mind. When we are in the thinking mind, we’re concerned with what has happened in the past or what might happen in the future. We develop all kinds of stories and then feel like we have to do something about them. Getting caught up in our stories or the busyness of productivity and problem solving can sometimes leave us feeling lost. We might lose connection to the earth, our bodies, our emotions, and even the values that are a central force in how we make decisions that align with what we care most about. Thanks to the popularity of Buddhist psychology in the western world and the widespread awareness of mindfulness practices, we know that there are endless practices that help ground us back into the present moment. I might invite clients into mindfulness practices like anchoring our attention in which we find an object in the room or a neutral sensation in the body. Any time the mind wanders, we can hear ourselves say ‘thinking’ and come back to that anchor. Grounding can be a practice of retraining our mind and body that the present moment is where our greatest power and sense of aliveness lives.
“Yoga is an effortless dance with breath and gravity.”
Resting into support
When I think about grounding I automatically wonder what it means to be ungrounded. I think about floating off into space. Gravity is what keeps us here on the earth connected to the ground. When we are ungrounded, we are often trying to control or avoid or resist what is present in our lives. And that’s not always a terrible thing! It’s a necessity for survival, to be sure. But, when struggle or over-efforting becomes a habit or a compulsion, we lose our agency or choice. We find ourselves overly comfortable in just surviving. And for some of us, the most uncomfortable thing for us to do is to rest and receive support. In yin yoga practice, we are encouraged to rest in postures for longer periods of time and allow gravity to help us release habitual tension or bracing in the body. In restorative yoga, we use props and allow the body to rest into that support. I love both styles of yoga and it’s no wonder that they are intentionally close to the ground. I often encourage clients to connect with the support of the chair, couch, or cushion beneath them and allow themselves to rest into it just a little bit more.
“Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.”
Join me for an upcoming class!
Grounding & Regulating Class ~ Somatic Practice Through the Fall Season
Online via Zoom
September 8th, 2025 - November, 24th, 2025
Mondays, 5:30-6:30