Grounded through the Summer Series - Part 1
Welcome to this Summer Blog series where I’ll share some tips for staying present during the season. This time we’ll explore being grounded and how to do it. Enjoy!
Grounded
Being grounded, having a solid foundation for our energy allows us to grow and share our gifts with ease.
Grounded through the summer
What does that even mean?
It means, I invite you to be present during this season. I invite you to pause in the midst of the heat, the sparkle and the bounty of the season to remember yourself and your needs. I invite you to return to your body as you are surrounded by physical and mental delights and obligations and plans.
Why use the word “grounded?”
Ground has several meanings: the solid foundation of the earth, to prevent or prohibit some sort of action, a firm basis for understanding, and connection, as in electrical use.
Why would I want to ground our summer?
Summer can be a season of delight, gathering, exploring, resting, and playing, as well as offering oppression from the heat and our obligations or responsibilities. While many of us enjoy the freedom this season tends to bring,( those memories we may have of summers out of school), it can be a season of stress too. Guardians and caregivers of children have to manage childcare. There are so many options and possibilities it can be stressful attempting to get a handle on schedules. There are countless opportunities to gather with friends and family; and those gatherings have their own unique dynamics to consider. With the opportunities and obligations, there is financial stress associated with each decision. Families and individuals may feel as squeezed dry as the lemons at the shaken lemonade stand at the fair.
How it feels when we aren’t grounded->
While we may want to participate in ALL THE THINGS, it is easy to lose our connection to ourselves. We forget what WE value as we associate with others who have different values. We forget our dreams that we set forth in the ordered, scheduled cycles of work and home because we are caught up in all the shine and fun.
Grounding, the idea and the actual action may help you be in your body, with your mind. Being grounded means you have a centered feeling to yourself. You are able to slow down and be present in a way that while you are focused, you are also able to perceive what you couldn’t in your un-grounded state. There may be a feeling of heaviness that your body experiences, a centering along with calm.
Those centering, calming and slowing sensations are helpful as we navigate this frenzied, dramatic time. ( And yes, of course I’d want us all to be grounded and calm through ALL the seasons, but we’re starting this in summer, so I’m going with it.)
How the heck DO we ground?
I shared how with the folks who have my Intentional Living Coaching Card deck. One of the cards in the deck reminds us to ground. In the email I sent out that goes along with this card I explain:
“We are electromagnetic. I am not an expert on how it works or why, but I do have an understanding of experience that we do. The earth has its own electromagnetic field and when we stand on her in our bare feet, she is able to take ours, add it to hers and it smooths us out.
Letting Mother Earth suck the yuck off of us allows us to move upon her with a more centered and calm energy.10-20 minutes is a good cleansing time. As we practice this, we’ll be able to ground while we are in line at the store or in the middle of a meeting. Grounding returns us to our center. Say thank you to Mother Earth for taking the shitty energy off of you and transforming it.
This is a practice that is a good beginning point for any energy work. Being able to ground lets us do energy work in ways that the energy of others is also grounded to Mother Earth. She knows how to move their energy out/off of us, so knowing how to ground assists this process.
One way to play with this is to go outside and put yourself on the grass, beach, or dirt. Imagining yourself as a tree might help. Imagine roots growing from the part of you touching the ground into the earth while your body stretches up like the trunk of a tree. Imagine the leaves and branches of a tree being your upper body. Imagine the roots going deep into the earth and feel the pull of energy downwards while the leaves and branches connect you to the Universe. As you begin to feel a bit lighter, you can also reverse the sensation and ask for the earth's energy to move up the roots into your body. This give you a feeling of solidness’ foundation or steadiness.”
Summer provides many opportunities for us to be outside and get our bodies onto natural ground. Whether we are watching a soccer game, enjoying the beach or simply in a park or our yard, we may feel comfortable to take off our shoes and let our feet interact with dirt, rock or sand. Focus on actually feeling what is happening. If you are standing, feel the shift in your weight. You might be pulled forward, or backward or maybe even start to swirl in place. You may feel a heaviness coming out of your fingers and feet. If you are laying down, notice the tension leaving your body.
I sometimes don’t feel it. BUT I use my imagination to create the sensations. That may feel like a lie or that I am deceiving myself that I am actually grounding,. However I do it, the clear- headedness that comes from taking a few minutes to ground is no joke. I breathe easier; I am returned to myself. IF you don’t think you can do it yourself, get with those folks that you naturally feel good around. Those folk that have that inner wisdom and balance; the ones whom others sort of flock around because of their calm. Being with them, observing and interacting with them may give you practice with grounded-ness.
Use the practice of grounding to return you to the moment allowing you to breathe. Grounding often will bring you more moments of calm that will actually enhance your enjoyment of Summer.
I’m always curious about the experiences of others, so please do share your interactions with grounding. I look forward to the next installment when we’ll explore understanding ourselves through our physical body.
