Do you ever feel like you need to recenter yourself and get grounded but can’t get outside to connect with the earth? Maybe you’re stuck inside due to sh*tty weather conditions. Or you may live in a big city like Los Angeles, where finding urine-free green space is challenging. Whatever the reason, it can be frustrating when your usual grounding methods are off-limits. But fear not – I’ve got you covered. There are plenty of unconventional methods you can use to stay rooted and energized. In this article, we’ll explore five unique ways to ground your body when earthing is impossible. So let’s dive in and discover new ways to balance your body and mind no matter where you are.
Harnessing the Power of Sound
One unconventional technique for grounding your body when earthing is off-limits is harnessing the power of sound. For centuries people used sound as a way to promote relaxation and calmness. It can also help you stay grounded no matter where you are.
One form of sound therapy that is particularly effective for grounding is binaural beats. This technique uses two different frequencies played in each ear, which creates a third frequency in the brain that can help induce a meditative state. You can find binaural beats recordings online or even create your own using a free app or website. If you’d like to try it out, listen to this YouTube video with headphones on. (While you finish reading, of course.)
Another way to use sound for grounding is through singing bowls. These instruments were traditionally used in Buddhist meditation practices. They produce a deep, resonant sound that can help you feel more centered and connected to the present moment. You can use a singing bowl during your morning or evening routine to help you stay grounded throughout the day. Or, search online for in-person sound baths to attend if you want to avoid purchasing, storing, and learning to use your own. If, like me, you live in the Los Angeles area, The Soundbath Center holds regular sound-healing events. They even teach classes if you want to get certified! You can check out their schedule here.
Skeptic to Believer: A Conversion Story
My sister used to be the biggest sound-healing skeptic. She used to roll her eyes and make fun of me when I attended sound baths and yoga classes that included singing bowls or gongs. But one day, she went to a yoga class with a sound bath at the end. She didn’t know how to escape without making a scene. That class changed everything. Fast forward a few years, and she now owns a yoga studio offering sound healing with every session. She tells her story perfectly (and hilariously), so click here to read it in her own words. And, if you live near Oceanside, CA, sign up for a class and tell her I sent you!
Overall, sound therapy can be a powerful way to ground your body and mind, even when earthing is impossible. By harnessing the power of sound, you can promote relaxation, improve focus, and stay connected to nature no matter where you are and what the weather is.
Get Grounded with Color
Colors have a substantial impact on our emotional well-being. They are a tool for grounding when earthing is not an option. Each color has its own unique energy (learn more about that here) associated with a specific chakra in the body. For example, red correlates to the root chakra, which is responsible for grounding and stability. By wearing or surrounding yourself with red, you may feel more connected to the earth and centered in your body.
Similarly, green connects with the heart chakra and can promote feelings of love, balance, and harmony. By incorporating more green into your surroundings, you may feel more grounded and at peace. House plants are an effective way to do so. Blue is another color that promotes relaxation and soothes frayed nerves. Ideal for bedroom spaces, its relaxing effects can help you fall asleep easier. Blue can also calm hyperactive children, thereby relieving stress in their parents as well.
Using colors as a grounding tool can be especially effective when combined with other techniques, such as sound therapy or meditation. By focusing on a specific color during meditation or visualization, you can deepen your connection to that energy and promote a more profound sense of grounding.
Since color helps you get grounded best when layered with other methods, next, we will explore meditation and visualization techniques to enhance your color grounding practice.
Meditation and Visualization Techniques
Meditation and visualization are powerful tools for grounding the body when earthing is not possible. These techniques allow you to create a mental and emotional state that promotes healing and relaxation. By focusing on your breath during meditation, you can calm your mind and center yourself. In fact, certain breathing patterns trigger your parasympathetic nervous system. This allows you to drop out of fight-or-flight responses and into safety. I wrote about how to use your breath to combat anxiety and get grounded, which you can read here.
Visualization techniques, such as imagining yourself connected to the earth, can also effectively promote a sense of grounding. To do this, find a comfortable seat or lie down. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing until you feel settled. Then, start to notice the places where your body is in contact with the floor, chair, or bed. Imagine roots sprouting from those places in your body and growing deep down into the earth. See the roots grow thicker and more robust. Feel supportive energy flowing from the ground, up the roots, and into your body. Allow any stored energy that no longer serves you to leave your body through those same roots. Watch Mother Earth neutralizing that energy on contact. After a few moments, open your eyes and notice how you feel.
As with colors, meditation and visualization techniques are even more powerful when combined with other grounding methods. By incorporating sound therapy or colors into your meditation practice, you can deepen your connection to the earth and promote a more profound sense of grounding.
In the next section, we will explore unconventional ways to connect with nature without taking your shoes off so you can practice daily grounding no matter where you are or what the weather is.
Get Grounded by Connecting with Nature in Creative Ways
There are plenty of ways to connect with nature, even when it’s cold outside. Try escaping the urban jungle. Take a day trip to a beach, river, or lake. Simply being in nature and near moving water, even all bundled up, is often enough to ground oneself. The weather might not be ideal for being barefoot and sticking your toes in the sand, but you can still breathe in the fresh air. Trust that the negative ions from the wind and water are neutralizing any excess of positive ions in your body.
Another way to connect with nature is through gardening. An indoor container garden is a fantastic way to reap the benefits of gardening if you lack outdoor space or live in an extreme climate. Planting and tending to a garden provides opportunities to get grounded by getting your hands dirty. The physicality of gardening can be therapeutic. The act of nurturing your plants can be a gratifying grounding experience. Not to mention, adding plant life to your interior space helps you breathe easier by removing toxins from the air.
Finally, consider taking a nature walk or hike. When it’s cold, bundle up. In the heat of the summer, walk in the early morning or late evening. Pay attention to the sounds, smells, and sights of the natural world around you. Being in motion while surrounded by nature can provide a sense of connection and grounding. Plus, walking itself is therapeutic and balances body and mind. Click here to learn more about the many benefits of walking it off before we dive into some additional ways to incorporate grounding tools into your daily routine.
More Creative Grounding Tools
While grounding practices can help you feel more relaxed and centered, they’re not always easy to fit into a busy schedule, especially in an urban environment or inclement weather. That’s when incorporating creative grounding tools into your daily routine can be helpful. You can start with these suggestions:
- Use grounding crystals: Certain crystals have grounding properties, such as black tourmaline and hematite. You can carry a small crystal in your pocket or wear it as jewelry to help you feel more centered throughout the day. I love to wear a black tourmaline pendant around my neck when writing to protect me from my laptop’s electromagnetic fields. Click here for a list of crystals with grounding properties.
- Try aromatherapy: Essential oils like lavender, frankincense, and cedarwood can help you feel grounded and centered. You can diffuse them in your home or office or wear them as perfume or body spray. I keep a grounding oil blend at my desk and apply it to my pulse points when I notice signs of stress, like a racing heartbeat or clenched jaw.
- Practice mindful breathing: As we touched on earlier, taking a few deep, intentional breaths can help you feel more present and connected to your body. Try taking three deep breaths before you start your day or whenever you feel stressed or overwhelmed. Keep breathing until your exhale is consistently twice as long as your exhale. You can also employ alternate nostril breathing to balance your mind and get grounded. Watch Adriene Mishler teach you how to do this here.
- Use a grounding sleep mat: I first learned about grounding sleep mats when watching The Earthing Movie on Netflix with my husband. If you haven’t watched it yet, it’s fascinating. Look it up the next time you don’t know what to watch. And, if you want your own grounding sleep mat, click here. (I have no affiliation with this product).
- Wear synthetic-free shoes: One of the reasons modern humans need to have a regular grounding practice is because our synthetic-soled shoes keep us cut off from the earth’s supply of negative ions. There are a few companies that offer a solution. Check out the collections of shoes from Harmony 783, Groundz, or SoftStar that promote a connection with Mother Earth. (Again, I have no affiliation with these brands).
Incorporating grounding tools into your daily routine can help you feel more centered and connected, even if you can’t always practice earthing or other grounding practices. Give these ideas a try and see what works best for you.
Final Thoughts on Getting Grounded
In conclusion, staying grounded doesn’t have to depend solely on earthing; plenty of unconventional methods are available. From harnessing the power of sound, using colors, meditating and visualizing, connecting with nature in unique ways, and incorporating grounding tools into your daily routine, the possibilities are endless. By exploring what works best for you, you can continue to reap the benefits of connecting with the earth and feel grounded and energized, no matter the weather or environment. So, try out these unconventional methods today and see where they take you. Remember, as J.R. Rim said, “The more grounded you are, the higher you fly.”
See you again next week!
Make sure to never miss a blog post by subscribing to my weekly emails using the QR code below:
