The act of Grounding- Electrical safety or holistic?
Hello Healthnuts! I know, it’s been a while. The world has been heavy, my world has been heavy, and I’ve been carrying it all on one shoulder whilst trying to adjust the other. Meaningful metaphorics aside, our hearts are hurting from what is happening in the world, but that is all I will say about it.
Today’s newsletter is carrying on the holistic mood of the previous one, and we are discussing the act of Grounding. No, I’m not talking about the backup pathway that provides an alternating route for the electrical current to flow back to the ground if there is a fault in the wiring system... or am I? I AM talking about you realizing you have a fault in YOUR system and getting your ass outside to let the Earth help smooth it out. Let’s dive in.
Grounding, or Earthing as it is sometimes known, does refer to you stepping outside in your bare feet and touching the ground. Why does this work? Like the awkward joke above, there is an electrical reference. Mother Earth is like a gigantic battery that contains a special kind of energy in the ground. She provides an endless amount of current in the form of negative electrons (getting science-y!) which constantly gets recharged by the sun’s energy. Our bodies absorb these electrons, and our skin acts as a conductor.
Now, depending on the research you do, there are 3 main definitions you can discover when asking about grounding. These are outlined below:
Strategies that can help you detach from emotional pain
The discovery that bodily contact with the natural electrical charge in the earth stabilizes the physiology (and more)
A skill or a technique to connect yourself with the energies of the Earth or ground
Even though 3 different search inquiries came up with 3 different answers, they are all very similar. They all have to do with centering yourself, connecting to Mother Earth, and bringing yourself to the present moment.
Even though 3 different search inquiries came up with 3 different answers, they are all very similar. They all have to do with centering yourself, connecting to Mother Earth, and bringing yourself to the present moment.
Ok, hippie tree-hugger, but what are the actual benefits?
Oh, I am so glad you asked. The basic answer is it is a way for you to firmly anchor yourself into the present. It has been proven to reduce inflammation, pain, stress, improve blood flow, and increase energy and sleep. See the below snippet from sciencedirect.com on how it reduces inflammation!
“Free radicals, or Reactive Oxygen Species, are positively charged molecules that strip electrons from healthy tissue, resulting in damage. Free radicals are produced in normal biochemistry, including the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body’s molecule of energy…” “…Earthing permits huge numbers of free electrons to enter the body where they are believed to neutralize free radicals. The active mechanisms of electron transportation to a site of inflammation may involve the nervous, meridian, and circulatory systems. It is assumed that the influx of free electrons absorbed into the body serves as a powerful anti-inflammatory reinforcement for the immune system.” (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1550830719305476)
There are multiple other examples that prove grounding can be a healing weapon in your arsenal of wellness. However, to me, the #1 important factor is the connection. We have lost our connection to Mother Earth in today’s modern lifestyle. We are connected by being disconnected. We are always connected to our screens, whether they be televisions, computers, tablets, home displays, mobile devices, etc. This has led us to be even more disconnected from what we need to be connected to….our electrical power supply for our bodies. Connecting to Mother Earth lets us have an unlimited access to a powerful energy which rings our physical and energetic body back into alignment. It lets us reach peace, calms anxiety, settles the moment and the mind, and balances and supports our spiritual growth. Plus, getting outside and breathing in the air and touching the grass just FEELS good. Now we know why. Go roll around, breathe deeply, and stay there until my next newsletter! (don’t do that, we don’t know how long that will take).
See you next time, healthnuts!
Helpful Resources:
https://www.winona.edu/resilience/media/grounding-worksheet.pdf
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1550830719305476
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4378297/
http://holisticyou.de/?p=3020&lang=en
https://averyhart.co/blog/2017/7/1/grounding
