Grounding: Finding Our Feet in an Overwhelming World
In describing our current human predicament and dis-ease, D.H. Lawrence says;
We are like a great tree with our roots in the air - we need to re-plant ourselves in our bodies, our hearts, our spirits. We regularly leave our bodies and skim life's surface in a mental trance.
We need to train our attention to come home again. All that we cherish, creativity, love, wisdom, arises from embodied presence. Forgetting and remembering, forgetting and remembering until we remember more than we forget.
Coming back to the body, the Earth and the present moment.
Imagine you’ve had a busy day. Your mind is racing. You’re thinking about what you didn’t get done and what else there is to do. Your body is here, but your attention is everywhere else.
Grounding is the practice of bringing your attention back to where you are.
Think about a tree. Its branches move and bend with the changing weather, but its roots keep it connected to the Earth. Grounding is like cultivating those roots within us.
Coming out of the busyness of our minds and into the sensory, felt sense of our body, being on the land and the energy of the Earth and nature helps us root the body and mind and calm the nervous system. In yoga, grounding is often associated with the Earth element, representing stability, steadiness, support and connection.
Why grounding matters for our nervous system
Our nervous systems are constantly responding to information from both inside and outside our bodies. When life becomes overwhelming, we may notice shallow breathing, tightening muscles, and racing thoughts. Sometimes we feel so overwhelmed that we disconnect from our bodies altogether.
Grounding practices offer us an opportunity to notice these responses and gently return our attention to something tangible and immediate:
- the feeling of our feet on the floor
- the support of a chair beneath us
- the natural movement of our breath
- the sounds of birds outside the window
These simple sensory experiences can help orient us towards the present moment and, when they feel safe and comfortable, may support a greater sense of steadiness.
In trauma-informed yoga, we recognise that feeling safe cannot be forced. For some people, focusing on the body or breath may initially feel uncomfortable. Grounding is therefore not about insisting that we relax, but about discovering what helps us feel supported, connected and present. And this will look different for everyone.
Grounding is not necessarily about becoming calm, but steady. We spend so much time living in our heads and thoughts that we can forget what it feels like to inhabit our bodies. Stillness is not easy for everyone, especially those with ADHD.
For some of us, movement can be one of the most accessible pathways into the present moment. Walking, dancing, stretching, rocking, or swaying can all be grounding experiences.
Sometimes we need to move any excess energy before we can settle.
One of my favourite invitations in restorative yoga is to notice the support beneath the body. To feel the weight of ourselves being held. To allow gravity to do what gravity does. There is nothing we need to hold up. Nothing we need to achieve. Nothing we need to do. Nowhere we need to be. Just for the next little while, we can let go of the effort of doing.
I think this matters especially in a culture that values productivity so highly. We have become so accustomed to measuring our days by what we accomplish and achieve that rest can feel like something we need to earn.
Three simple ways to practise grounding
1. Feel your feet. Whether standing or sitting, bring your attention to the soles of your feet. Notice the contact with the ground. You might gently shift your weight from side to side, noticing the sensation of pressure and support. Try spreading your toes and anchoring through all four corners of your feet – drawing your attention away from your mind and into your toes.
2. Look around you. Let your eyes move gently around your environment. Notice the colours, shapes, textures, smells and objects around you. Find something that feels pleasant or familiar and keep your attention there. Eg if you see a beautiful flower, notice its colours, fragrance, petals and anything else about it.
3. Connect with nature. Step outside, feel the breeze against your skin, listen to the birds or notice the movement of leaves. Try to leave your headphones behind so you can be totally present and notice everything around you. The more I practise and teach yoga, the more I appreciate its capacity to help us reconnect with ourselves and meet ourselves exactly where we are.
Grounding reminds us that we do not have to follow every thought, respond to every demand or carry the weight of the world in every moment. We can pause, feel our feet, notice the ground beneath us. And if only for a moment, we can remember that we are part of something much larger than the busyness of our minds.