How to Balance and Ground
Well Being requires balance and grounding. Yet the two images are conflicting. Balancing calls to mind images of being high up, like on a tightrope!
Yet the most grounding image I know of is that of Tree with roots deep into the earth.
Is it really possible to Balance and Ground at all?
Is it possible to have your head in the clouds and your feet firmly rooted to the earth?
I'm not sure. But I do believe that its a matter of living in the NOW. Only NOW is rooted in the present moment. Balancing past and future, NOW is our point of power. It is NOW that I accomplish my dreams, not then or when. It is NOW that I feel good, not yesterday or tomorrow. It is NOW that I make my mark, that I state my purpose, that I fulfill my mission.
The Practice
Body Balancing and Grounding
The simplest way to balance and ground the physical body is to do something physical, which is also relaxing. Physical effort without relaxation results in in-balance. Think about when you have done a physical activity out of anger, like moving a couch when you didn't want to but someone else was insisting that you move it. You probably hurt yourself. Or going to the gym and forcing and fighting your body into shape. Physical efforts without relaxation only produce more imbalances in the body. But, physical efforts that allow you to "sink" into your own body, your own being, balance and ground your energy. That is why many of the Eastern practices are so popular and effective today. Yoga, Chi Gong, Tai Chi, are wonderful ways to ground your energies and balance your body. Western equivalents are Feldenkrais movement and Pilates. If you are not into structured exercise, try walking in nature, running or even mountain climbing. Gardening is a wonderful way to ground your energies, as actually placing your hands in dirt is the most direct connection you can have to earth.
Diet is another way to ground. If you are feeling spacey, begin to include more earth foods in your diet. Earth foods are those that grow underground, the tubers, potatoes, carrots and such. With no offense meant to vegetarians, eating meat is also a way to occasionally ground.
Most people carry their energy “high”. They "live in their heads" and not in their bodies. Finding something physical that is grounding for you is important. For a lot of people, grounding requires daily exercise which may include Yoga, Pilates, Chi Gong, or any number of non-competitive activities. Find your grounding activity and make it a daily part of your life.
Mind Balancing and Grounding
To balance and ground the mind requires only one thing, which you are actually in control of, your own mind. By that I mean, that you are able to observe your thoughts without reacting to them. Imagine your thoughts as a river (of consciousness). Now imagine yourself trying to swim in that river. You get pulled here and there by the currents. You are constantly struggling between fear and worry thoughts. Occasionally the river pools, and you have some happy thoughts. But suddenly the rapids approach and your back in the battle again. Now imagine yourself swimming to the shore, getting out, finding a comfortable place, and just watching the river flow. That's what I mean by observing your thoughts. See them coming and going without attachment to them. That's the practice of mindfulness meditation. For many, it is also a daily practice.
Spiritual Balancing and Grounding
We all need someplace to call home. We need a place where we feel safe and protected. A place where we need do nothing. Finding that spiritual place is our life work. We find it easiest when our physical bodies are balanced and grounded, and when our minds are back under our own control. The trick to finding this place is that it is not outside anywhere. It is inside each of us. So, just lay down and relax. Allow your mind to sink into your body and experience all the sensations and energy flows there. Do not react to anything you experience. Just observe. A pain here, a tingling there. Just notice. When you observe long enough, you will become aware of the energy behind/beneath the surface. Go deeper. Go so deep that you find peace. If the body gets restless, then perhaps it needs some physical activity before you are ready to find home. Give it activity, then return. If the mind becomes restless, observe its thoughts without attaching to them. And then return and go deeper. What you are seeking is the heart. What you are seeking is home. All of us have the ability to find home. Most of us do not have the priority to do so. Intend to find peace and you will find it. Intent to find safety and you will find it. The biblical truth is that the Kingdom of Heaven is within each one of us. We only need to diligently seek it. And then we are home. We are truly balanced and grounded in our own nature as infinite, eternal beings. That is who we really are.
From the point of physical, mental, and spiritual grounding, we can enter the world in peace and prosperity. We can give to the world. We can receive from the world. We can participate in the perfect flow of the universe with ease and grace. We can be balanced high on our dreams, and have those dreams grounded in our present circumstances. We can, and will, create a world around us that is also balanced and grounded. What a wonderful world that will be!
© 01.22.08 by Jill N. Henry, EdD, for the Foundation For Well Being
About the author: Dr. Henry is the author of the international, award winning book, Energy SourceBook – The Fundamentals of Personal Energy (Llewellyn, 2004)