4 grounding techniques in times of stress
The world's energy is chaotic and unsettled at the moment. This is why so many of us are feeling irritable, distracted, tense and unsettled. When I find myself in this state, I struggle to settle down to anything and constantly flit from one thing to another which is very unrelaxing and stressful.
In Kinesiology we work on four different levels, the chemical, physical, emotional and energetic, to restore balance in the body. Using these principles I want to share four techniques to bring grounding in times of stress, restore balance and provide a sense of mindfulness.
Releasing emotional stress
Balancing ourselves emotionally is an ongoing process as we’re challenged daily by outside events, people and circumstances. However, the most powerful way to find balance in this area is remembering that while we can’t control the things that challenge us, we can control our response to them. At this time when we’re all feeling slightly prickly, take your time before making decisions - respond rather than react.
When you realise that you cannot change the external without addressing the internal, you begin to look inwards for calm rather than outside of you.
A wonderful way to find calm is through mindful activity. The more fidgety, stressed and anxious we feel, the more we need these activities in our lives, despite our resistance to doing them. Whether it’s meditating, gardening or cooking, drop into that mindful process and reap the rewards.
I personally meditate, walk and do grounding and heart opening yoga practices - these all really ground me, but another secret one I use is music. Music is hands down the best tool I have for calming and restoring balance and one which I am relying on more than ever in these tumultuous times. Music is a mood-changer and certain frequencies of music can restore a sense of calm and balance.
Grounding through nutrition
When feeling stressed or anxious I recommend eating earthy foods. We normally crave heavy, creamy or sweet foods when anxious as they act like a comfort blanket for us, but what we really need is earthy produce that can reconnect us to the ground it came from. The energy of foods such as root vegetables can help us feel more grounded.
While it’s all too easy to reach for something to eat to distract us from our feelings, bring us comfort or even just out of habit, when we eat too much from constant snacking we end up feeling even more out of sorts. I suggest sticking to meal times - having an eating routine that gives us the balance we need.
I recommend warm foods and drinks which are not only comforting in cold weather but also easy for our digestive system to process, allowing efficient nutrient absorption and boosting our immune systems. If you have the time, make soups, stews, broths and curries - fill them with vegetables and herbs to get as much goodness in as possible.
Finding balance through movement
I know when I need to move, I get this achy, slightly toxic feeling in my body that reminds me I need to stretch, flow and sweat. Moving physically is wonderful for our fitness but it also serves to move stagnant energy out of the body, making room for fresher energy, motivation and positivity to flow in.
When we exercise we connect to the ground which has the positive effect of rooting us to the earth, releasing stress and engaging in mindfulness.
A really great way to find balance through movement is to manually move the lymph in the body.
Your lymphatic system is a powerhouse and in Kinesiology we do targeted lymphatic massage (the benefits are awesome) but you can easily do it on yourself. Lymphatic massage serves several purposes, you move the lymph so it can function with more flow and ease, increase energy in the body and release toxicity and stress. This not only boosts immune function but every system in the body benefits.
As a start, using firm fingers, start firmly rubbing the area under the far side of your clavicle, underneath your collarbone and down towards your armpit. Move around until you find the tender, niggly area then rub hard, the pain will soon ease as stagnant lymph is released.
Using nature’s energy to find grounding
The more time you spend in nature the better you can balance energetically. I ground my energy by walking barefoot outside. Grounding is extremely powerful, it roots you down into the earth’s energy which is calming, loving and connecting.
There’s a lot of science behind this so I encourage you to read up but more than anything just go and do it so you can feel the benefits firsthand for yourself.
Another important energetic grounding tool is disconnection.
We’re electrical beings living in an electrical world, and modern technology has a huge effect on our wellbeing. Take time out from devices, go for a walk without your phone, remove phones and laptop from your bedroom while you sleep, turn off the wifi at night, lower the blue light on devices. There’s so much you can do but unplugging is a great start.
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