Keeping Grounded

“If you don’t learn to ground yourself in the present moment, you will live like a slave to your emotions, rather than a master of them.”  – Mateo Sol

If you were to ask my 11 year old niece what grounding was, she would give you a very different definition than where I am going with this blog.  Grounding, or being connected and present in the current moment, is something that I struggle with a lot.  Part of the reason I wanted to write about this topic this week, is that I really need to dig deep to reconnect and be more centered, and the other is that I think most people at this hectic time of year tend to feel a bit rushed and focused on the future and all of the things we “need” to do.  I relate to the quote that I started with because I definitely feel like a slave to my emotions as of late.  I am either frantically busy and sharp with people, or weepy and my feelings get hurt easily.  It is not rational.  Small things put me over the edge for no real reason.

I feel people tend to feel this disconnect and sense of being “floaty” or not grounded, when things get too busy in their lives.  Having an illness can make things seems busier than they are for the average person.  The problems happen when this is let go for too long.  It can creep up at times.  Especially around holidays when people expect to be busy.  What I have found is that it doesn’t matter what the reason is for being overly busy.  It just is the way it is and that is not something that I can tolerate for long.  Over the years, I found a few methods to help me fight through these chaotic times.  I thought I would list them for you in case any of you are feeling like you are treading water to stay afloat.

• Mediation.  I know, I know.  Meditation again?  I can’t help but mention it because it is my most helpful tool during times of chaos.  What I focus on during times of feeling ungrounded is different than my normal type of meditation.  I picture myself with roots that go deep into the ground.  Sometimes I picture an actual tree, usually one in my backyard, and picture it’s roots intertwining with mine to help me connect to the earth.  This can help me to instantly calm down and feel more at ease.
• Walks in nature.  Just being in nature actually helps.  During the winter months, I use a scooter to go in the trails by my house.  Getting outside with some fresh air, even if it is really cold, always makes me feel better.  Bring a mug of coffee and head out for some crisp air to help you feel connected to the ground.
• Reiki.  I practice Reiki on myself and others.  It is a form of energy work that is based on the chakra system.  I focus on my root chakra based at my base of my spine.  By picturing a red ball, I can work on my sense of safety and security which makes me feel more at ease.  I will talk more about reiki in another blog entry in case some of you are interested.
• Painting and Writing.  Both of these are ways I use to express myself.  When there are times when I don’t even know why I am so spacey, I turn to my pen or paint brushes.  I find answers through these artistic endeavors often.  It doesn’t matter if you are a great writer or a great painter.  It just matters if you find a way to express your feelings and allow them to be released.
• Being aware of my senses.  I am sure there is a term for this but I am not sure what it is.  I tune into all of my senses.  I go through a checklist of what I see, hear, smell, taste and feel.  Just noticing things that are sensory and real, can change my mindset on things and always calms me down.

All of the activities that I use to ground myself are solitary activities.  I find the noise outside of myself begins to permeate inside of me.  I need to quiet down that inner noise before I can go back out into the loudly oppressive world sometimes.  These are just a few things that I have found that work for me.  Try to find some that help you through the times of detachment.  Things always calm down.  It is just so much easier if we can find a place of solace from turning inward to speed up the calming process.  The picture that I included is a rose that was at our last house.  It was so resilient that some years only one stalk would grow.  But every year, it came back even if I thought it was a lost cause.

We are all like the rose.  Strong and willing to thrive no matter what.