grounding exercises | a simple practice guide
summary
In this interview for Health & Wellbeing Magazine, David James Lees shares his Taoist approach to grounding therapy and explains how you can practise grounding every day for a revitalising health boost.
“…Grounding can be practised outdoors or indoors, standing, sitting or lying down. You’ll begin to notice the benefits with just 10-minutes of daily practice!…”
introduction to grounding
The technique of ‘grounding’ has been used for thousands of years by the Chinese Taoists as a form of self-healing therapy.
When physical, emotional and mental exertion pushes your energy levels out of balance, you can use grounding to stimulate and rebalance your flow of ‘Qi’ (Chi) energy and restore inner harmony.
Just like mindfulness practice, grounding can be used as a tool for focusing your mind into the present moment. It’s excellent for calming any racing thoughts and emotions.
Grounding helps you reconnect with the parts of you that are often neglected when the busy mind takes over: your physical body, your senses, and your intuition and inner-wisdom.
Finally, grounding heightens your awareness of the world around you. There is a Chinese proverb that says: ‘we are part of nature, nature is part of us’. Understanding that you are intrinsically part of and ‘at one’ with something greater than you is the essence of all grounding practices.
how to practise grounding
Grounding can be practised outdoors or indoors, standing, sitting or lying down. You’ll begin to notice the benefits with just 10-minutes of daily practice!
‘wuji’ grounding exercise
One of the simplest ways to ground yourself is through the Chinese meditative practice of Qigong. The basic Qigong ‘Wu Ji’ stance is a powerful grounding position:
Stand with your back straight, shoulders relaxed, arms hanging loosely at your sides with your palms facing towards your rear. Your knees should be slightly bent, feet hip-width apart, with the weight of your body evenly distributed between the heel and the ball of each foot. Pressing the soles of your feet against the ground like this activates a potent healing acupuncture point known as ‘Bubbling Spring’.
Now visualise a stream of flowing energy running from the top of your head, down through the centre of your body, out between your legs and into the ground. Stand quietly, breathing deeply through this centreline of energy for 5-10 minutes.
If you have difficulty standing this exercise can also be practised sitting down.
‘becoming the observer’ grounding exercise
Find a quiet, safe place where won’t be disturbed for 10-15 minutes. Sit or lie down comfortably, close your eyes if you’d like to, and relax your body.
Breathe slowly, deeply and rhythmically. Notice how your breath and body move together and begin to cooperate. Affirm to yourself: ‘I breathe in calm, I breathe out tension’.
Scan down your entire body and find any areas of tension or discomfort. Visualise breathing warmth and love into these areas so that any resistance dissolves.
Now turn your attention to your surroundings: notice the areas of your body that are touching the fabric of your clothes and the sensations of where you are sitting or lying down. Become acutely aware of the temperature and any sounds or smells in your environment.
As you observe and tune into your surroundings, visualise your body, breath and the environment around you melting into ‘one’.
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