If you’ve practiced yoga with me, you will have heard me talk about my appreciation for the natural world. It’s one of those things that makes my heart sing. I try as far as I can, to live as harmoniously with nature as I can. So I see this blog as the first in a new series called “Nature knows best” where I propose to explore and share different ways of connecting on a deeper level to our natural world in our every day lives.
It’s early March 2021. As the ground thaws and the sun regains some warmth, we begin to venture outside. We sense with an unmistakably primal part of ourselves that change is in the air. Something has shifted and the earth feels much different to a month ago.
The days are getting longer, it gets lighter earlier and I’ve noticed in myself (a total non-morning person) a more wonted inclination to get up out of bed earlier. Energy levels are rising as we head from Yin toward Yang in our seasons and within ourselves.
If you know what I’m talking about, you’re likely still in touch with a part of yourself that recognises you being a part of nature, not separate from it.
My personal view is that the reason so many of us struggle and suffer, and often feel like something is “off” is because we live in a way that is disconnected from nature. We are so far from our natural ways of being, that we see ourselves as separate from, not a part of nature. This is a huge illusion and a massive mistake. We were put on this planet to co-exist and harmonise with the natural world, not dominate, control, use, and abuse it.
Natural rhythms and cycles are a form of frequency. Everything in existence is in a constant state of vibration – finally something I learned at school that is proving useful in my adult life! This includes us, our bodies, our minds, our thoughts, and feelings. The Earth itself has a frequency. This is called The Schumann Resonance and is known as Mother Earth’s Heartbeat. For many years it has sat at around 7.83hz, however recently it has been changing. The waves of this frequency is said to match with the human brain waves – I’m no scientist, but something tells me this is no accident.
We are electrical beings. Our heart, lungs and brain are an electrical system. If we understand that the electrics in our home need to be earthed, why wouldn’t we assume the same for ourselves? As humans we are no longer naturally grounded. Many of us live in flats and apartments above ground level. And when we’re out, the synthetic soles of our shoes create a disconnect between earth and body. Free your feet, free your soul!
The earth is our home, and so to live in tune with our environment, we need to find ways of harmonising with the frequency of the Earth. One way we can do this is by the practice of Grounding or Earthing (these two terms will be used interchangeably from here on in)…..
Research into this concept is in its infancy, although more and more peer reviewed studies are coming to light. In my experience, anything that is beneficial that can’t be patented and turned into a multi-billion £$ industry, rarely gets the funding for in-depth research, usually so it can later be dismissed as ‘pseudo-science’. Cynical? Sadly, yes, but also, sadly, currently realistic. However I believe with all my heart that things are changing. Humanity is beginning to crave more natural ways of healing.
Benefits are reported to include:
- reduced inflammation
- better sleep
- stress reduction
- improved circulation
- mood enhancement
- negates the harmful effects of EMF’s (electro-magnetic frequency, such as WiFi)
- literally discharges harmful positive ions
The amazing thing about this therapeutic practice is that it’s super easy and it’s FREE! 20-30 minutes per day is recommended in order to reap the benefits.
Here are a few suggestions of ways you can start a grounding or earthing practice today:
Barefoot Walking
No great explanation needed. You simply remove your shoes and socks and walk with bare feet on the earth. You want to make sure that you’re walking on actual earth, and not tarmac or concrete, for maximum benefits.
I once walked barefoot all the way from Hampton Court palace to Kingston along the Thames. I got some funny looks and my feet were filthy at the other end but I could dismiss all that to reap the benefits.
If you don’t fancy walking around bare feet, just make sure whenever you’re sat outside in the park or at the beach, that you remove your footwear to get that earth to skin connection.
Laying on the Earth
Same as above, but this involves your whole body. Make sure that enough skin is in contact with the earth beneath you. So next time you go for a picnic (those days are coming soon), ditch the blanket and lay down on the grass. Your soul will thank you for it.
Holding Hands with Nature
I appreciate the above two suggestions aren’t going to cut it from October to April/May in the Northern Hemisphere. So this is what I do during the colder months. While out walking in nature, I run my hands along the leaves of trees and shrubs, I pause to hold a branch or put my hands against the trunk of a tree. The plant is rooted, therefore Earthed and by placing your bare skin against that plant, you receive the vibrational charge. Tree huggers understand this.
Swimming in Nature
This is something I learnt more recently but it makes absolute sense. Swimming in rivers, lakes, and oceans has the same grounding effect on the body. I always knew I felt different after a scuba diving holiday and now I know why. Vibration passes easily through water, and this type of water is sitting on top of bare natural earth. Another great way of soaking it all in.
My own earthing journey began when I had had one of the worst weeks of my life. It was summer. I was living in Bath and working in Bristol. I left work distraught (my job and the people I was working for was the reason for the hard time I was going through), got off the train and instead of turning left to go home, I carried on walking, it was like I was being pulled by a force. I didn’t know where I was going. I found myself in the park, dropped to the earth, laid face down and cried into the grass. When I looked up and dried my face, I saw some families playing rounders together and was reminded of what is really important in life. That moment was transformational for me. From then on, I’ve never forgotten the power of nature, being close to the earth, to heal.
Even if you think I am nuts for believing in this, you’ve literally nothing to lose in giving it a go. It’s available to anyone with access to grass, plants, and bare skin.
If getting outside is difficult or prohibited due to weather or season, fear not. You can now buy sheets for your bed or mats to place your feet under your desk that you plug into the earth connection of your socket.
This is especially beneficial if, like me you live in on the first floor or above.
One UK company that sells such grounding products is Groundology, where you can find all kinds of Earthing products and even a range of grounding footwear.
If you’re interested in knowing more, I highly recommend these two YouTube Movies that go into much more detail about the practice, the benefits and the science behind the theory:
The Documentary Movie ‘The Grounded’
The Documentary ‘The Earthing Movie – The Remarkable Science of Grounding’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44ddtR0XDVU&t=2305s
In our Yoga practice, we seek to explore a deeper connection to ourselves and the world around us. Grounding is another way to explore this connection. Comment below if you have any experiences to share…
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