Feeling Ungrounded? Try These Techniques

While many of us welcome the autumn breezes and shifting temperatures, some may be feeling ungrounded, spacey, dizzy, or more anxious. These are all associated with too much Vata, or air/ether energy, according to Ayurveda. There are many other signs and symptoms of Vata imbalance, but for our purposes, let’s just focus on one of the remedies: grounding.

Grounding is a term used in many different healing communities, including Ayurveda, and can be both figurative and literal. The practices of grounding generally have the same purpose: to bring us back into balance and bring us back to a sense of calm.

Here are some of my favorite grounding practices. Save this post so you can come back to it and try several different ones.

1-Lie or walk on the ground. Science has shown that we can pick up negative ions directly from the Earth when we lie down or walk barefoot on it. There are health benefits as well, such as improved sleep, stress reduction, and increased energy.

2-Use grounding crystals. Black Tourmaline and Black Obsidian are both very heavy and grounding crystals. You can wear them, keep one in your pocket, or place it on your body as you lie in savasana for a rest. Other crystals can work as well, just find one that helps you feel calm.

3-Drink lots of water. The water element helps to ground almost as much as the earth element. A general guideline is to drink half your body weight in ounces each day. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces of water. Water also keeps your cells hydrated, as dryness is another symptom of too much Vata.

4-Turn your shower into a ritual. Since water is grounding, use your daily shower as a way of balancing. Before stepping in, set the intention internally or out loud, “Allow this shower to wash away anything that is not mine and leave me feeling balanced and grounded.” Then pay attention to the feeling of the water rather than spacing out, and be present.

5-Tune into your feet. The Earth element is found in your first chakra, whose energy includes the legs and feet.  Whether standing or sitting, try focusing on your feet. You can imagine roots sprouting from them and making their way deep into the center of the Earth. Let yourself feel the steadiness of the Earth holding you.

6-Gaze at nature’s beauty. Step away from the screen at least once every hour and gaze at nature. Take in the colors of the trees, grass, and sky. Connecting with nature this way will help with grounding even if you can’t get outside.

7-Massage with sesame oil. Sesame oil calms vata energy, and massage helps connect you to the earthly body. Be sure to use plain, refined, and organic sesame oil if possible. Toasted sesame oil has the wrong properties and too strong a smell. If you don’t want to practice full abhyanga, just massage your feet.

Good luck out there!