Down-To-Earth: Grounding and It’s Power

Reconnect with the very Earth beneath your feet.

Author

Katie Rutten
January 09, 2024

“If you're not busy living, you're dying.”

― Vince Flynn

We have to make better choices for ourselves consciously.

We can’t just exist one day to the next, hoping it all goes okay without effort required on our end.

Without us even trying.

If we’re doing this, we’re literally just dying.

But the best part about living and living well; do you know it?

Living well usually comes without a cost.

It’s natural.

It’s readily available.

Real simple stuff.

Today’s topic is all about one of these “simple, natural, free things” that helps us live better.

A practice of mine that will quite literally reconnect you with the very Earth beneath your feet.

You May Have Heard of It Before

It’s called grounding (otherwise known as Earthing.)

I know I heard about grounding a long ass time ago.

But I started incorporating it into my daily routine when I heard an in-depth discussion about it on this podcast with Gary Brecka, human biologist and founder of 10X Health Systems.

Trying it for the first time, I felt quite silly.

I’d be in my backyard just standing there, kinda like this except in the grass and barefoot:

…maybe I felt more awkward about it at the beginning than I should have.

I often couldn’t help but wonder if my neighbors were watching me out of their windows like “…what the heck is she doing just standing there? A weirdo that one is.”

But ever since I got over the approach anxiety of starting a new thing and just focused on the grounding itself, I’ve directly experienced the benefits.

What’s better, ancient wisdom and modern science share common ground (😉) when it comes to understanding how connecting with the Earth impacts our well-being.

Come On, Get Barefoot With Me

Whether you live in the epicenter of a city or have plenty of land in the countryside to tromp, you can ground too.

Through grounding, we're not just “touching the Earth”; we're rekindling a primal, perhaps long-forgotten connection.

I want to see you tap into this primal side of you.

For your health.

Grounding’s Not Just a Verb - It’s a State of Being.

Groundings not complicated so I’m not going to treat it like it is.

Essentially, grounding is the act of connecting your bare skin — typically your feet — directly to the Earth.

More than just a physical connection to the ground, it's a conduit for the transfer of electrons from the Earth's surface into your body.

We’ll get more into the science behind it in a few: I want to focus on the bigger picture for a minute.

Think of Grounding as an Exchange

Grounding’s a dialogue between your body and the Earth.

Think of grounding as a subtle electrical “nutrition” that’s recalibrating and restoring some of your bodily systems.

You guys, I promise: this isn’t woo-woo nonsense.

Spiritually, it's a practice steeped in the concept of returning to one's roots.

  • We aren’t born with shoes on our feet.

  • We didn’t evolve to have concrete, wood, or tile between us and the bare Earth.

  • We’re meant to have this primitive contact I’m speaking of.

  • It’s a practice old as all hell.

In fact, for centuries Native American traditions have emphasized the importance of staying in physical contact with the Earth.

I invite you to watch this 8 minute YouTube vid about how the Navajo incorporate grounding into their ceremonies and the meaning it provides to their culture.

Similarly, in Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine, walking barefoot on the Earth is recommended to improve sleep and reduce anxiety.

As a species, we’ve become disconnected from the “Earth” element with our modern way of living.

According to the Ayurvedic teachings, this leads to an aggravation of ‘vata;” or an overload of the “air” and “space” elements.

Imbalance of vata leads to inflammation, nervousness, anxiety, and instability.

Thus, grounding is prescribed as the best way to balance vata within our being.

Grounded In Science

Before I lose you, I want to go into the science behind grounding.

While deeply rooted in tradition and spirituality, grounding stands firmly on scientific grounds, too.

So let’s pivot to this perspective for a moment.

You’re A Powerhouse

The human body is an electrical entity.

Every heartbeat, neural impulse, and cellular process stems from a bunch of electrical signals.

Similarly, the Earth is not just a massive rock floating in space.

It's a giant ball of energy and minerals, with its own natural electrical charge.

When we make direct contact with the Earth, we engage in a transfer of electrons with it.

Natural, healing energy flows into our bodies, causing both a grounding and revitalizing effect.

Like we plug our cell phones in at night to charge them, we need to plug into the Earth and recharge our bodies.

Declumping of Red Blood Cells

The benefit that got me to start grounding regularly was learning about the effect it has on our blood and sleep.

Research has shown that grounding helps to “declump” red blood cells, a phenomenon that enhances circulation and oxygen delivery throughout the body.

This declumping is particularly beneficial before sleep.

Declumped red blood cells promote a state of physical calmness, aiding in deeper, more restorative sleep cycles.

Take A Look 👀 At This Image

The left side shows how red blood cells clump together overtime due to the electrical charge built up between them.

The imaging to the right shows the declumping effect caused by grounding.

The proof is in the puddin’.

So yea, go touch grass for real my friends.

Your red blood cells and sleep quality will be in for a real treat.

Incase You Want Studies

You may be thinking “alright girl, show me the receipts.”

And I can.

Because I’m a person who asks for the receipts when I’m skeptical about something too.

Here are two studies I came across that gave grounding a lab-based approach:

Participants in both of these studies reported feeling more energetic and less fatigued after incorporating grounding into their routine.

The beauty of grounding lies in its simplicity and accessibility.

You don’t need to invest money into grounding.

You just have to head outside and plant your feet in the Earth.

In the warmer months, take grounding a step further and lie your bare spine on the Earth for more direct contact.

I simply can’t wait for it to warm up around here so I can soak up a lot more of the grounding good stuff.

A Simple Daily Practice

10 minutes.

10 minutes once a day is all it takes.

Have more time? Great. Ground longer.

But all you need is 10 minutes to reap the grounding benefits we’re talking about here, my friend.

Heres some practical tips and solutions to seamlessly incorporate grounding into your daily life.

  1. Go Outside, Take Them Shoes Off: We humans love to overcomplicate everything, but one thing I love about grounding is there’s no special instructions to it. Go outside, get barefoot, set a timer for 10 minutes. Boom, dude, you’re good to go. You can scroll social media, read a book, enjoy the sunrise/sunset, focus on your breath, or people watch. It doesn’t matter; you’ll get the effects either way.

  2. Take Opportunities to Walk Barefoot: One of the simplest ways to soak up more grounding goodness is to walk barefoot on natural surfaces like grass, sand, or soil. Even a few minutes can make a difference, helping to reduce stress and increase your connection to the Earth. When I go to the park and the conditions are right, you bet your sweet bottom I’m popping my shoes off and getting after those benefits, baby!

  3. Grounding Meditation: You could try incorporating grounding meditation into your routine; a two birds, one stone type deal. This can be as simple as standing barefoot on the Earth, closing your eyes, and visualizing roots extending from your feet deep into the ground. Breathe deeply, focusing on the sensation of the Earth beneath you and the air entering and exiting your lungs. I personally love to ground while doing breathwork. No drug touches it.

Remember, grounding doesn't require money, extensive effort or time.

It's about integrating small moments of connection with the Earth into your daily life.

Whether it's a brief walk in the park or a moment of mindfulness in your front yard, each session is a stride towards a more grounded, balanced you.

Keep it simple, stay consistent, and tell me you don’t fall in love with grounding after giving it a go for one week.

And when you’ve earned the “down-to-Earth” person badge with intention and practice, tell about it so your friends and family are inspired to make better choices for themselves too.

It takes a village, (walking with their feet bare.)

✌

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