Grounding is a way to stay focused on the body and the present moment rather than allowing your mind to race from one thought to another. In meditation you may drift off and feel spaced out or light headed, so grounding brings you back to the here and now leaving you feeling calm, safe, secure and deeply connected to the earth.

The Buddhist meditation “I am a mountain”, is good for grounding: breathe into your belly and repeat; “I am a mountain” then as you exhale; “I am strong and stable”.

Grounding is a way of bringing your thoughts back to your body and mind in the present moment, balancing the spiritual with the physical, so that you not only feel calm from meditation but are connected to the earth and living in the present moment.

You could always try this during meditation: “Grounding into the Earth”, described further in Meditation for Dummies:

  • From your sitting position, focus your awareness on your lower abdomen about 2 inches below your navel and 1.5 inches inside your body (this is also known as the hara, life energy or chi)
  • Focus on the hara, notice how it feels and direct your breath into this area, expanding on the inhale and releasing as you exhale
  • Continue for 5 minutes, noticing how the centre of gravity moves from the upper body to the hara.
  • As the breath continues imagine that you are a tree, visualise the roots growing from the hara, down through the base of the spine into the ground.
  • As you inhale, feel the roots drawing energy up through the earth into your body and into the hara, as you exhale sending energy back down. (Continue this for around 5 mins)