By: Reem Iskandar, a Mason student majoring in Communication
“Feel yourself grounded to the earth, while your mind is focusing on the sky of clarity.” – Nawang Khechog
The well-being practice of grounding (also known as earthing) has existed since ancient times, but during the stress of the coronavirus pandemic, grounding has become especially popular because of its ability to relieve stress. Grounding involves standing or walking barefoot on the Earth’s natural surface, in order to absorb energy from the ground. Let’s explore the well-being benefits of grounding, and how to try it.
Our lives have become increasingly disconnected from nature, harming well-being by leading to many physiological illnesses, according to research published in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health. We are in constant contact with manufactured environments – so much so, that we have become deprived of our planet’s healing. During grounding, we can reconnect with that healing by connecting with the Earth’s electrical energy. The Earth’s electrons act as antioxidants that neutralize the free radicals in our bodies, improve overall mood, and lessen the severity of chronic illnesses and pain, the research in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health explains.
Diverse Well-Being Benefits
Grounding offers a diverse variety of well-being benefits. It is a simple practice that can significantly improve your health.
The benefits of grounding, according to this U.S. News and World Report article, can include:
- Stress and pain relief
- Less inflammation
- Better sleep
- More energy
- Improved circulation
- Reduced anxiety and depression
- Stronger immune system functioning
A research review published by the National Library of Medicine concludes that, “All studies discussed revealed significant physiological or clinical outcomes as a result of grounding. This body of research has demonstrated the potential of grounding to be a simple, natural, and accessible clinical strategy against the global epidemic of noncommunicable, degenerative, inflammatory-related diseases.”
A Grounding Practice to Try
Taking care of your body is also taking care of your mind. Try this simple grounding practice anytime you want to boost your overall well-being:
- Stand barefoot on the ground. Be sure to choose a natural ground surface, such as grass, soil, or rock, rather than an artificial ground surface like concrete or asphalt. Consider grounding in your backyard if you have one, or at a local park.
- Relax your body, and direct your attention to your feet. As you feel the ground, sink your feet fully into it, and enjoy the feeling of your skin making contact directly with the Earth. Stand there for a few minutes, receiving the Earth’s energy into the soles of your feet. Or, if you’re on a large patch of ground that is free of debris, walk with your bare feet for a few minutes to absorb energy from the ground.
- As you’re grounding your body, focus on healing your mind as well by letting go of stress. Imagine the negative energy of your stress flowing out of your feet, and the positive energy of well-being flowing into your feet.
Whenever possible, take the opportunity to practice grounding, and enjoy its natural well-being benefits!
Additional Resources
Grounding is a type of somatic therapy, which involves pursuing healing for your body and mind together. Learn about somatic therapy in this Verywellhealth.com article.
Discover more about how spending time in nature can strengthen your well-being, in these Thriving Together Series articles on nature.
Discover more about how to manage stress for greater well-being in these Thriving Together Series articles on stress management.
Write one of these Thriving Together Series features! We’re looking for contributions on all topics related to well-being. Read other Thriving Together Series articles here and contact us at cwb@gmu.edu for guidelines. Thank you for helping our Mason community thrive together online!
