Here is a simple grounding meditation you can use to get in touch with yourself and become more grounded in everyday life.
This is a follow-up to the body awareness meditation, and there is some overlap. The beginning stages of this grounding meditation are basically the same as the body awareness meditation.
This grounding meditation also combines two separate grounding techniques into one meditation. Steps 3 and 4 can be done separately in two different meditation sessions, or combined together like I have described here. In total, this meditation should take you about 15-20 minutes.
1. Beginning the grounding meditation
Begin sitting in a chair with your back straight, your feet flat on the floor, and your hands resting on your lap. If you prefer, you can sit on the floor or on a cushion. Keep your eyes open at first. Take several deep breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. After three or four breaths, close your eyes.
2. Become aware of your body
Now become aware of your physical body and bring your attention to the sensations you are feeling. First, become aware of the point of contact between your body and the chair, and then the contact between your feet and the floor. Finally, become aware of the contact between your hands and your thighs. If thoughts arise during this process, simply let them go by and return your focus to the meditation.
Next become aware of any sounds you hear, then any smells, and any tastes in your mouth. Try to experience each of these things one at a time, and then simply be with all of them and everything you are experiencing, all at the same time.
3. Bring the mind down into the body
Now, bring your attention to your physical brain. Picture your brain inside your body and inside your head – this represents the mind. Now, imagine that your brain is slowly descending, moving down the back of your body and down your spine. Try to feel the physical feeling as if this was really happening, as well as picturing it in your mind. Feel as your brain sinks all the way down to the base of your spine, down into the core centre of your body.
If thoughts arise during this process, again, just let them go by. What you are doing is simply imagining your brain (a physical representation of the mind) sinking from up in your head down deep into your body – really into your lower spine and pelvic floor. (If you are familiar with yoga/chakras, this is the root chakra.) Repeat this as many times as you like, and when you feel ready move on to step 4.
4. Grounding with roots
As you continue to sit, picture your own body in your mind with the ground beneath you. You can picture yourself sitting as you are, or standing up – it doesn’t matter, as long as the ground is beneath you in in the picture in your mind.
Now, visualize as roots begin to grow from the bottoms of your feet and down into the earth. Imagine as they dig down one, two, then three times the length of your body, deep down into the earth. These roots are holding you fast to the ground and not letting you float away.
Now imagine a third root, this time coming from the base of your spine, that digs down into the earth in the same way. This root travels one, two, then three body lengths deep. These roots are connecting you to the earth and to nature. They are pulling you downwards, out of the clouds and out of your head, and down into your body and the earth beneath you.
Again, try to feel the physical sensation as if this were really happening. You can repeat this visualization as many times as you like. In the same way, feel free to stay with the image, and with the feeling, for as long as you like.
5. Finishing up
Once you have done the grounding portions of the meditation, return your attention to the physical sensations in your body. Notice any sounds, any smells or tastes, the same as at the beginning. Just become aware of everything you are experiencing and be with it for a few moments.
Then slowly tilt your head so you are looking down at the ground, and equally slowly open your eyes. Sit for a moment and simply take notice of how you feel, and then get up and continue on with your day.
Read next: The Practical Benefits of Meditation
Be sure to give this meditation a try, especially if you feel ungrounded in everyday life. After you do, let us know what you think in the comments section below.