Grounding Mindfully
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We can reconnect to our inner strength and improve our focus by tuning into how we’re connected to the Earth. We’re always in contact with something, and by tuning into the sensations of what we’re touching, we can stabilize and recenter. Even when jumping, we’re touching the air around us. Our body is always in contact with something we can feel. We can tune into the weight or texture of our clothing, our legs on our chair, or our feet stepping mindfully to experience a point of contact with our body. Focusing on this point of contact is referred to as “grounding.” We can ground ourselves anytime. We can be sitting in our chair, walking, standing still, laying down, or doing pretty much anything; and all we have to do to ground ourselves is focus our attention on the physical sensation of our body touching the things around us. We can even ground ourselves by focusing on how our body is touching itself.
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Mindful Sitting (Grounding Meditation)
We have countless ways to connect to our mindfulness! A great way to tune into the present moment is to practice mindful sitting. Sitting is something we likely already do while driving, eating, working, creating, and relaxing. We can turn the simple activity of sitting into a nourishing meditation.
1. Find a comfortable position to sit for about 20 minutes in a place you won’t be disturbed. Close or relax your eyes. Begin to breathe mindfully. “Breathing in, I know I am breathing in. Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.” Enjoy observing your breath for as long as you like.
2. Continue to breathe as you focus your attention on the places where your body is touching something. Feel the areas where your body is resting on something else, then feel the areas where your body is touching itself. Feel free to shift or make any small adjustments to stay comfortable, and explore the sensation of your body being connected to the things supporting it.
3. I like to start from my feet and work upward, but you can focus on any point you’d like. Offer loving attention as you observe and feel each part of your body that’s in contact with something. As you focus on these areas, continue to breathe in fresh energy. If you discover any stiffness or tension, exhale slowly and consciously relax your whole body.
4. For a few moments, focus specifically on your hands. What are they resting on? Are they touching each other? Concentrate on whatever part of your hand is touching something else. Continue to breathe and allow your hands to relax, feeling their weight as you consciously relax them. Our hands allow us to do so much each day, so we appreciate taking the time to allow them to rest.
5. Next, take a few moments to mindfully reconnect with your sitting posture, then shift your perspective to focus to your surroundings. Use your senses to feel the air on your skin, hear the sounds outside, and smell the scents of your environment. We can connect to these sensory elements at any time. As you observe the sensations around you, stay connected to your breath, breathing deeply and slowly. Receive the present moment just as it is. Enjoy breathing and sensing the moment you’re in.
6. After observing your outer reality, bring your attention back to the areas where your body is in contact with something else. Keep repeating this cycle of deeply feeling your physical body in contact with the things supporting it and using your other senses to observe the many wonderful things that surround you in the present moment.
2. Continue to breathe as you focus your attention on the places where your body is touching something. Feel the areas where your body is resting on something else, then feel the areas where your body is touching itself. Feel free to shift or make any small adjustments to stay comfortable, and explore the sensation of your body being connected to the things supporting it.
3. I like to start from my feet and work upward, but you can focus on any point you’d like. Offer loving attention as you observe and feel each part of your body that’s in contact with something. As you focus on these areas, continue to breathe in fresh energy. If you discover any stiffness or tension, exhale slowly and consciously relax your whole body.
4. For a few moments, focus specifically on your hands. What are they resting on? Are they touching each other? Concentrate on whatever part of your hand is touching something else. Continue to breathe and allow your hands to relax, feeling their weight as you consciously relax them. Our hands allow us to do so much each day, so we appreciate taking the time to allow them to rest.
5. Next, take a few moments to mindfully reconnect with your sitting posture, then shift your perspective to focus to your surroundings. Use your senses to feel the air on your skin, hear the sounds outside, and smell the scents of your environment. We can connect to these sensory elements at any time. As you observe the sensations around you, stay connected to your breath, breathing deeply and slowly. Receive the present moment just as it is. Enjoy breathing and sensing the moment you’re in.
6. After observing your outer reality, bring your attention back to the areas where your body is in contact with something else. Keep repeating this cycle of deeply feeling your physical body in contact with the things supporting it and using your other senses to observe the many wonderful things that surround you in the present moment.
The more frequently we acknowledge our connection to other things, the less alone we’ll feel. We can cultivate great confidence, improve our focus, gather our strength, and touch many other positive attributes when we ground ourselves by concentrating on our physical connection to the present moment and the things around us.