Ground Yourself In Nature

Our immediate worlds are full of technology and our day to day life can be very artificial. The modern world and its advancements have one big disadvantage among many, it tends to disconnect us from our bodies and human-being-ness. My advice for anyone feeling ungrounded is to get oneself into nature. The natural rhythms of nature and natural environments help to reset us.

I grew up with the advantage of having nature all around me and the opportunity to get into the wild in just a matter of minutes. When I moved to Boston over 10 years ago I quickly realized that I missed and actually needed to find ways to get out into nature. I would feel drained and heading into depression from urban life if I did not escape into the woods and experience the natural world. 

Our nervous systems run on energy and essentially electricity. What we do in our daily lives can affect that energy. Electronics, artificial lights, industrial sounds, artificial foods, as well as artificial environments can all have a great impact on our nervous system. While the built world can disrupt our internal electrical grid, the Earth has its own energy and can ground or rebalance ours. 

Signs You Are Not Grounded

The following list has ways to tell if you are ungrounded and could use more nature in your life:

• Getting distracted easily
• Spacing out
  Overthinking or ruminating
• Engaging in personal drama
• Experiencing anxiety and perpetual worrying
• Having inflammation
• Experiencing poor sleep
• Having chronic pain
• Feeling fatigue
• Having poor circulation
• Craving material things
• Feeling easily deceived
• Worried about your looks

Nature Heals Us

Our ancestors lived with a close relationship to the Earth and nature. They depended on the natural rhythm of the seasons, weather, plants, and animals around them. They were dependent on what the natural environment could provide them. Our brains evolved to be in nature and to experience it with all of our senses. When we live in urban environments our senses can become overwhelmed and overstimulated by all the chaos that non-natural environments provide. Similarly, some of our senses shrink due to under stimulation of such things as the smells, tastes, touches, and sounds which nature provides. 

Frank Lipman, MD says, “All that indoor life tends to dull the senses, suppress immune systems, depress spirits, increase exposure to indoor toxins and sharply increase risk for illness and disease.” Our mental health and physical health can benefit from the many aspects of being in nature. When we are feeling depressed and lacking energy it may be time to ground ourselves and get out into the wilds. 

Experience What Nature Has To Offer

Once you have made your great escape into a natural environment try to slow down, breathe deep, and experience what nature has to offer. Use your five senses to feel the world. Look around and treat your eyes to the many colors and textures that you see. Breathe in and out and pay particular attention to the smells and scents of the plants, soils, and air around you. Feel the breeze on your skin or the heat of the sun. If it is raining or snowing, feel the coolness of the fresh precipitation on your body. If possible, taste the rain. Learn about the world around you and taste the edible fruits, berries, grasses, etc. that grow nearby. Listen to the birds, the wind in the trees, the bugs, and animals that you encounter. Being around running water can stimulate your senses and help to bring you back to reality.

“Exposure to outdoor sunlight helps elevate our mood and regulate our circadian rhythms. And regular nature exposure in general helps boost energy and concentration. It makes you more alert to your surroundings, quieting mental chatter and swirling thoughts. The parasympathetic nervous system switches on, cortisol drops, and the brain’s prefrontal cortex — your hard-charging command center— eases up on the gas pedal as you drift into a soft-focus state of restful awareness. It’s like a mini-vacation for the mind.” - Frank Lipman, MD

Consider losing your shoes and sticking your feet in a stream or walking along a dirt path. Many of us have great memories of running around barefoot as a kid. We played in the dirt and used our imaginations in trees and bushes. We were connected to the world around us and we can reconnect just as strongly with nature as adults. There are times that I have even run around naked in rain storms or skinny dipped on camping trips. These adventures reinvigorate my soul.

Try touching trees and feeling their trunks, bark, branches, and leaves. Trees are very well connected to the Earth and everything in it. As it turns out mushrooms and fungus mycorrhizae tie into tree/plant roots and connect into everything in the soil and with other mushrooms. They even exchange nutrients between trees/plants. Nature has its own interwoven web of connections which keep the world going around. Connect into it and feel more connected to the natural world and its wonders.  

Try laying down on the ground, or earthing. Many people swear by this method of reconnecting and grounding with the Earth. Simply lay down on grass, dirt, or even concrete. Just lay down and experience your surroundings. Feel your energy flow into the ground and the ground’s energy flow into you. Even if you aren’t sure about this practice you are definitely not out anything other than shaking some dust or leaves off of your back. 

Benefits of Grounding

• Recharge your energy
• Clear your mind
• Strengthen your instincts
• Calm your emotions
• Reduced stress and anxiety
• Reduction in headaches (both hormone and tension-related)
• Increased endurance
• Faster healing and athletic recovery
• Reduced jet lag recovery time
• Reduced inflammation in your tissues
• Reduce cortisol
• Improved immune response
• Increase healing speed
• Decrease pain
• Restore balance to the body
• Increased blood flow
• Improved blood pressure
• Elevated mood
• Improved posture
• Strengthens muscles and bones
• Improves eyesight
• Stabilizes circadian rhythms

Ways to Connect With Nature in Every Day Life When You Can’t Get Deep Into The Wild

Sometimes it will be hard to escape urban environments but you can still incorporate connecting with nature into your daily life. Try some of the following:

• Spend time outside every day
• Visit a park, river, or discover some green space
• Bring nature inside. Look for a cool stone, flower, leaf, or even stick that you can bring into your dwelling. Seeing nature in your home will remind you that Earth supports you.
• Go swimming, even concrete pools can help you to feel the elements of Earth and ground you energetically.
• Grow plants in your house or in containers outside. Growing your own food can be a very rewarding experience and can feed your soul.
• Open your windows and let the breeze blow through your spaces. Fresh air can help clear out toxins and chemicals that can accumulate in your home.
• Go to farmer’s markets and bring home fresh vegetables to eat and experience.
• Take a cold shower

You may also try sleeping away from electronics. Some clients even notice a difference when they turn off their wi-fi to sleep. In order to regulate your circadian rhythms it can be very helpful to sit on the ground frequently, try to get some morning sunlight and evening sunsets. The more we can help our bodies to connect with the natural cycles of the world around us the better grounded and centered it will become. 

After having a session of brainwork you will often hear me advise that you spend some time outside that day. Go sit outside, get on the ground if possible, and get away from your electronics for a bit. Electronics and artificial lights can interfere with the integration of all the brainwork and the processing out of things we worked on. This is very similar to my advice on hydrating after a heavily physical massage. You want to give your tissues a leg up on releasing toxins and tensions, the water helps with that. 

Be curious and adventurous! Get your hands dirty. Take off your shoes and feel the ground. Breathe in the fresh air and the weather nature offers you. Get naked and let water touch your soul!

Want to talk more about how nature can help to heal you? Consider bringing it up with Julie in your next session at Posture Massage!