What Does Grounded Mean Spiritually?

In this article I talk about what it means to be grounded spiritually, signs and feelings of being UNgrounded, some common causes of feeling ungrounded and what tools of yoga to use to ground yourself. If you have foot, ankle, or leg problems, sciatica or low back pain, arthritis or other joint problems, or if you are obese…you will probably find this content VERY interesting.

The Term Grounding Can Have Different Meanings

The physical body has a neutral electrical charge and is a conductor of energy. The surface of the earth has a negative electrical charge, while the core has a positive electrical charge. When our physical body takes on an electrical charge that is different than that of the surface of the earth, we become “ungrounded”. From an electrical standpoint - removing the excess electrical charge from an object is called grounding. From a human standpoint - removing the excess emotional or thought charge is called grounding. When we have an imbalance like this for a prolonged period of time, in yoga we believe it manifests in the physical body. When we spend too much time in our mental and emotional aspect of the body, we can develop chronic energetic patterns that cause us to be on ‘repeat’ [I like to refer to this as the hamster wheel] which then manifest into the physical body. At that point we’ve altered our perfectly balanced human body by spending too much time and focus in just one aspect, and in this case, it’s the mental and emotional layer of the body.

What Does It Feel Like to Be Ungrounded? 

Feelings of being ungrounded: Excessive thoughts, anxiety, phobias, fears related to survival, feelings of abandonment, scarcity mentality, territoriality. Victim mentality, material insecurity, and co-dependency Life events can make you feel ungrounded: 1. Moving 2. Loss - death, divorce, a job 3. Spiritual awakening How does this manifest in the physical?: problems in the feet or legs (arch problems, plantar fasciitis, problems with achilles or ankles, knee issues…and so on. - your connection to the earth Obesity - when we experience overwhelm or trauma we become hyper sensitive and it’s thought, in spirituality and in yoga, that it is the body’s response to protect itself with extra layers of padding. I find this fascinating because I’ve worked with many people that have tried so many diets and workout plans to lose weight and more often than not…the root problem is emotional.

"Our gut contains 95% of the body’s serotonin which influences our mood"

On a very practical note, a lot of people do turn to food for comfort and our gut contains 95% of the body’s serotonin which influences our mood. Arthritis and joint problems - Lower back pain in SI joint or lower lumbar - these can be traumas or slow onset…but they are an extension of the feet. The SI joint is where the impact of walking first connects with the spine. Practicing grounding techniques lowers stress levels, balances out cortisol levels and reduces inflammation as a result. So, now that you know what grounding is, and what the feelings and physical manifestations are of being UNgrounded…how can yoga help us to ‘be grounded”.

A physical asana practice (the yoga poses) combined with mindfulness on the body and breath is a way to get us out of our mind and emotions and into the physical body. In other words…its brings us back in and teaches us how to be present physically.

Yoga poses for being ungrounded are: 1) any of the standing poses 2) any seated poses.

Within these two categories of poses, you can specifically address your individual needs, but for that you would need more specific training and/or be under the guidance of a good, experienced, yoga teacher. Keep in mind that it’s not just going through the motions of the poses. You have to be mindful of your proprioception, your breath, and activating certain muscles or muscle groups for the practice to be really effective. Doing yoga poses spefiically for grounding can be very beneficial because it addresses the physical body and the energy body which will help to bring us into the body instead of the mind and emotions.

Doing meditations can also be helpful, but I find it easier for everyone (beginners especially) to be present in the physical body while they are doing the poses. Beginners in meditation often get back on the hamster wheel and end up having a conversation with themselves about trying to meditate. To wrap it up, most basic yoga classes taught by certified teachers should have elements of grounding in them and can be helpful. I think people get better results from a targeted practice either at home or as private instruction under a good teacher.