What Is Earth Grounding? An Ancient Healing Practice
Earth grounding is a simple yet powerful
practice that has notable health benefits.
Here we will explore what earth grounding is, its many health benefits, and how to best practice earth grounding.
What Is Earth Grounding?
Also referred to as “earthing” or “grounding,” earth grounding is an ancient practice and therapeutic technique that involves physically connecting the body to the natural earth’s surface in order to connect to the electrical current provided by the earth.
In today’s modern world, our direct contact with nature and the earth’s surface has dramatically decreased from what it used to be.
Our connection to the earth is an important part of our overall wellness and this increasing disconnect can have an adverse impact on our health.
Earth grounding can be helpful for a wide variety of health and healing purposes, discussed further below.
The Science Behind Earth Grounding
The earth has an electrical charge/energy that is beneficial to our body due to a transfer of “free electrons.” Electrons are carriers of electrical charge.
When the human body is connected to this electrical charge/energy and receives these electrons, it has a stabilizing effect on our physiology.
A disconnect from this electrical charge has shown to have an adverse impact on the body, described as an “electron deficiency.”
Our bodies are “bioelectrical,” in that they use electrical currents to function and perform various physiological processes.
Furthermore, the earth has a negative electrical charge, which is very stabilizing to the positive electrical charges we are exposed to from electrical devices all around us.
This negative electrical charge is nurturing to our body, and is even said to be a form of “electrical nutrition.”
Earth Grounding Health Benefits
The health benefits of earthing are far-reaching and include:
- Boosts mood
- Relieves anxiety
- Promotes feelings of well-being and balance
- Supports the body’s natural healing abilities and supports the immune system
- Provides powerful antioxidant protection
- Improves heart health
- Improves blood flow
- Increases energy levels
- Improves sleep quality
- Reduces inflammation
- Reduces stress – balances cortisol levels which is one of the body’s primary stress hormones and helps to promote the occupation of the parasympathetic autonomic nervous system which is our “rest and digest” state
- Reduces chronic pain
- Supports the muscles
- Supports post-exercise recovery
- More
One of the most powerful healing effects of earthing is the antioxidant effect that the electrons from the earth have within our body. Antioxidants act by neutralizing free radicals, which are unstable atoms that can damage our tissues and cells and have negative effects on our health.
Free radicals are produced naturally via several physiological processes and they are also produced in large amounts when exposed to toxins such as pesticides, heavy metals, and environmental toxins such as smoke, industrial chemicals, and more.
The anti-inflammatory effect of the earth’s calming and balancing electrical charge also accounts for many of its healing capabilities, as inflammation can be the cause of many symptoms such as chronic pain, muscle aches, chronic fatigue, and many more.
How to Practice Earth Grounding
The aim of earth grounding is to connect your body with the natural surface of the earth. You can do this by yourself or with your friends and family.
Ideally, you want to aim for about 20 to 30 minutes per session, as many days of the week as you can.
Grounding can be done in several ways including:
- Walking barefoot outside on the ground
The easiest way to practice earth grounding is to walk around barefoot outside on the ground.
The key is to make sure you are walking on the natural surface of the earth, so avoid sidewalks, porches, pavement, etc.
You can walk on the grass, dirt, sand, and/or rock, anywhere that has exposed natural earth.
Make sure that you are walking in areas that are not frequently used by animals or pets, as you want to be mindful of avoiding parasites. For example, if you have a pet, and you usually let them out in your backyard, you can do your earth grounding practice in your front yard.
- Lying down on the ground outside
You can also lie down on the ground as a form of earthing. You can lie on the grass, on the sand, or on the dirt.
There must be some part of your body that is touching the earth, such as your legs and your arms.
This form of grounding is easier to do in the warmer months, when you can wear a short sleeve shirt/tank top and/or shorts.
- Swimming or wading in natural bodies of water
You can swim or wade in the ocean, in creeks, rivers, ponds, lakes, and waterfalls as a form of grounding as well.
If access to the natural ground is a challenge for you, there are alternatives. These include items such as grounding pads, patches, blankets, and sheets which are designed to conduct the electrical charge from the earth and transfer it to your body.
Some of My Personal Experiences
I have personally been earth grounding for many years and absolutely love it, as this practice will forever be a part of my health and wellness routine.
When you do this, you can really feel a sense of balance and connectivity. It feels comforting and centering.
When I do barefoot grounding, I like to do some stretches as well. For example, standing barefoot in the grass and then stretching my arms out and then up to the sky and bending over to stretch my legs, pointing my outstretched arms toward the ground.
It is refreshing and promotes a feeling of peace and wellness.
You can also do a meditation during your grounding sessions, or just walk around and enjoy nature around you.
At any opportunity I have, I will swim in natural bodies of water, as the ionic charge of water is also very healing.
If you are ever feeling overwhelmed or experiencing high levels of stress, go outside and do an earthing session in that moment if you can, as it can have a nearly instantaneous calming effect.
In Closing…
As we’ve explored here, earth grounding is an ancient practice of connecting our bodies to the earth’s surface which grants a plethora of wonderful health benefits.
Adding earth grounding to your wellness routine is an excellent health promoting practice and a brilliant part of a healthy and healing lifestyle.
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