What Is Grounding Meditation and How to Practice It?

Meditation isn’t always what we think it is. While we imagine it’s supposed to make us feel inner peace, it’s often more about accepting the present moment — including whatever pain we may feel. Grounding meditation, in particular, can make accepting the present moment easier for some people. It’s all about using the Earth’s natural calming energy to feel more connected to yourself. Read on to learn how it might be more helpful than other types of meditation and specific techniques to try.

What is grounding meditation?

Grounding, also known as earthing, is the practice of being in physical contact with the Earth. You can try it in many different ways, including something as simple as walking barefoot on grass. The concept comes from the belief that the Earth’s natural energy can help balance the body’s energy. Some research states it might help reduce inflammation, pain, and stress, including anxiety, depression, and sleep difficulties. However, more studies are needed since research on this topic wasn’t very popular even a decade ago.

Combining grounding with meditation can help people feel more rooted as they go inward, potentially making meditation less anxiety-inducing. Depending on the moment, meditation can lead to heightened emotions as you allow yourself to feel what you may have been avoiding. With the support of the calming energy of the Earth, some people may feel better able to manage meditation.

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Grounding vs. other types of meditation

Unlike mindfulness meditation, which focuses on observing without attachment, grounding centers on a physical connection. This can help some people feel as though they have something to hold them and keep them stable. Giving people a physical sensation, like the ground beneath their feet or the texture of grass, can offer something to focus on, which might help with concentration and reduce overanalyzing. In general, whether it's practicing more mindfulness calmness, meditation for anxiety, or a 5-minute grounding meditation, what works best depends on each person. It's a very subjective experience, and our needs are constantly changing.

Grounding meditation techniques

Each technique offers a unique way to connect with the Earth and feel centered. What works best for you can change, so experimenting with different methods can be the best way to go.

1. Connect with the earth

Sit or lie down on a natural surface, like sand, soil, or grass. Focus on the physical sensations of the Earth’s surface against your body. Notice the texture, temperature, and energy of the ground. Use the direct content to bring awareness to the present moment and allow your body to express itself in any way it chooses. Give yourself time to feel connected with the Earth, noticing its effects on your breath and inner sensations.

2. Try a walking meditation

Who says you always have to sit or lie down to meditate? Sometimes, walking can be its own form of meditation. The movement can help regulate our breathing and thoughts naturally as we focus on putting one foot in front of the other or our surroundings. Try taking a nature walk barefoot, on grass, sand, or soil. Feel the ground beneath your feet and let it ground you to the Earth’s stability.

3. Visualize nature

If you can’t have physical contact with nature, you can try a few different visualization techniques. For example, you could follow a guided meditation to imagine yourself as a tree with roots growing from your feet deep into the ground. As you stabilize yourself in the Earth, absorb its energy and stable foundation. This type of imagery can make you feel, quite literally, rooted, with the stability, strength, and flexibility of a large, old tree in a beautiful forest, managing all the seasons and tests of time.

4. Grab grounding products

If you’re living the apartment life, buying grounding products might help you get that earthly connection you can’t always access. There are grounding mats designed with conductive materials that are meant to mimic the Earth’s electrical energy. Another option could be grounding sheets or leather-sole shoes to use outside since they claim to not block the electrical charge of the Earth like rubber soles.

Potential benefits

While grounding is becoming more popular for its calming and centering effects, the scientific community is still exploring its full range of benefits. For example, reviews or meta-analyses that cover dozens of studies to find an overall effect don’t yet exist. However, that’s not to say that grounding meditation may not have any benefits. For example, they may be similar to meditation or time spent in nature, which can include:

• Improved emotional regulation. Feeling supported and connected to the earth might offer a sense of security and stability, making it easier to manage emotional fluctuations.
  
• Reduced stress and anxiety. Practicing meditation might promote a sense of calm and presence, alleviating anxious thoughts.
• Increased mindfulness. A daily meditation routine can encourage mindfulness, the process of observation without attachment — which has been shown to help with depression and anxiety relief.
• Better physical health. Some research suggests that grounding can help reduce inflammation and improve immunity and brain function.
• Improved sleep. Increased relaxation might help with falling asleep or reaching a deeper, more restful sleep.

How to practice grounding meditation

Grounding meditation doesn’t have to be complex. A nature space, grounding products, or even nature items around the house can help. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to start:

1. Find a quiet space. While it’s often hard to get total silence, especially if you live in a city, you can use noise-canceling headphones and accept that some outside noise may be inevitable — and that’s okay.
2. Get comfortable. Sit or lie down and rest your hands. Let your eyes close if you like unless you’re staring at peaceful scenery you’d like to enjoy.
3. Breathe. You can start practicing breathwork by inhaling slowly through your nose and exhaling through your mouth to release tension. Try counting your breath to see if that helps create a more regular breathing pattern.
4. Tap into your connection with the earth. Try visualizing grounding relaxation techniques, like imagining roots growing from your feet into the earth. The goal is to feel the stability and energy of the earth flow throughout.
5. Focus on sensations. Tap into the physical touch, like the texture of the soil or grass or the sun or wind on your skin.
6. Release and absorb energy. Imagine yourself releasing your stress or negative energy through your body into the earth, allowing it to take it from you. In return, visualize yourself absorbing positive, stabilizing energy that fills you with a sense of strength and calm.
7. Return to the present. As your thoughts wander, keep going back to your visualization or awareness of the natural environment around you. When ready, take a few deep breaths and return to the world for a moment before moving on with your day.

Other ways to ground yourself in nature

Research has long suggested a positive association between time spent in nature and improved physical and mental health. We evolved for nature, not chaotic cities, after all. If meditation or other types of holistic therapy feel like a stretch, consider just spending time in a natural environment. One study showed just ten minutes in nature can reduce cortisol. About two hours a week overall is associated with good health and emotional well-being. That time doesn’t have to be spent hiking or moving, either. It could be simply lying down and staring at the clouds or having a picnic.

If you don’t have much access to nature, you can still bring nature indoors with plants and flowers. Even indoor plants might reduce stress. One small study showed that just putting fresh roses in an office space improved heart rate and feelings of relaxation. In general, any sort of self-care routine that improves the mind-body connection has the potential to offer physical and mental health benefits. Even quick meditation practices can make a difference. Compassion cultivation, especially, is well-known to improve mental health.

In the end, the more contact with nature you have, the better off your overall health could be. While more research is needed on grounding techniques, the majority of studies at least show an overall positive impact of nature and meditation on well-being. So, even if you’re not following a specific grounding technique, time outdoors in a calming space is worth a try.