These days it seems like everyone is talking about “grounding.” Putting your feet flat on the floor, growing roots to the earth – these are great visuals, and they are also a bit too literal of an interpretation of the word. Others use the 5-4-3-2-1 method on objects you can see, hear, touch, smell and taste, respectively. This is a cool method to bring you back to your body, but is it grounding, or is it an intellectual categorization exercise?
The above methods are useful and hold value, not throwing any shade here. What I want to bring to you today is a variation on grounding; a way to be rootless. Here’s how:
- Sit comfortably. In a chair, on a cushion, a couch, wherever, it’s all good. Just try to have your posture straight, it’ll help you pay attention.
- To start focusing on the mind, pay attention to your breath for a few minutes.
- Then, open up to sounds. Hear what’s around. Hear it and let it go.
- If your eyes are closed, try to see the swirl of colors behind your eyelids. If open, try to see the air itself.
- Now, open to other sensations – a little tickle on your scalp, a sore hip, an itch on your arm, a pleasant calm in your chest.
- Once the sensations start, simply pay attention to them. The quieter your mind, the more you’ll notice.
- When thoughts come, no problem. They will. Just let them go as best you can.
- And then you’ll get captured by a thought and run away with it. That’s ok.
- Just keep coming back to the sensations.
- Again and again. Be rootless in noticing. Be calm in accepting.
These instructions are meditation-focused, and by focusing on the sensations (as opposed to other meditation techniques, visualizations, etc), you will ground yourself into your body by becoming rootlessly aware of various things. If you do this for 10-20 minutes, calmness will arise. Maybe not quite to the level you seek – and that’s where practice comes in. The more you remain in touch in this way, the more grounded you will feel in any situation.
Feel free to email me at james.skay.blog@betterlifecolorado.com if you give this a try and have some thoughts. Or if you’d like to meet with me for sessions. Be well.
