What does it mean to feel grounded? For me, grounding is a sensation of being fully connected to myself and in the present moment. When I feel grounded, I feel more stable in my mind and body.
Grounding can come from different things. For me, being in nature and taking in the feeling of the ground beneath me, the feeling of a gentle breeze, the smell of the flowers or trees, can all be very grounding.
I also enjoy practicing yoga and doing breath practices to help ground me. For others, it might be grounding to pet your dog or cat or listen to certain types of music. For some, a sensation of symmetry can be grounding—for example pressing your hands against each other with equal distribution of weight or letting your hands rest in your lap with palms facing down either open or in loose fists.
Not sure where to start? Join Yoga Teacher Matthew Sanford and Greater Los Angeles VA Physician Indira Subramanian, MD, in this 9-minute video, where they discuss and practice some grounding techniques:
You can also check out the other sessions in this series here on #LiveWholeHealth Archives.
How else might you find ways to connect to the present moment? Mindfulness technique helps us do that by consistently bringing our attention to what is happening right here, right now.
If you are interested in learning about other ways to incorporate mindful awareness and being more present throughout your day, check out the Whole Health website section: Mindful Awareness – Whole Health (va.gov) or the Mindfulness Coach Mobile App Mindfulness Coach | VA Mobile.
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