Last week we explored grounding, literally. We explored the relationship between our bodies and the practice and benefits of making physical contact with the earth. If you are someone who experiences chronic pain - whether physical or psychological - getting outside and in contact with the Earth was step 1 in this 5 month journey of healing pain through the lens of the 5 elements.
Welcome to Week 2
This week we are going inwards. What does it mean to be psychologically grounded? How can visualisation and meditation help in getting us there? How does that help with pain?
If you missed last week’s newsletter and Step 1 you can find it here.
CHAPTER 1, PART 2: EARTH - INTERNAL GROUNDING
LOCATION: root chakra
COLOUR: red
VIBRATION: 396 hertz
RELATIONSHIP: safety & security, solidity & presence
Rooting yourself in the present
Being in stress - whether from gruelling physical pain or from emotional or psychological tension - can keep us up in our heads and running on empty. Grounding meditation is a way back home. A way to settle, to land, to reconnect with the moment beneath our feet.
Grounding meditation helps regulate the nervous system, lower stress hormones like cortisol and brings us back into a sense of our bodies being resilient and strong.
Why grounding meditation?
Think of it as a physiological deep breath—a full-body exhale.
🌱 Calms the nervous system – By shifting from the sympathetic nervous system to the parasympathetic, we begin to switch off the alarm system that keeps us in high-alert.
🌱 Supports emotional balance – Anchoring awareness in the body can help ease anxious thoughts and regulate emotions. By including thoughts like: “maybe there is nothing wrong right now” you can enhance a feeling of safety.
🌱 Enhances sleep & pain management – As with literal grounding, research suggests that grounding meditation can reduce inflammation and improve sleep quality, making it a powerful tool for chronic pain and fatigue.
How to practice grounding meditation
Play with some of these methods and try to build a habit with whichever one feels right:
🔸 Sensory Awareness – For 3-5 minutes, bring your attention to your physical sensations: the weight of your body, the air on your skin, the feeling of your breath.
🔸 Rooting Visualisation – Take some time to imagine roots growing from your feet or down your spine into the earth, holding you steady and nourishing you from below.
🔸 5-4-3-2-1 Method – Name five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste. A reset for the mind.
🔸 Walking Meditation – Take slow, deliberate steps, paying close attention to the sensation of each foot meeting the ground. As you walk, imagine the earth supporting you. Guidance by Thich Nhat Hanh
This week’s challenge, step 2 in your journey:
This week, whenever you feel pain, stress or unease, take a few moments to practice grounding. Notice what shifts. Is there a softening? A settling? A clarity that wasn’t there before? If so, it’s worth making this practice a habit.
I invite you also to combine grounding meditation with your physical grounding. As you go for a walk outside, practice switching your awareness to your peripheral vision, making your gaze wide and soft rather than focused on your thoughts or on your destination. Notice how this takes you out of your thinking mind and also slows you down and calms you.
Thank you for joining me in week 2! Wherever your feet land, may they find steady ground.
Until next week,
Laine x