8 Simple Grounding Techniques for Connecting With Mother Earth

One of the drivers of today’s mental health crisis is the sense of disconnection people have — from each other and the world around them. You are an integral part of a thriving, living natural habitat, not a drone meant to do nothing but commute, sit in a cubicle and eat fast food. Breaking free requires conscious lifestyle changes, and grounding techniques can give you the energy to move forward. 

What is earthing? How do you do it, and what benefits can you hope to gain? Here’s the science of grounding and eight techniques for connecting with Mother Nature. 

What Is the Science of Grounding or Earthing? 

Currents of electricity run through your body. You can say life consists of electrochemical impulses — Mary Shelley used this knowledge as the basis for “Frankenstein.” The Earth also contains electromagnetic waves, and adherents of grounding or earthing believe walking outdoors barefoot can connect with them and alter human physiology. 

These believers have proof. Approximately 20 studies to date testify to the efficacy of grounding in bringing about the following health improvements: 

• Better sleep
• Increased blood flow
• Decreased inflammation
• Reduced chronic pain
• Lower depression and anxiety levels 
• A general feeling of well-being

The effects are so profound that many medical doctors believe grounding should play a role in a well-rounded, holistic health program. While grounding and connecting with Mother Nature to heal disease may sound like new-age mysticism, the practice has solid science supporting it. 

Getting outside benefits people for numerous reasons. Escaping the hustle and bustle of city life for a brief walk in nature is like hitting pause, enabling you to tune into your body and listen to what it needs. Doing so at various times can bring about habit change. For example, you might feel less inclined to overindulge if you typically take a walk after meals. Doing so helps digestion but can be uncomfortable if you gorge till your buckle bursts. 

8 Techniques for Connecting With Mother Nature 

Are you ready to give grounding a try? Here are eight proven techniques for connecting with Mother Nature. Explore them all, choosing your favorites to return to. The good news is that you can’t overdose on this treatment, and there are no negative side effects. However, you should strive to get outside for at least 30 minutes three to four times weekly for best results. Here’s how to connect with earth energy.

1. Go for a Mindful Walk in the Park 

There are dozens of ways to enjoy the mindfulness of walking. The simplest method is to put on a pair of easy-to-slip-off shoes and head to your nearest park. Grounding works best with your naked feet against the earth, so choose a clean location with grass that isn’t riddled with prickly plants. 

Explore the sensation of each foot striking the earth. Can you feel the vibration travel up your legs to your knees and hips? Experiment with different strides. Can you walk as silently as a hunter stalking prey or as gracefully as a gazelle moving across the African veldt? How does changing your walking pace affect your breathing? 

Move from observing the motion of your legs to your thoughts during walking meditation. Can you watch them rush by as if they were word bubbles carried on a river without jumping in the stream after them and becoming carried away? Note of what’s in your mind at the beginning and end of your walk. How did it change? 

2. Challenge Yourself on a Hike 

There’s mindful walking and then there’s hiking. What does that have to do with grounding? For one, taking off those boots and airing your dogs against the naked earth feels heavenly after several miles on your feet. 

Hiking also offers a chance to challenge yourself. It’s amazing how quickly minor concerns like that unpleasant exchange with a colleague take a backseat when your focus shifts to the best way to approach a steep scree slope or return to civilization before you run out of water. Testing your physical limits is often a good way to gain perspective on anything else weighing on your mind. 

3. Take Your Yoga Practice Outdoors 

It doesn’t matter if you’re a hardcore ashtangi or prefer a quieter, more meditative yin practice. Taking your yoga mat outdoors is the perfect way to practice grounding. You might not even need a ground cover at all. Some crazy, wild women and men strike a pose right on the earth itself, putting feet and palms in connection with Mother Nature. 

Pro-tip: Before beginning your practice, inspect the ground beneath your feet. While encountering some insect life is inevitable when practicing outdoors, trying to sit in lotus on top of an anthill is a test no mortal needs to endure. 

4. Putter in the Garden 

You might want to pull on a pair of boots to stomp that shovel into the ground, but you can do many gardening tasks barefoot. Besides, there’s nothing intrinsically unique about your soles — you can absorb the Earth’s electrical energy through any skin that makes contact. 

Strip off your gloves and enjoy the feeling of digging in the good earth. You could ease depression through an unexpected channel. Researchers have identified a soil bacteria, M. Vaccae, that works like an antidepressant to boost mood. It may also increase your immune function, and few people are happy when sick. 

5. Attend or Initiate a Cleanup or Tree-Planting 

Is there a tree planting or park cleanup going down near you? If so, it’s the perfect time to get involved with your community and practice a little grounding to connect with Mother Nature. 

Have a little ceremony to honor each new tree planted or sanction the ground for relaxation. Kick off your shoes during it to mark your connection with the Earth, creating a moving tableau of the positive effects of humans and the planet working and growing together. 

6. Play With Your Kids and Pets 

Your 2-year-old probably doesn’t stop for their shoes before dashing outside to play — unless you remind them. Rover never does. Instead of being the eternal grownup, why not kick off your kicks and romp in the grass with them? 

Adult responsibilities can weigh heavily on your shoulders. Practicing grounding while tossing the Frisbee to Fido and your 5-year-old reminds you of the value of relaxation and play. All things exist in balance, and life works best with equal time for labor and recreation. 

7. Meditate in a Natural Location 

Is it tough to meditate in your home between the pitter-patter of toddlers’ feet and the sound of your teenager’s death metal blaring from the bedroom? Take your meditation practice outdoors for some peace and quiet. 

Bring a cushion if it helps your back, but try connecting to the Earth as much as possible. You might kick off your shoes while sitting on a park bench or lie your whole body against the ground as you recline in savasana. 

8. Go Into the Wild 

Camping is the ultimate way to connect with Mother Nature and what it was like to be human before cars, cellphones and microwave ovens. It’s also an affordable getaway, even if you have zero in your vacation kitty. 

All you need are the basics, including: 

• A bivvy bag 
• A simple shelter, like a tent
• Firemaking materials
• A first-aid kit
• A compass — cellphones can die and go out of range
• Food and especially water — at least 2 gallons per person per day 

Start with a simple overnight outing. You might even stay right in your backyard, which is fine until you feel comfortable. Then, head out for a single night at a time, extending your stay as you advance your wilderness skills. 

Grounding Techniques for Connecting With Mother Nature 

Grounding has proven benefits, and it’s free. You can improve your health today by connecting with Mother Nature through various techniques. 

It makes sense that the electricity running through your veins mirrors the forces in the Earth. Tune yourself by connecting with nature through grounding and enjoy improved well-being in daily life.