Gettin’ Grounded
After leaving religion and the confines that specific belief systems entangled us in, we find ourselves free to explore the infinite possibilities. Without a holy text defining for us the rules for how to live, is chaos truly the only option then?
Christianity tells us specifically that no one is good and that according to Galatians 5, our human nature or the works of the flesh are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. But the works of the spirit or fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Does this dualism that Christianity creates line up with reality? Are we only capable of “good” things if a god is helping us? What is our true nature? It begs us to ask the age old question, what is more influential on our development, nature or nurture, or maybe more specifically the kind of nurture? Maybe we are more influenced by our experiences, especially stress and trauma, both of which are extremely prevalent in one way or another in this life.
Our current hypothesis is that because our modern world causes so much stress and trauma to our bodies, we are stuck in our sympathetic response, our survival response and therefore our actions tend to be more intense and instinctual. We respond quickly because of fright or flight and many times react in an irrational, uncontrolled way. However, what if we can make simple changes in our life that might be able to free ourselves from the grip of the sympathetic and provide the parasympathetic response more opportunity to influence our reactions? Would this lead to a more calm, relaxed and controlled way of handling our daily situations?
We believe that when we are balanced, we are able to react to the constant stimuli in our environment from a more relaxed state of mind, instead of from a constant survivalist point of view. Our immediate perception or emotion of any given situation may still be autonomic in nature but the way we then interpret or feel about that situation and therefore the way we react can be more evolutionary. We can be more objective in our subjective world. Let’s explore some simple, practical insight to improve our balance, starting from the ground up!
From time immemorial, living things on our planet have been and are connected to the ground’s electric energy, with the exception of humans living in industrialized societies. We have insulated ourselves in more ways than one and seldom walk around outside barefoot anymore. The construction of our footwear isn’t helping either, rubber and plastic-soled shoes act as a barrier to the Earth’s energy. Even the cars we drive have rubber tires, insulating us yet again from electrical contact with the Earth. Further we have disconnected ourselves with the very design of our homes and furniture; beds, chairs and couches have all left us ungrounded and not only that, our modern lifestyles have exposed us to electricity like never before. Unfortunately the negative side effects are piling up. But what if there is a simple solution to our problem?
Did you know that you are a bioelectrical being living on an electrical planet? The cells that run your heart, immune system, muscles, and nervous system, for example, transmit multiple frequencies. “Research in cell biology and biophysics reveals the human body is equipped with a system-wide collagenous, liquid–crystalline semiconductor network known as the living matrix, or in other terms, a ground regulation system or tissue tensegrity matrix system. This body-wide network can deliver mobile electrons to any part of the body and thereby routinely protect all cells, tissues, and organs from oxidative stress or in the event of injury. In fact, this very fabric of the body, appears to serve as one of our primary antioxidant defense systems and more and more research is showing that it requires recharging through conductive contact with the Earth’s surface – the “battery” for all planetary life – to be optimally effective.”
“Multi-disciplinary research has revealed that electrically conductive contact of the human body with the surface of the Earth, known as grounding or earthing, produces intriguing effects on physiology and health. Such effects relate to inflammation, immune responses, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Grounding appears to improve sleep, normalize the day–night cortisol rhythm, reduce pain, reduce stress, shift the autonomic nervous system from sympathetic toward parasympathetic activation, increase heart rate variability, speed wound healing, and reduce blood viscosity.”
Reconnecting is simpler than you might think and it doesn’t have to cost you anything either. Grounding can be as easy as just getting outside and taking your shoes off. If you don’t have quick access to a comfortable, grassy place, thankfully there are other options today that make grounding accessible wherever you live, like special grounding sheets and grounding shoes. If you currently don’t have time to add a new routine to your schedule, at least with those options, the sheets and the shoes, you can still get the benefits of earthing by taking advantage of something you already do, like sleeping and walking. Regardless get creative, we promise you the benefits are worth it. Carve out some time in your daily routine to get grounded, aim for 30 minutes a day and increase as you are able.
Earthing isn’t the only way to get grounded, let’s explore some other possibilities! Many ancient cultures have acknowledged energy in the body and the science is finally catching up. You may be familiar with the term chakras.
Our first energy center, also referred to as the root chakra, is located at the base of the spine. Traditionally its color correspondences are red and brown and resonates with groundedness, stability, and security.
In our physical body, our first energy center governs our reproductive organs and the hormones associated and is also connected to the base of the spine, legs, and feet.
In our emotional body, it is connected with our survival instincts. Many of us today remain in a prolonged state of “survival” due to our high stress environments and past and present traumas, leaving us very unbalanced. We have been overtaxing our sympathetic nervous system and our parasympathetic is most likely barely surviving on life support.
Because our lives are made up of subjective conscious experiences, many of which happen to us without our consent, our mind judges a situation then triggers an autonomic response. Depending on our minds perception of the situation, one of two nervous systems will respond, the sympathetic or the parasympathetic. The sympathetic system carries signals that put your body's other systems on alert and the parasympathetic carries signals that relax those systems.
Unfortunately we can’t remove all stressful and triggering situations from our lives, but we can make small changes that will add up to big results over time. Like earthing, we can also support and activate our parasympathetic nervous system through somatic exercises but don’t let the word exercise scare you.
“Somatic exercises focus on simple movements that tap into your mind-body connection to relieve pent up tension and promote overall physical and mental wellbeing. No gym, expensive equipment, or a long blocked out period of time necessary. These exercises and movements take as little as 5-10 minutes a day and can be done in the comfort of your own home. These programs aren’t just treating the symptoms you feel while continuing to live with chronic stress — these programs are actively getting you OUT of the chronic stress cycle. They will help you transition out of fright or flight and into rest and calm finding balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic.”
You can also support your first energy center through the use of crystals, (which like our bodies have frequencies too), essential oils and herbal tea, helping to better regulate your hormones and reproductive organs. How you use these natural, simple and inexpensive tools are up to you. Create your own special formula based on your specific needs!
Starting with a strong, balanced foundation will set you up for the most successful journey, that is why this energy center will also require of you to not only make some simple physical changes but also explore some potentially tough mental work that will demand honesty with yourself.
What is causing the high level of stress in your life? Is it your home environment or where you live, your workspace or type of work in general, certain people, specific foods, or other frustrations linked to your first energy center and survival needs? Take the time for reflection and introspection.
Journal, write, draw, sing, walk, whatever it takes to look deep within. What about past or present traumas? When we began our journey, we had no idea the significant trauma of our past and how it had influenced many areas of our lives. Deconstructing our long held religious beliefs allowed us to see clearly the harm that Christianity causes both in the culture and in the home. Admitting it and releasing it has been life changing.
You can not control how other people act but you can learn to control how you respond. For some, you may find that much of your existence needs a complete overhaul but during this process we cannot stress enough caution, patience and balance. Don’t slay one monster just to fill its place with an even more terrible one. Most situations can be redeemed with time and intention.
For us, putting our thoughts into written words helped significantly. It was a way to take action quickly but then we paused and came back to those feelings days later to be completely sure that was how we still felt. Getting them out of our mind onto paper and waiting allowed us to be a little more objective when considering situations. But always remember no one’s journey is exactly the same. Formulas for finding balance will be different, what we share is just insight.
So let’s recap before we go any further, a few of the simple practices you can incorporate into your lifestyle now!
You can start making contact with the ground today! You can easily move your body in different ways to encourage a state of calm. You can add crystals, essential oils and herbal teas into your daily routines. You can make small or big changes in your life to reduce stress. You can confront and release past and present trauma through journaling and other methods. Now because getting grounded is closely connected with our basic survival needs, let’s take a closer look at a few.
Admittedly we exist first and foremost to survive, to self preserve, and this most fundamental level requires 3 basic needs; drinking, eating and sleeping. If we neglect these needs, we won’t get very far in life. If our survival needs are not balanced, nothing else will be either. An honest self evaluation is a great place to start. Are you surviving on caffeine, sugar and very little sleep? You might be surviving for now but you can’t thrive for long. What if we can make some simple changes to bring about more balance? Change does require effort but it is achievable.
As a general rule, the human body can only go about 3 days without water. Water is essential. How much are you consuming daily? Can you improve? Are your beverages of choice balanced? We’re not implying that water is the only thing you can drink but we encourage you to inventory or log how you’re doing. You might be surprised! Set a goal to drink one extra glass of water per day or to start your day with a glass of water before anything else.
You might also want to consider raw milk. In its whole, unaltered form, it is an excellent, balanced source of fat, protein and carbohydrates, along with essential vitamins and minerals. We prefer raw goat’s milk but only you know what works best for you and your body. Try incorporating raw milk into your daily nutrition.
The last thing we want to do is cause even more stress when it comes to our basic needs and our access to them. Being prepared and having multiple sources is important. Consider and plan how to access water and milk if they were no longer available at your tap or in the local grocery store.
Just like with drinking, what we eat is important too! What foods are you consuming? Our philosophy isn’t an all or nothing mentality but balance. Highly restrictive or completely off limit food plans won’t help your mindset. So here are some simple, practical applications you can start now. Try eating a vegetable before your meal, then set a goal to eat more natural protein; eggs, meat and seafood. If you can source these yourself through homesteading or supporting one, even better!
Last but certainly not least, sleep. Hopefully by implementing some or all of the above insight, your sleep will already be improving. Look to the natural pattern of day and night, light and dark, to find even more balance in your sleep, this is called the circadian rhythm. As the sun begins to rise, “the master clock receives light input directly from the eye and uses that information to synchronize the 24-hour day. This helps regulate several hormonal processes. Melatonin, which allows us to sleep plummets , and cortisol which revs up energy, increases. Hours later, as night falls and the sun disappears, melatonin levels begin to rise again, winding us down. But with the advent of lightbulbs, television, and now smart technology, humans are staying up long past sunset, throwing off our internal clocks.” Light is flooding our eyes when it’s not supposed to. To get your circadian rhythm back in sync, the simplest rule is to expose yourself to bright days and dark nights. Bathe yourself in the morning light as soon as you can and limit artificial light as much as you can in the evenings, allowing the light to dim naturally, winding down in the dark of night.
Just remember not every night will be perfect, hormonal cycles, moon phases and other lifestyle choices can disrupt our sleep patterns but we are hoping to move closer to better, more balanced, more restorative sleep.
Staying active during the day will help to expend the energy your body produces making rest more natural at night. But all work and no play makes Jill a dull girl so don’t think we are suggesting that you need to be working or “active” all day. Remember the key is balance! Work, play, rest, sleep and not necessarily in that order. The formula that works best for you may incorporate rest more often throughout the day. Listen to your body!
One way we “rest” is through meditation. We practice our primary meditation in the mornings, where we bless our energy centers and our body and mind and place our attentions and set our intentions for the day. We also practice just being present. Recall your mind back to the present when distracting thoughts enter. This is also very helpful at night to clear your mind of those racing thoughts when your head hits the pillow.
Lastly don’t worry, let go of any self limiting beliefs you may have. Perfection is not the goal, growth is! Besides, if you were perfect, wouldn’t you just be a robot? Consider instead the metamorphosis a caterpillar goes through to become a butterfly. Grow through what you go through. Start with one change and then implement more when YOU want to!
Embrace the infinite possibilities!
Here are some affirmations for your first energy center.
-I bless my first energy center
-It is healthy and balanced
-Good energy is flowing through me
-I am grounded, I am calm, I am relaxed
-I am safe, I am confident
-I am stable, I am secure
-I have everything I need
-I use the tools nature has provided to support my body and my mind
-I practice simple healthy routines every day
-I accept growth
-I am thankful for new experiences
-I nurture and expand the love, joy, health and abundance of my body and my mind every day
-I embrace the infinite possibilities