An Earthing Experience
Right Here, Right Now.
Essentially, that could be the title of any piece of this publication, but I think it is especially significant for this week’s installation: touch. It is true, that everyone has a different relationship with touch. But to me, touch is one of the most significant ways in which we connect to our world, and in this article, we will be discussing how we can use it to connect with the physical world around us to encourage our mindful and present journey.
Physical touch is a common occurrence throughout our lives- at least pre coronavirus- whether that be brushing into a stranger or petting our animals. One aspect of touch that is uniquely lacking in today’s day and age, however, is the touch between ourselves and our earth. It may not be something that is thought about often, but the act of physically touching our Earth is a truly powerful experience.
There is an innate connection between individuals and the earth. It is our ultimate home. At the beginning of humanity, humans spent most of their time in constant connection with the Earth, skin to the soil. As times progressed, however, the invention of rubber shoes diminished this connection. Some would go as far as to say that shows are the “world’s most dangerous invention” because of their ability to create a barrier between us and the world.
Now… that can sound a little crazy. To insinuate that shoes of all inventions are… dangerous? But it is not the shoe that truly represents the danger. Instead, believers of this are actually emphasizing the importance of connecting our bare feet to the soil. This technique is called earthing. It is similar to grounding techniques in psychology and has surprisingly strong support from scientific sources despite being fairly understudied.
There are several different claims of how the act of earthing helps stimulate and center your mind in the body. One is that earthing “allows a transfer of negatively charged electrons from the Earth’s surface into the body. These electrons neutralize positively charged free radicals that cause chronic inflammation.” Beyond this, studies have been conducted in which earthing techniques led to reduced blood viscosity in adults. In this study, two hours of grounding affected the electrical charge on red blood cells, which could be a major factor in cardiovascular disease.
Additionally, a study at the Chopra Center for Well-Being in Carlsbad California showed 16 massage therapists experience pain reduction and mood improvement due to earthing activities. Through 6 weeks of grounding “therapists experienced significant increases in physical function and energy and significant decreases in fatigue, depressed mood, tiredness, and pain while grounded as compared to not being grounded.” (Source). This didn’t just go away after the study either, but one month following physical function continued to be increased, while depressed mood and fatigued were decreased. This study made a connection to blood viscosity as well as to heart rate variability (HRV) and inflammatory biomarkers. Ultimately to me, however, it was a solid translation from the technical aspects that Earthing supports into what that could look like in our daily life.
Now, a lot of these words were completely unfamiliar to me before stumbling into the world of Earthing, so it made me wonder, do I really need a change in my blood viscosity if that is not a widely thought concern? Well, to that the authors of the book Earthing replied, “Earthing remedies an electrical instability and electron deficiency you never knew you had. It refills and recharges your body with something you never knew you were missing”.
More everyday benefits from Earthing include everything from improving sleep and increasing energy, relieving muscle tension and headaches, improving PMS symptoms in the ladies, reducing jet lag, and even reducing snoring (Source).
But, here at Sense Yourself we are not only concerned about our bodies and moods. We care about intentionally living our lives. So how does Earthing help with that?
Grounding, a complimentary aspect of Earthing, is a technique used in psychology to combat bouts of fear and PTSD in trauma patients. The idea in the technique is that, like in other types of mindfulness and meditation, you are forced into concentrating on the present moment. You are guided away from the past, which lives only in your mind, and into the safety of the present.
Jon Kabat-Zinn, an American professor and founder of MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction), defined mindfulness as “paying attention, on purpose, and without judgment to what is happening right here, right now.” Now, doesn’t that sound a lot like the grounding technique we just described?
Right here, right now.
That is the key.
So are you ready? Are you ready to increase the intimacy between yourself and the Earth? Ready to be more present in your surroundings? More aware of your home?
Maybe that sounds a little intense, so let’s try this: are you ready to walk barefoot outside?
Much better, let’s do it.
To begin the process, I tossed on a sweater and my birks and walked out my front door. It was a chilly day in Chicago, so I was a little nervous to not be covered in my typical warm gear. Now, as I mentioned, my home is on the first floor of a townhome in Chicago which means I don’t have the most access to what one may consider “Earth” around me. Instead, I chose a dirty, mulchy chunk of “yard” that sits across from my porch.
While it may seem creepy to choose to partake in this activity at night, and it probably did to my neighbors, I did so in order to increase my concentration and decrease the distractions around me. I knew that if I did this while cars were driving by I would spend too much time thinking about the things around me than my own connection with the earth.
Now, because of my limitations, I focused on simple movements as I stood in the mulch, covering small circles. I also sat down for a moment. If it is available to you though I highly suggest going for a walk on as much ground as possible, as this helps to stimulate the Kidney-1 (K-1) point in your food. This is known as bubbling well, and walking helps to stimulate it. I listened to a guided meditation through my headphones via Youtube.
(A Guided Grounding Meditation by Linda Hall, is a great starting meditation. Found here)
But, whatever method you choose, simply make sure to spend a large amount of time in direct contact with the Earth. Today I spent 5 minutes, and tomorrow my goal is longer. Each day I hope to add extra time, and you should as well. Start with what is feasible to you without losing interest or focus on the connection between the earth and you.
Do this every day and see a difference in your physical, mental, and mindful wellbeing. I will update you next week with my own experience and results.
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