Earthing: ways to find balance by being in touch with the earth

Mindfulness can stretch all the way down to the tip of our toes, and to prove that we present you with the concept of earthing.

Earthing is a thing!

We all feel energy, it is a real thing, it runs through us alongside the blood that pumps through our veins. It is also all around us in everything that exists, including the ground we walk on. To really get in touch with the ground is to connect ourselves with the world and everything that is natural. Earthing is a concept whereby we do exactly that, get in touch with the world beneath our feet. The earth has an endless supply of energy which, if we connect with it, we can allow to be absorbed by our own bodies. And when we do we can literally access a whole new world of wellness! Apparently we can even self-heal by doing this, so let’s find out how…

How earthing works

If you think about the fact that all electrical circuits need to be earthed in order to neutralise the electrical potential running through them, then why wouldn’t the earth have the same effect on us? Well, many professors and natural health experts are in agreement that it does. However, there is a big protocol when it comes to accessing that power, and that comes in the form of being barefoot. We need to remove those protective layers that we call shoes and socks in order to tap into the natural energy that runs beneath us; thus allowing ourselves to become conductors.

The science bit…

“Our innate immune systems use white blood cells (known as neutrophils) to release reactive oxygen molecules (commonly known as free radicals) to oxidise and destroy pathogens and damaged cells. Free radicals have an electron imbalance that makes them electrically charged—in their quest to find a free electron and neutralise, they can attach to, or steal an electron, from a healthy cell, damaging it in the process. The damaged cell then needs to be removed, and the immune system sends another neutrophil to process it, starting the entire cycle over again.

This is how chronic inflammation (which causes chronic pain and promotes many health disorders) is set in motion. This entire response is compounded by the fact that free radical-generating substances are present all around us: in fried food, alcohol, tobacco smoke, pesticides, air pollutants, and even the sun’s rays.

The earth has an infinite supply of free electrons, so when a person is grounded, those electrons naturally flow between the earth and the body, reducing free radicals and eliminating any static electrical charge. The reason grounding is so powerful is it reduces and prevents inflammation from occurring in the body, which in turn prevents inflammation-related health disorders”, says Clint Ober, an earthing specialist who has dedicated the past seventeen years unearthing (sorry, couldn’t resist!) the power of grounding on the human body.

So what does earthing do?

It is a basic and simplistic connection with our natural surroundings, which, in many ways, supplies us with a feeling of connection and returning ‘home’. It makes us feel like an actual part of the world, which we naturally are. We rarely think about it but we are little pieces of nature and so coming in contact with it fills us with all that natural wonder that is, and runs through, our earth. The reported potential health benefits of doing so are: the easing of chronic pain, reduction of symptoms of inflammation-related issues, improvement in sleep quality, boosting of energy, reduction of stress and anxiety, improvement in blood flow, relief of tension, easing of muscle aches, regulation of hormones, improvement in recovery time from injury.

How to do it…

It’s not rocket science: simply remove your shoes and socks and walk around on natural ground. The sand, grass, earth – any natural surface. You can add to the effect by also placing your hands on the ground. Some experts believe that thirty minutes per day will deliver the most effective results from the practice. This could fare difficult for some, especially if you don’t have access to the aforementioned surfaces, but any time spent connected with the earth is positive time that will make you feel more balanced and centred. For those who simply cannot achieve this there are products on the market such as earthing mats that you plug into an electric outlet. This means you could sit at your desk for hours and be grounding yourself while you work. That’s one way to multi-task!

One expert suggests that mindful grounding or earthing is a great way to monitor the results. If you go into the situation with something in mind such as any pain you may be experiencing or stress or tension you may be feeling, and once you’ve completed the task note whether you feel any relief.

You don’t have to stand and walk the whole time during an earthing session, you can sit or lay on the ground and achieve a similar outcome however walking is said to be the most effective overall.

So why not give it a go? Get back to nature and allow those electrons to flow!