If you know me or follow me on the Gram, you’ve probably heard me mention grounding or noticed that in many stories of my morning rituals I’m outside barefoot soaking in my surroundings. No, I’m not a hippie, but I guess you could say I have some hippie tendencies.
The practice of walking barefoot (or sitting or laying down) directly on Mother Earth is referred to as Grounding or Earthing. Yes, tree-hugging does count, but I’ll leave that for my more woo brothers and sisters.
I absolutely love this practice and can’t recommend it enough. It’s super simple: All you have to do is walk, lay or sit directly on the earth (some research claims concrete works as well, but I haven’t personally tried that).
Listen, I know this sounds wonky if you’re not really down with the whole nature thing, but I promise you, this seriously works and this is coming from a city girl!! Don’t just take my word for it, this particular intuitive exercise is science-backed.
***Small excerpt here, let’s please let go of the requirement of scientific validation for things that intuitively feel good. There are a number of spiritual, ancient practices that can make you feel wonderful, yet there’s no scientific proof that they do, so people scoff at them. If it’s natural, feels good and your gut instinct is inclined towards it, I say do it and don’t worry about the scientific stamp of approval. Unlike prescription meds, nature doesn’t come with a laundry list of negative side effects, however, do use your best judgment and common sense.***
With that said, since this one is science-backed, let me break down the scientific proof for my nerdy friends that are into this stuff (myself included).
Believe it or not, I’m not a scientist 😉 while I am dropping a very brief description of what I have learned from my perspective if you want the full research check out this link.
Everything we see, and even some things we can’t see, are made up of particles, and those particles carry a charge that can be positive, negative, or neutral.
Positive ions aren’t positive in the way you would normally think of positive – they are found in things like mold, pollen, and other toxins that humans may have a bad reaction to. Devices like televisions, cell phones, and laptops all emit positive ions as well, and we all know that too much tech can cause us to get a little crazy too, right?!
Whereas negative ions have the opposite effect and are found abundantly in nature i.e. clean, fresh air, mountains, grass, the ocean, dirt, etc.
Benefits of negative ions include:
- Neutralize free radicals.
- Revitalize cell metabolism.
- Enhance immune function.
- Purify the blood.
- Balance the autonomic nervous system, decreasing anxiety, promoting deep sleep and healthy digestion.
- Help heal and alleviate symptoms of stress, depression, and chronic illnesses.
(Read more about the effects of positive & negative ions here & here)
Tree hugging isn’t looking so crazy after all huh?!
So what’s my point here?
Grounding is the point. When we ground ourselves into nature by walking barefoot on the grass or swimming into the ocean we are soaking up those negative ions. Which is something all of us need in this technology-obsessed day & age.
We are bombarded 24/7 by positive ions seeping out of our handheld devices, computers, iPads, and 70” tv screens. However, how often are we outside barefoot or swimming in the ocean? If the answer to the latter is less than the amount of time we spend on screens, then we need grounding more than we care to admit!
In order to live in balance, we need both positive and negative ions to work in harmony throughout our bodies. Connecting to Mother Earth by walking barefoot on her cold, wet grass is how we absorb those healing negative ions that our bodies so desperately long for.
So, the next time you’re outside, give grounding a try!! Slip off them shoes and walk across that beautiful lawn barefoot, or if you’re really feeling frisky, go up and give that tree a big ole warm embrace. And then send me a pic!! Soak up those negative ions every chance you get.
Happy Grounding 😊
Much Love,
Sara B
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