The Importance of Earthing or Grounding

In early June, I fractured my left ankle while bushwhacking along the Clackamas River in Oregon. The fracture was a small one, so I didn't have to wear a boot. But I hobble along, lippety-lippety, attending to the daily work at hand but at half the pace.

Summer is here in Oregon and I am soaking in the support of the earth with my bare feet every chance I get to help my ankle heal. I often feel a steady flow of cooling and calming energy permeate my body.

The practice of placing your bare feet on the ground or in a natural body of water is called earthing. There is evidence that earthing can help us heal illness. The earth has a limitless supply of electrons that give it a negative charge. Studies have shown that by placing your bare feet on the ground, you absorb free electrons that help neutralize free radicals and thereby reduce chronic and acute inflammation. Ultimately, when we ground into the earth, it allows us to create a stable internal bioelectrical environment for the healthy functioning of all our body systems.

Modern life insulates us from the earth. We live indoors, elevated off the ground. The invention of the rubber sole for shoes has been a great detriment to our health. Most of us are not grounded and our bodies live in a closed-loop system. All electrical systems have to be designed with a ground, in order for the current to flow. Otherwise, too much static builds up, and the system short circuits. It is a closed-loop system, and there is nowhere for the energy to dissipate. When we ourselves don't ground to the earth, we accrue inflammation, free radicals, and oxidative damage. Over time, an ungrounded body will acquire tissue damage and stop functioning properly. However, when we touch the earth, we can allow fresh energy to flow through our bodies and become the flowing expression of life we were meant to be.

What are some of the ways that you can ground?

• Pair an activity that you already do by bringing it outside. For example, during the summer you can place your bare feet on the grass while you drink your morning coffee.

• Bodies of water like lakes, rivers, and even concrete pools are grounding, so immerse yourself in them. Even if you dip just a toe in, you will still be grounded for if one cell is grounded, so will all the other cells in your body be grounded. It is recommended that you spend at least 30 minutes earthing each day.

• Walk barefoot in the sand, grass, or on a nature trail.

When you are grounded, you feel refreshed, centered, stable, and receptive to the creative energies of the universe. In energy healing, when we are stressed, our chakras close, and our aura becomes smaller. We become a closed-loop system energetically and we cannot receive the nourishing frequencies of Mother Earth through our root chakra and Source energy through our crown chakra. The earth is a repository for negative energy (she transforms it) and without a connection to her, it is hard to detox the negative energies we accumulate. This connection to Earth and Heaven, with our bodies as a conduit, is crucial in the process of manifestation. We receive inspiration from Source and our chakra system energetically helps us manifest these impulses into the world. When our energies are not flowing, we feel can feel stuck, depressed, confused, and over time our bodies will break down.

If you would like a treatment to connect, open, and balance your chakras and aura, you can book an in-person or online session at: https://www.fenestraenergyhealing.com/book-online. I teach clients who are interested how to ground energetically. It is a foundational practice that helps you feel calm and centered in addition to helping you achieve your dreams!

Happy summer,

Tuan Anh