If you aren’t grounded, you’re like a leaf in the wind: very vulnerable and thrown off balance very quickly. But when you are well grounded, you are like a big, strong tree. If something happens around you, it doesn’t influence you so much and you are able to feel much more peaceful and balanced in your daily life.

There are many ways to ground yourself. Any physical activity (sports, walking, dancing, gardening, etc.) will automatically ground you. You can also use meditation to ground yourself. Just focus your attention on your body. Start at your crown and move downward with your attention, feeling every part of your body.

Then imagine an energetic connection (a chord, a tube, or the roots of a tree) coming out of your feet, into the earth. Also visualize such a connection between your base chakra at the base of your spine and the earth, and allow these connections to go deeply into the Earth.

These are effective ways to help you ground yourself and feel more centered, strong and balanced throughout your day.

However, there are a few situations where grounding yourself can be difficult. Here are the three challenges I see most within myself and my clients:

1. Physical discomfort

When you’re in pain or very tired, it can be very uncomfortable to be present in your body. Grounding yourself asks you to be aware of and present in your body. When your body gives you discomfort, grounding can be difficult.

How you can work with it:

See what happens if you persevere in your intention to ground yourself and be present. Breathe with the discomfort. Send your love to the places in your body that feel painful or uncomfortable. Allow it to be there and be present with it. See if you can feel the peace this brings.

Also know that grounding is a lot easier when you’re well rested. Sometimes going to bed early is your best choice! In the morning it will be much easier to ground again. Be kind to yourself and listen to what your body needs.

2. Emotional discomfort

Something similar happens when you are experiencing intense emotions. Being present with those emotions can be challenging, and grounding can bring up the pieces that you haven’t looked at yet.

How you can work with it:

The problem with emotional discomfort and grounding is that it can become a vicious circle. When you’re not feeling well, it’s hard to ground; when you’re not grounded, you’re more emotionally vulnerable.

The trick here is to reverse that pattern. Know that when you’re grounded, you automatically feel more peaceful. Grounding brings a natural feeling of balance.

So see if you can do it anyway. Take a few minutes to just breathe with whatever emotion is present. Allow it to be there. Allow the emotions to be just an energy running through your body. It will be like a wave: once you focus on it, it will seem to grow and get more intense. When you continue to allow the feeling, it will reach its highest point and then it will diminish and disappear.

When the wave of emotion has run its course, ground yourself again. Feel the peace and your new sense of balance.

3. Not wanting to be on the planet

Sometimes grounding is hard because you don’t actually want to be in your life, on the planet and/or in your body. Many conscious people have difficulty fitting in into the world because they feel they’re different. Some of them remember the unconditional love that they came from. When they do, it can result in a resistance of life on Earth. That can make grounding very difficult, because grounding connects you to the Earth.

How you can work with it:

Healing or integrating this part of you that doesn’t want to be here takes time. It has many layers to it. It’s important to remember that as long as you’re here (even if you don’t want to be) you can use the energy and the strength of the Earth to support you. Grounding will actually help you feel more balanced and centered, once you get through the resistance.

So that’s it. I hope these tips help you move through any resistance and help you feel more grounded, centered and balanced in your daily life.

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