The main avenues that we have to affect our health with our conscious actions and choices include movement, respiration, mentality, consumption, and environment. In previous articles I have written about organizing our home or office environment in order to improve the way it makes us feel. I have also skimmed the surface of the importance of connecting with our natural environment through forest bathing; making time to spend at least 5.5 hours a month in a natural forest environment. The mental effect of the sensory experience; the health benefits of the aromatic terpenes from certain trees; the exchange of ions between our body and that environment; all have a profound effect on mental and physical health in a way that can’t be supplemented. That means without making time for nature, we create a deficit in the potential of our well-being that cannot be replaced by something else.
Today’s article is also about connecting with our natural environment, and can be combined with forest bathing, but can also be done in any environment, provided you have a means of connecting to the earth nearby.
Grounding, otherwise known as Earthing, entails making bodily contact with the earth’s natural electric charge to stabilize the physiology of the body in very deep and immediate ways. Dozens of studies have shown a strong correlation between grounding and reduced inflammation, pain, and stress, improving blood circulation, energy, sleep, and eliciting a greater sense of well-being.
These are profound systemic effects, and on top of the research conducted, a mountain of anecdotal evidence gives reason to believe that grounding should be considered part of personal preventative health measures.
Our bodies are triggered to produce Vitamin D when exposed to energetic frequencies emitted by the sun, which is almost 100 million miles away. Similarly, a myriad of physiological signals are triggered by unique energetic frequencies emitted from the earth.
There are two ways that we can ground ourselves. One is by connecting directly to natural surfaces outdoors, such as soil, sand, grass, and other natural terrains. The other way is by using devices that can conduct the earth’s frequencies, such as a grounding mat which is connected to a wire rooted in the earth outside.
This exchange of energy happens naturally, and only through our modern lifestyle have we created the problem of being disconnected from this stimulus. We walk on dead man-made surfaces that disconnect us, and even when we are walking on natural surfaces we usually wear shoes with soles that block the conduction of energy. In this day and age we can go our whole lives without ever touching the earth.
This deficiency is something new to our species, and this vital element of health maintenance has been taken for granted before now. There are many illnesses to which grounding seems to have a remedial effect, and one of the causes of these illnesses is thought to be something called “electron deficiency disorder” due to our lack of connection to the earth’s energetic frequencies.
There has been a rise in global illness, inflammatory disorders, autoimmune diseases, and other problems despite the advancements in science and modern medicine. There are likely a number of causative factors to this, but with so many documented cases of such illnesses being improved with grounding interventions, there is reason to believe that this should be a foundational preventative health intervention.
There is much more to this, and I’ll get into the science of how we know that grounding has these effects, and what we know about these energetic frequencies of the earth another time. This article is meant to open your mind to this powerful tool you have available right under your feet.
Human beings have lost their connection to the earth, and this environmental connection is vital for our well-being. The way you move, the way you breathe, the way you eat and drink, the way you think, and your connection to the environment are your only means of controlling your health, and if one of those categories is out of order, balance cannot exist in the body. Getting out, taking off your shoes and connecting with the earth beneath your feet a little bit every day is low hanging fruit, and if even that sounds like too much work, investing in a grounding mat is an easy alternative.
If you want to experience this first-hand, enjoy some forest bathing, earthing, and other great experiences of consciously connecting with your natural environment join me, Genya Kaiman: a mindful movement teacher, and Chris Kelly: a master canoe guide who provides all the equipment for our Algonquin Canoe Trip in October 14th-16th. We’ll have natural movement classes, grounding sessions, meditation sessions, and other activities along the way of our adventure that will help you restore your connection with nature, and leave you feeling rejuvenated and refreshed!
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