Grounding

Written by: Rauna

Grounding means establishing a connection with the Earth. Healing energy is said to flow to us from the ground, while our surplus or negative energy flows back into it. Grounding is intended to keep our energy level stable and remove negative energies that make magic—or everyday life—difficult.

Grounding is rather like cleansing. When we become physically dirty, we wash, because health requires cleanliness. When our energy body becomes dirty, the belief is that it, too, needs cleansing so we can remain lively and healthy.

The Earth is seen as an inexhaustible, renewing source of energy. We can draw on it without fear of exhausting it or having our negativity change its renewing power. Negative energy released into the Earth is said to rejoin the world’s energy and become neutral again. Energy is always moving and changing its form.

Grounding is one of the basic techniques of magical practice. Whenever you raise energy, you should also ground it. If you do not, the belief is that you may even experience physical symptoms: light-headedness, difficulty concentrating or feeling out of balance. At times built-up energy can leave you hyperactive and unable to sit still—literally over-energised. Grounding before every ritual is a good habit, as it is intended to prevent you from using up your own reserves. Rather than spending our life-force, we connect with what is believed to be the inexhaustible energy of the Earth. The power flows through us, not from us.

A useful rule of thumb in ritual and magical practice is to ground and cleanse yourself both before and after working. Grounding is not, however, only for magic. Many who walk the Wiccan or witch’s path may notice that they react strongly and unconsciously to other people’s emotions. Feelings catch on, and they are swept along by the moods around them.

A good mood can vanish in moments while talking with an angry friend, or a loved one’s sorrow becomes your own. Grounding is intended to help release these feelings and remain centred in yourself, so that you can sympathise with others without taking their troubles into yourself.

There are many grounding techniques, and it is worth trying different ones to find the one that suits you best. Here I will present a familiar grounding meditation. Although it takes some time, it is very effective. It is suitable for people working in groups and for those practising Wicca or witchcraft alone.

TREE OF LIFE meditation:

Sit or stand upright and take a few calm, deep breaths. Imagine that bark covers you in place of skin, your hands and head are branches, and your hair forms fine twigs with leaves rustling softly in the wind.

Now imagine growing a thick, sturdy root down from the end of your spine, burrowing deep into the ground. With every exhalation it travels through the floor or earth beneath you and through rich black soil, growing many smaller roots around it, until it pushes through bedrock and reaches the groundwater sheltered there. Take a few deep breaths and draw the fresh, reviving groundwater into yourself. Then let the root continue growing until it reaches the Earth’s molten core, the heart of Mother Earth, the source of all energy.

There at the Earth’s core, think of everything painful or worrying that you wish to release. Breathe it forcefully down into the core, where the cleansing fire destroys it. When you feel all negativity has burned away and returned as neutral energy to the cycle, begin drawing the golden energy of the Earth into yourself with deep breaths. Feel the Goddess’s golden energy rising up the root, through stone, groundwater, soil, earth and floor, into your feet, knees, hips and stomach, hands and neck, rising further until it reaches your head. Feel it healing you and filling you with warmth and light.

Now feel some of the branches growing from your head extend until they reach the ground. The golden energy of the Earth flows out through your crown chakra, runs along the branches and returns to the soil. It forms a circuit that begins in the Earth, passes through you and arches back down through the branches around you. Rest for a moment within this flow of energy.

Now exhale strongly and grow some branches towards the sky, higher and higher, past the clouds and the atmosphere, until they reach space. Reach the stars and their bright white light. Breathe in the God’s cool, white light from space and the shining stars. Feel it flowing through your leafy branches into you, calming and cooling you, clearing your thoughts. Let the white energy flow through your legs and roots into the Earth and mingle with its energy. Feel power flowing into you from above and below; stay with that image for a moment. When you feel strong and energised, end the visualisation and put your knees and palms on the floor, allowing any excess energy to return to the Earth.

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