integrating

By: Erick Joseph
Edited date: November 10, 2022Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

creating balance and awareness

There was a time when concept of “grounding”, was alien to me. I probably would have shrugged the idea off as fluffy or put it in the category of New Age ideas that didn’t apply in the real world. For many years, I lived in a tall building, worked in a tall hospital, drove a car a lot, and always wore shoes. There weren’t many moments where I allowed my feet to really touch the ground. I was a fast moving city dweller without a lot of time for doing anything that resembled mindfulness. 

Often I found myself in the inevitably mindless wormhole of multitasking – phone calls, emails, work, family, friends, everything. I actually took a lot of pride in my ability to do so. The reality was, I was anxious, and my head was often in the clouds. 

The concept of grounding was introduced to me by my former partner, who suggested that we take a few moments before and during our yoga practice to send our feet, and collective energies, into the Earth. She showed me how doing this practice would help me to create balance and awareness while practicing yoga, and eventually, how we could integrate this into every day life. 

When I practice this Episode of Tanya’s yoga video Immersion, I am reminded in several instances how important this practice is. While doing a more flowing practice like this, there were several times when I found the work I had done to ground in previous poses, such as Tadasana (standing pose), I was able to elevate and balance with even more precision later on in poses such as warrior 3, with arms outstretched, balancing on one foot.

Now, I have found ways to integrate grounding practice into my everyday life, taking my shoes off whenever possible, to plant my feet in the Earth – whether on grassy hills, sandy beaches, outside, or even on a floor made of wood or marble. The results of doing this practice are incredible. I am clear minded and energised, and rarely anxious about things life throws at me. People recognize the changes, as well, commenting often that I seem down-to-Earth, or am someone they can rely on to take care of things, listen, or just be there when needed. Likewise, I also feel I am there for myself. 

Life on the ground, is good, don’t you think?

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