If you’re at all creative, intellectual, and/or spiritual, chances are you sometimes find yourself feeling a bit ungrounded.
As in, spacey.
Off in your own world.
Or just feeling disconnected or disoriented.
It’s ok to go trippy (in healthy ways, I mean.) But it’s important to stay connected to the earth, too. Grounding helps us integrate what we learn in those other regions with the physical world we live in, so that we can use those insights for the highest good.
Grounding isn’t just for creative times. It’s essential for demanding and busy times, too. Grounding connects us with the calming power of the earth, so we can successfully cope with the things we need to deal with.
Fortunately, getting down to earth doesn’t have to be a grave affair. There are lots of super fun activities that help also keep our feet on the ground. Here are a few of my favorites:
1. Get Muddy. Hee, hee. You knew I’d work worms in here somehow, didn’t you?  But you don’t have to share my enthusiasm for slimy critters to enjoy getting down in the mud. Gardening is a great way to do it, too. Or walking barefoot in the rain. Or throwing pots on the wheel. Or participating in a mud run. Or how about getting a group of girlfriends together for a mud pack facial? 🙂
2. Get Outside. “There are a lot of studies about how when children go outside to learn, they can retain more, they’re more creative, they’re more cooperative, they’re happier,” says ecotherapist Ariana Candell. You can get these benefits, too. Next time you find yourself reaching for the remote or checking email for the nth time, give yourself a poke and head outside instead. Even if it’s just for a few minutes. You’ll feel a lot more “with it” when you come back, I promise.
3. Eat Wild. Being outside is grounding in itself. But learning to identify and enjoy wild foods will connect you to the earth even more. Wild plants like dandelion, nettle, and of course our beloved blueberries pack a nutritional punch that blows supermarket produce out of the arena. And hunting for them teaches you to be more present and aware of your natural environment. Wild foods usually have stronger flavors that most people these days are used to, so if you are new to them, give yourself time to adjust and don’t be afraid to slather on the dressings and seasonings. After a while, you may find you crave having wild things on your plate. (Do be respectful when you gather, though. Take only what is plentiful and legal, and what you will use. And don’t eat anything wild unless you’re 100% sure it’s edible!)
4. Ride ’em Cowgirl. If you are lucky enough to have a horse or to ride regularly, you know how good horses are at keeping us present and connected with our physical bodies (even as they nourish and exercise our our spiritual, mental and emotional sides, too!)
5.Bake Brownies. Do you crave chocolate when you’re stressed? That may be because chocolate is a classic grounding food.  Unfortunately, sucking down lots of conventional chocolate laden with refined ingredients is more likely to throw you off balance than to offer any long term grounding benefits. But that doesn’t mean we can’t indulge. Eat it sparingly, or try a decadent chocolate dish with truly nutritious ingredients, like this  Paleo Double Chocolate Brownies recipe. Bonus for brownie bakers: stirring up a bunch of batter is a terrifically fun grounding exercise all by itself – especially if you invite a friend (or teenage daughter) to do it with you!
Morel mushroom photo credit: 2nd Morel via photopin (license)