One of the desired results in practicing yoga is to become grounded.

Grounding is not just being physically connected to the ground; its purpose is to also bring awareness on the physical connection of the body to something larger than life. One of the current popular trends in yoga around the world is called “earthing yoga”.

This practice concentrates on ‘grounding’ or to establish a connection between the physical body and the earth.

Why?

Early humans walked barefoot outdoors and grounded their bodies to the earth. Their way of life was to share a close relationship with nature, tapping nature’s energy that nurtures all living things connected to it. Aside from this, the element of earth symbolizes stability and balance.

Besides, the root chakra in our body depends on the connection of the body to the earth. With good energy flowing from the earth to the body, a healthy foundation can be built.

There are many different benefits to practicing earthing. The first step into fully getting most of the benefits is to willingly start and focus on the practice. Like in meditation and other yoga practices, it is much more effective when done committedly.

Benefits of Doing Earthing Yoga

It relieves many common ailments and improves the immune system. The earth is a natural healer. It brings a great inner peace that in return helps alleviate different ailments that can be experienced every day. Studies also say that earthing or grounding helps with inflammation and wound healing.
Reduces stress and anxiety. When the body experiences unwanted changes, high workload, exams, loss, and other stressors, it can affect the whole body. The cortisol levels increase; there can be difficulty in sleeping and there can be instances of anxiety attacks. However, when grounded, that cortisol level is normalized and the stress response of the body is controlled.
Improves circulation. With the continuous flow of energy from the earth throughout the body, the delivery of oxygen and needed nutrients is also improved. The blood flows better even with just a short time of practicing.
Improves metabolism and neutralizes free radicals. Through grounding, the free radicals or highly reactive uncharged molecules are neutralized in the body. And even though these compounds are good for protecting the body against foreign elements, it can also trigger different chronic ailments such as muscle atrophy and diseases like diabetes and neurodegeneration.
Creates stability and establishing a sense of safety and security. Doing earthing yoga helps the root chakra to become balanced and healthy. Through the stability of the earth, having a strong connection to eat will help vanish the worries and turning it into a feeling of safety and protection. My friends at Best In Yoga mention the additional connection and an improved experience during an earthing yoga session.

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Some helpful tips for earthing yoga and grounding

Spend time in nature through walking, swimming, hiking, or gardening. Walk on the ground barefoot. Take your shoes off and feel the earth through your feet. Get your hands dirty and feel it through your hands. Swim at the beach and feel the sand. It will help remove the physical barriers that separate your body and the environment.
Use earthing gear like an earthing yoga mat or earthing shoes. Both are designed to help in experiencing the earth’s natural healing energy while walking, doing yoga, exercising, or meditating.
You can also eat grounding foods that are dominant in the earth or water elements. These foods can be fresh vegetables, grains, dairy, and even meat. According to Ayurveda practices, these grounding foods should help to keep focus and maintaining balance.
Do some yoga poses. Skip the yoga mat and concentrate on your body’s connection to everything around. Focus on your breathing and notice the shift in your awareness. Different yoga poses can help improve grounding.

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6 Earthing Yoga Poses You Can Practice Today

Ready to get outside and do some yoga? Here are a few of my favorite poses to do whenever I am outside and in need of some serious TLC from Mama Earth.

1. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

This is one of the best yoga poses to use in establishing the connection to the earth. It is commonly used as a foundational pose for other standing Asanas.

2. Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)

With one leg lifted from the ground, this pose helps balancing and stability. It is another foundational pose that encourages the body to be rooted on the ground.

3. Balasana (Child’s Pose)

This pose helps in letting go of body tension and stress. A person in this position can feel the earth cradling them like a child.

4. Garudasana (Eagle Pose)

This pose also helps in balancing and stability. It may be more challenging than the tree pose, but it also improves focus and the leg muscles.

5. Savasana (Corpse Pose)

This pose allows the whole body to touch the ground, allowing the earth’s energy to flow freely.

6. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)

The feet and the hands are touching the ground in this pose and these body parts draw the energy into the body up to the tailbone where the root chakra is.

Best Time To Do It

Practicing earthing yoga all the time can help in becoming a grounded person naturally. Through constant practice and making it a habit, through this, it would be easier to cope with negative emotions or anxiousness that one may feel now and then.

According to Ayurveda practices, the best time of the year to constantly practice earthing yoga is during autumn or fall. This time of the year is called the Vata season, when there is a dominance of the Prana or vital life force and element of air. During this time, energy imbalances are prevalent and can cause anxiety, insomnia, uneasiness, and overall lack of energy. Doing earthing yoga can counter the effects the autumn season brings.

Why You Should Do It

In today’s world, many people are disconnected from the earth. And the loss of this connection is one of the biggest reasons why people experience different help problems. With the benefits listed above, there is no doubt that earthing yoga has a lot to offer. The earth offers an overwhelming amount of energy, and earthing yoga is one of the best ways to tap that energy while keeping balance and stability in the mind, body, and spirit.