Grounding seems to be a trend these days. A hoop student recently asked me if I’ve ever done ‘grounding’. Living in the mountains, this is kind of a funny concept because this is all we do. Many of us go to outdoor concerts and dance barefoot. We raft on rivers, climb up mountains, hang out in the forests and mountain bike over slickrock in the desert. But are we truly connecting? 

I can’t speak for anyone’s experience and even though we are more connected to the elements of nature than one who lives in a city, are we really experiencing the oneness that comes from sitting and listening. Listening not to our thoughts but to the sounds of the wind through the leaves. The sound changes when the leaves are alive in the spring and drying out ready to die in the fall. Are our ears tuned to the roaring water from the snowmelt as it cuts through the mountains and runs down through the town. And do we take for granted the periwinkle and pink alpine glow beaming off the snowcapped mountains? And how does a person not able to experience this find connection to things that make them feel stable, calm, inspired and more alive?

My time living in a beautiful Ashram off the grid, near San Diego taught me how. Through Buddhist meditation, breathwork and very slow and intentional movements, we develop this feeling of grounding/connection to Earth. My Hoop Warrior, formerly Hoop Core, program is rooted in connecting to these 4 healing rhythms. Since 1999, I have witnessed thousands of people transform into having more confidence, fluidity to deal with challenging things and of course strengthening the mind, body and spirit to really glow, from the inside out. The 2 children’s books I am writing are about just this. Finding your power and playfulness through the magic of the mountains and the hoop. 

Whether you own a hoop or not, here is a brief guide to grounding. 

Find a safe place to do this barefoot. If you go to a park, watch out for dog poop. Nothing ruins the peaceful vibes than trying to clean steamy poop from between your toes. (speaking from experience)

Setting Intention: Exhale and feel the souls of your feet sink down into the Earth. Notice if the temperature is cold or hot. If the surface is pokey, smooth, soft or hard. Allow your mind, body and breath to relax as if you were asleep and just woke up.

Earth: Press your feet deeper into the ground and feel your legs become heavy. You are now turning into a warrior or a bear or a giant. You feel big and strong. Your legs are so strong, they can carry you through the weight of life’s problems. Start to stomp your feet and walk around. With your palms facing downward, push out any excess energy (excitement, anxiety, pain, thoughts.) As your intention pushes down into the Earth, know that you are building your personal space. This is yours to grow, heal, rest and play in. 

Water: Now become more light and fluid in your body. Slide your feet on the ground. Stretch your arms out and up toward the sky and reach all around you like you are swimming. Start to feel the weight of the world melt off as you become weightless in your space. You are now more flexible to adapt through the day. Your digestion, blood and oxygen are circulating better. You can start to feel …. playful.

Fire: Passion! Purpose! Intention! Let’s burn through it all, amplifying the body that you own, for this life. Continue to move and breathe with a bit more energy and speed. Harness all of your energy from inside and out. Anger, fear, joy, doubt, angst, sadness, hope. Does’t matter, it is all the same when we look at it in the energy field. Hold all of this power in your hands. Make a fist and when you are ready, with one big exhale, jump up and throw it out of your hands. Burst like fireworks. Let your message be heard in the universe. Let your body release everything. Do this a few times until you feel like you can come back to a calmer state of neutrality. 

Air: And now we fly. Extend your arms out like wings, and use the back of your heart, the space between your shoulders, to flex. Lift up onto your toes and walk around with a lightness and slower pace than before. Use your third eye, your Pineal gland, the ‘seat of the soul’ to see above your life. Beyond your physical, financial and mental states. Go beyond. Even farther. Up into the cosmos and other dimensions. Into the space of – anything is possible  – everything is alright as it – I am complete – I am free. 

Centering – After you have instilled the 4 rhythms into your being, you can now access your life force center more. Take a minute to connect. Place one hand on your hard and one hand on your belly. Feel the difference of your breath as it flows through your organs. Feel a difference in your skin, it might be tingly or clammy or warm. Notice a difference in your thoughts. Perhaps they are calmer or more excited. Everything is ok. You are just practicing using all of your senses to reconnect. Thank yourself for this practice. You are the only one who can truly heal and shift things. And you have the power and path.