I am blown away. Four days ago I felt the urge to go outside and try grounding myself, barefooted in the natural hills around my temporary home. I knew I would be leaving this place at the end of the month after four years of growth and experiences here. I stepped out the door and carefully pranced across the gravel driveway, until I could comfortably walk on the grass at its border. The connection began slowly, a bit disharmonious at first as the initial spot I chose was prickly and pointed, rocky and full of sticks, uncomfortable for my unweathered feet. I moved to a place of softer grass and closed my eyes, feeling the breeze through my long hair. Feeling myself becoming the breeze as it seemed to blow right through me, permeating my very soul. The ripples of the grassy fields were clearly visible to me though my eyes were closed.
After this period of connection I felt called to walk up the grassy path toward the hilly overlook from where I’d watched many sunsets in the past four years. Eyes open to avoid stepping through the hard-built homes constructed by the inhabitANTS of the land, I felt as if gliding across the earth, its solid support pushing back into each step. I remember noting that this support never felt the same when our feet are bound in shoes. The support was firm but warm, like the love of a mother radiating through my feet.
I crested the top of the hill and stood in silence with my eyes closed. The sounds of insects and birds creating musical harmony in every direction. Woodpeckers dotting accented notes that fit perfectly along the melody of the wind. Then came the most intense sensation I’ve had in weeks, the one I came inside specifically to write about.
I looked out across the hills, smelled the crisp grassy air, listened deeply to the music of life chirping about me, and said “Thank you.” I felt gratitude welling up inside me as I thanked the land for being my home for the last four years. I thought back to the month I was moving in, convincing the landlord I would take care of his house because of the sentimentality it had. Not yet realizing that at that dark desperate time of my life, I was being called back into nature to heal and become who I am today. Even now the emotions of that change are immense within me. The distraught delinquent I can hardly remember, false joy spread animatedly across his face, screaming from inside himself to come back to this home in nature, to heal and become me.
I truly felt so much gratitude for this land. With tears now streaming down my face I gazed out across the hills taking in beauty and love from every direction. I wanted to embrace it all. If I could have held it all within my arms I would, but I simply wrapped myself up in a solitary hug and spoke to myself and everything around. I exclaimed how incredibly thankful I was, and how I wanted to return the favor this land had given me but had no idea how. Before that Idea even made it out of my mouth my head rang in answer
“Just be.
Continue You.
Be the you you are today and bring me with you everywhere. We are not separating, because we cannot be separate, you are a part of me forever as I am in you forever. Our footprints everlasting on each other.”

This experience in grounding was so profound I had to research more about it. At this point we’ve probably all heard a little about it as it’s made its rounds through social media, but isn’t it just another form of sideways health pushed by barely famous self-ordained gurus on the internet? No. In fact it has had many scientific tests conducted to study it. Clint Ober is a name we should become more familiar with as he is credited as the lead voice behind the grounding movement. Thanks to his push for information and exploration we now have scientific evidence supporting exactly what good comes from spending time truly connected to the earth. Plugged into our one true home.
Research in Grounding
The National Library of Medicine published the results obtained from studying “The effects of grounding (earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases” and found evidence to support that in each case grounding exponentially instigated and assisted healing from the human body. Time and time again on this blog we have discussed the idea that Earth carries the energy you could relate to a Nurturing Mother, hence “Mother Earth”. This is all the more evident from studies like these that show as soon as we make contact with the earth, our body resonates with electricity from this connection and is inspired to better itself.
Typically I lend a skeptic’s tone, but the power behind this connective experience with our earthen planet shook me to my core, and has introduced a regular Grounding practice over my last week. There is not only power, but love, peace, and joy to come from sitting with the earth and dedicating our consciousness toward truly being in that moment. Hopefully my perspective will inspire others to take 10 minutes out of their day to seek that connection. Touch the earth with our skin and become connected to the planet like a fetus to its mother. My feet are still tingling with the energy of the earth.