Why Being Grounded Leaves You Lighter!
Happy Sunday…
I’m getting to use a lot of the energy-healing techniques I’ve learned from my two beloved Shamanic teachers and an amazing Chinese healer I’m studying with right now, not just with my clients in our sessions (even by phone- energy work transcends time and space and works beautifully during remote sessions on skype/phone) but with my sweetie dog Sailor. Sailor still recuperating from having a malignant tumor removed on his leg and a wound that was healing beautifully until he got into his bandages the other day… sigh. The upside is getting to use all of my new skills with him- send him a little love and a prayer if you feel moved. My super-sized yorkshire terrier has the biggest heart and is so brave- you can see photos of him on my Facebook page too!
One other quick note- I’ve transcended my fear of video and have been shooting almost daily videos with tips and ideas for you- they’re also on Facebook, both my personal and business pages...let me know what you think, or what topics/questions you’d love me to focus on- I want to deliver content that’s useful for you.
So today’s article is a little long- but it’s such a great topic: “How Being Grounded Can Make You Lighter”. As you know, it’s about more than diet and exercise, it’s a way of being in your body and being able to manage your energy and emotions so that you stay present and connected in ways that keep you from spinning with food and feeling out of control. Here ya go…
HOW BEING GROUNDED CAN MAKE YOU LIGHTER
I have noticed that the one of the keys to keeping you food intake balanced is to keep yourself as grounded as possible, moment by moment.What does being “grounded” actually mean? Most of you have heard the term before, but may not know really what it means to ground your selves, or how to do it.
Being grounded allows us to bring consciousness or awareness into the body. This is essential in that it provides an anchor. Anchoring makes us stronger, less vulnerable, and able to tolerate the forces of life. It also connects us to the earth, rooting us to the energies of nature and the planet.
We are so bombarded by cultural media images that are UN-natural, that finding ways to stay connected to our bodies and the rhythms of nature are essential.
When we are alienated from our natural and physical nature, trouble follows. Examples of this might be feeling “spacey”, anxious, unstable, or having difficulty with good boundaries- literally unable to “stand on our own two feet”.
Grounding occurs in the lower body, in keeping our feet and legs in contact with the earth. We receive energy from the earth and our connection to it that helps stabilize us and allows us to feel more solid.
Those who study energy, including myself, have noticed that many people with eating or weight problems may actually using food or eating to become better grounded.
I realized this in my own experience, several years ago. I noticed that I almost always overate when among more people. I found that my energy system was easily over-stimulated, by noise, others’ energies, visual distractions, whatever- and that I typically disconnected from my body, and ate more food, often quickly, in these circumstances.
There do not need to be lots of people around to feel the need for grounding. An overactive mind can be just as over-stimulating- anything that causes our energy to feel out of balance, that causes us to send our energy outwards, leaves us vulnerable to disconnection.
It is in these moments of disconnection, some would even call it a mild form of dissociation, when we are going to find our selves eating in ways we often regret.How can you make good choices, if you aren’t “present”?
Answering this question will help greatly in your quest to find peace in your body around food and everything else! Part of the reason the disconnection is so tricky is because we LIKE IT!!!! There is temporary relief in the disconnection- a break from painful thoughts and feelings, self-talk, all of it.
This gets back to how to stay present, which is about how to stay in your body, grounded and in the present moment. It sounds simple, but it’s a big challenge for those of us who use food to balance our emotions.
TRY THIS:
The first step is to notice when you are beginning to disconnect. Start to observe your self in various situations where you find yourself eating in ways that don’t feel good. What is happening for you at these times? Are you alone? Is it after difficult encounters with certain people?Who or what is triggering you in a way that you need to disconnect through food?
This week I want you to get a sense of the patterns of disconnection, of losing your balance, and when you are using food to try to “right” yourself. Once you notice what is happening, see if you can gently come back into connection with your body and get grounded again. Usually this means to stop over-thinking things, come back to noticing your breath, and getting centered again through intention and awareness. This takes practice, be patient with yourself!
As with any new skill or effort to become more aware, be gentle with yourself. Things will unfold in perfect order and in the ways that are just right for you.
I want that for you
With love from my heart to yours…
Lisa
Leave a Reply