Grounding Excercises

[Oncewas]

I need some more. To all my fellow psychonauts I find this critical! After heavy trips or repeating many trips I NEED grounding.

Here are some things I do to ground myself:
1. SING! Doesn't matter how good you sound just let go of your judgements and go wild with expression. Even deep humming with mouth closed is helpful, let your whole body vibrate from your hums.

Beat a drum, make a simple beat. Listen to the rythym you are creating and realize the influence you have on your surroundings.

2. HIKING! Go outside, commune with nature. Seriously this one has changed my entire life. Just as much or even more than the hallucinogens I have oh so often pumped into my blood-stream.

Water is so helpful for this, hikes by a river, or in the rain. I love to dip my hands or feet into a stream and just feel the flow. Bathtubs work decently for winter-time.

3. CONVERSATION! Talk to some friends, talk to your family. About the weather about everything/anything. Talking helps so much. If you are stuck in a worm-hole of introspection the easiest way to break this is to have a healthy conversation. Don't guide it too much, this isn't about you, it's about you and the person. This can help you find your place socially.

4. Spirituality. If your spiritual, practice it! Commune with the spirits, pray, light meditation, whatever boats your float. Just don't go too deep or too out there as that is counter productive.


"Before enlightenment, go to work. After enlightenment, go to work." The second part is the hardest part if you ask me. Not that I am some enlightened being, but I have had many enlightening experiences I am sure all of you have too!

Anyone else have any tips or strategies, I'd love to hear and practice them!

 

[universecannon]

All the things you listed work great

The thing that helps ground me the most especially before and after trips has to be talking aloud with other people. In general getting things all out and bouncing them around with people really helps me think, understand, and feel grounded in my mind and place on planet earth..Sometimes it can make me feel really high though :lol:

 

[ms_manic_minxx]

I TOTALLY hear the need for this and it's an awesome thread to start.

Yoga is AWESOME to practice existing in the present inside your body. Physical activity of any kind has so many positive knock-on effects for the brain, too.

Eating more grounding food helps--healthy food, but something more dense and satisfying. I love fruit before journeys, but it doesn't do much to keep me stuck to Earth when I come back. Potatoes my thing right now when I need grounding... root veggies I like, too. Whatever works for you.

 

[balaganist]

Yeh good thread!

To add to what you listed...

I have a little garden patch behind my block of flats, I find doing some gardening (when its not freezing like it is now) really helps ground me, even if its just a little weeding or just hanging out with the plants.

Outdoor exercise and just being with nature, and as you said talking to people, even if they are not like-minded.

Good healthy food also helps of course..

 

[jamie]

a healthy source of carbs...like what minxx said..potatoes etc
Gets the blood sugar back up.

 

[Pandora]

mydriasis,

Speaking as someone with a tiny bit of experience with traumatic and extreme/intense experiences, I can say with confidence that eating and sleeping are tremendously grounding . . .

Peace & Love,
Pandora

 

[sillysyban]

Smiling usually does it for me. Even while tripping if things are starting to get on top of me I remember to smile and all tension melts away. Also I like to go outside and place my hands on a big tree and imagine the connection I have with the tree. I visualise myself extending right down to the very tips of the roots and up to the tips of the highest branches and feeling the connection between the earth and the sky/cosmos. This is extremely grounding. After I am done I always thank the tree for sharing their experience and I dont know if its me or not but I always feel a sensation that to me feels like "your welcome".

 

[Praline]

Dont forget about good ole breathing..nice deep breaths..in through your nose, out through your mouth..feel the breaths fill down in your gut..I also ask my higher self to "Help me find my center" Feel your muscles relax

 

[kyrolima]

smoke some ganja and be open.

 

[cranialcandy]

I sit on the earth and think about how big it is. This very literal "grounding" always helps me through those difficult moments.

 

[Aegle]

Mydriasis

I really love this thread, I've found that swimming in the sea is incredibly grounding and revitalising. Giggles and snuggling with a loved one or a fellow animal friend does wonders if you are in need of any grounding and upliftment. Also a good bubble bath and a deep exfoliating scrub down with a seaweed body exfoliator makes me feel on top of the world. Get a little sun on your cheeks while chilling on some soft green grass, connecting with nature is key as you said. Nibbling on some sceletium is a lovely way to naturally elevate your mood. Smelling invigorating herbs or essential oils really lifts ones spirits, a few of my favorites : grapefruit, jasmine, lavender, lemongrass, patchouli, peppermint and ylang ylang.

Thank you for this thread...


Much Peace and Sunshine

 

[ghostman]

smoke some ganja and be open.

If there is one regret I have, it's having smoked so much weed over the years. I stopped 5 years ago.

For 15 years it was a crutch, smoking weed really blunted the edge, made me lazy and lethargic. It trapped me in a viscious cycle of self-hatred and smoking more weed to shut out the noise of my own conscience. Weed made me depressed and trapped me in a cage of recursive self-reflection of the destructive variety.

To the OP - great post, I love those simple things we need to be reminded of. I find I pay more attention to the environment. As humans we seem to think we are separated from the ground and all things that sprout from it.

Grounded is important, thanks for the thread.

 

[mindash]

i would definitely have to add sex to the list, sometimes there's nothing more grounding than sharing the physical senses with another

 

[azrael]

+1 to deep breathing.

Push belly(diaphragm) out for deep inhale and retract for full exhale. Do this without holding the breath in or out keeping it a constant cycle and do it at a pace that feels natural. Do not think about anything during this process. If the mind must go then consider perfecting technique with each breath: keep back straight and utilize diaphragm cycles to maximize lung intake.

The idea is relaxation, clarity, and getting oxygen. It's my preference to not think about nose/mouth unless I'm exhaling thoughts through my mouth - just breathe. Very therapeutic.