Grounding
"We mold clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness inside that makes the vessel useful."
- Tao Te Ching
Linville Gorge, NC 2015
We’ve been talking recently about grounding, that effort we make from time to time to help us prepare for the day or ready to tackle that chunk of work looming before us.
Sometimes we do this intentionally, sometimes instinctively, but we seem to do this routinely and I think this is natural and good. As I thought about what I do in order to feel grounded, it came to me that I do some very simple, routine things around the house. For example, mowing the lawn or chopping firewood count, in my view. Working up a good sweat then leaning against a tree and maybe enjoying a cold beer afterward makes me feel alive, grounded, in my body and ready for that dinner party or that task I’ve been avoiding. These are simple things, yet I know they help me engage more fully with daily life.
For me, there seems to be a distinction between grounding and centering. I have not done a thorough study of this (and I don’t intend to), but I think there is something to be said about grounding compared to centering. First off, I think we need both on a regular basis. Centering gets a lot of press these days. We hear a lot about meditation techniques and related practices and this is a good thing. Yet I want to bring a little more attention to this idea of grounding.
I started to think about what those differences may be. And I thought, grounding is something one does by oneself, while centering may be done in solitude or with another person or perhaps in a group setting. I have started to view grounding as Yang (the principle of movement) and centering as Yin (the principle of rest). As Yin represents the unchanging nature of existence, Yang aligns with change. This indeed is interesting, as the student within may say.
When I go for a walk outside I can feel the changing terrain under my feet. This is very grounding for me and it is a solo effort. With centering meditation, I go within and allow my awareness to rest gently on whatever comes up - not forcing, but allowing. These practices are complementary and we need both.
Is grounding a prerequisite to centering? What are my grounding / centering practices? What is the goal? How does my body feel in each scenario?
These are worthwhile questions we may work with as we make our way through daily life - one grounded step, one centered action at a time. And surely, the answers will appear!
Sometimes we do this intentionally, sometimes instinctively, but we seem to do this routinely and I think this is natural and good. As I thought about what I do in order to feel grounded, it came to me that I do some very simple, routine things around the house. For example, mowing the lawn or chopping firewood count, in my view. Working up a good sweat then leaning against a tree and maybe enjoying a cold beer afterward makes me feel alive, grounded, in my body and ready for that dinner party or that task I’ve been avoiding. These are simple things, yet I know they help me engage more fully with daily life.
For me, there seems to be a distinction between grounding and centering. I have not done a thorough study of this (and I don’t intend to), but I think there is something to be said about grounding compared to centering. First off, I think we need both on a regular basis. Centering gets a lot of press these days. We hear a lot about meditation techniques and related practices and this is a good thing. Yet I want to bring a little more attention to this idea of grounding.
I started to think about what those differences may be. And I thought, grounding is something one does by oneself, while centering may be done in solitude or with another person or perhaps in a group setting. I have started to view grounding as Yang (the principle of movement) and centering as Yin (the principle of rest). As Yin represents the unchanging nature of existence, Yang aligns with change. This indeed is interesting, as the student within may say.
When I go for a walk outside I can feel the changing terrain under my feet. This is very grounding for me and it is a solo effort. With centering meditation, I go within and allow my awareness to rest gently on whatever comes up - not forcing, but allowing. These practices are complementary and we need both.
Is grounding a prerequisite to centering? What are my grounding / centering practices? What is the goal? How does my body feel in each scenario?
These are worthwhile questions we may work with as we make our way through daily life - one grounded step, one centered action at a time. And surely, the answers will appear!
Eagle Rock, NC 2015
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