Staying Grounded in Times of Grief

The end of year holiday season is nearly here. And for those of us grieving the death of a loved one, this season of merriment and celebration can be a difficult time. This month I’d like to share some ways that I’ve found to cope with grief during the holiday season.

In our times of sorrow and grief some our same energy tools are powerful allies. One of the most powerful is what I call “grounding”. Grounding to the earth helps you stay focused and aware by removing the fog and the spaciness that so many of us feel as we deal with the loss of someone we love. It is a process of energetically connecting the body to the planet’s core, allowing us to feel safe, secure, and connected to reality. This is especially helpful as we navigate the first weeks of loss.

Grounding is accomplished by imagining a cord or cable of energy that securely connects your body to the center of the earth. A grounding cord can be visualized as any object. A strong rope with an anchor on the end, a hollow beam of light, or a flowing stretch of silk are all visuals that I use at varying times, depending on my mood. When I start feeling spacey and unable to concentrate, I know to check to see if I’m grounded.

Healing Meditation: Grounding Cord

1. Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your eyes closed. Take a couple of deep breaths and visualize a wide, hollow tube of energy connected to your hips. This tube falls below your feet, through the floor, and continues down to the center of the planet. Feel this cord anchoring into the core of the earth. Feel a slight upward tug on the cord as it lets you know that it is completely anchored and secure.
2. The purpose of this cord is twofold. First the solidness of this connection pulls you back into reality. It also pulls your Spirit back into your body, connecting you to Earth. This frees you from that spacey, out-of-it feeling.
3. The second purpose is to drain away all the unwanted tension from your body and return it to Mother Earth. Through the force of gravity, this hollow tube of energy acts as a suction cord, draining worry and anxiety from your body and your energy field.
4. As we deal with our sadness and grief, often our shoulders become tight or our feet cramp. We may feel tension in our head, especially around the temples and eyes. Imagine the suction force of this grounding cord draw some of that anxiety away from your shoulders, your feet, your head, and down to the center of the earth.
5. Breathe in deeply, and as you exhale, feel the tightness begin to release. You might even notice that you sink a little deeper in your chair as the tension drains out of your body.
6. As you continue to sit quietly with your feet on the floor and your eyes closed, take a few more deep breaths. Intend for your body to be at peace.
7. Sit in this serenity and comfort for a few minutes. Just breathe in and out, in and out, allowing the grounding cord to do all the work. Be aware of a solid assurance that you are of this planet with both feet firmly grounded in present time.

As you come out of meditation, your grounding cord will stay in place for the rest of the day, allowing you to be a little more focused, a little more centered and aware.

I’ve written about how I walked the path of grief in my book, Walking in Grace with Grief Meditations for Healing After Loss. There are many more meditations in the book that helped me stay grounded during this difficult time.