collapse

* Recent Posts

Re: "Christ Is King" by Sophia C
[Today at 06:45:55 pm]


Re: "Christ Is King" by SirPalomides
[Today at 06:39:30 pm]


Re: "Christ Is King" by Yei
[Today at 06:03:12 pm]


Re: "Christ Is King" by SirPalomides
[Today at 04:12:49 pm]


"Christ Is King" by Altair
[Today at 01:09:34 am]

Author Topic: Grounding and centering practices  (Read 2005 times)

Sefiru

  • Senior Staff
  • *
  • Join Date: Nov 2013
  • Location: In the walls
  • Posts: 2569
  • Country: ca
  • Total likes: 891
    • View Profile
Grounding and centering practices
« on: October 18, 2018, 08:46:00 pm »
I'm looking around for various different ways of grounding and/or centering, so I can try out which ones work best for me. I've found two so far that appeal to me:

One is a countdown using various senses (five things you can see, four things you can hear etc).
The other involves focusing on parts of the body in turn, starting with the toes and moving upward.

I think I like the sequential structure of these. Does anyone know of any other, similar methods? Or do you prefer grounding/centering methods with a different structure?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Me on AO3 & Deviantart

Jenett

  • Senior Staff
  • *
  • Join Date: Jun 2011
  • Location: Boston, MA
  • Posts: 3743
  • Country: us
  • Total likes: 1235
    • View Profile
    • Seeking: First steps on a path
  • Religion: Initiatory religious witchcraft
  • Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Re: Grounding and centering practices
« Reply #1 on: October 19, 2018, 09:46:54 am »
I think I like the sequential structure of these. Does anyone know of any other, similar methods? Or do you prefer grounding/centering methods with a different structure?

So, part of this is definitional for me - centering and grounding are two different things in my practice.

Centering for me is, fundamentally, knowing what's you and what's not you. Grounding is rebalancing your energy with the world around you - whether that's letting off extra energy, or taking in some to recharge (from sources that have plenty.) So for me, the two techniques you mention are centering, not grounding.

For centering, I like either just taking a minute for self-awareness (how do I feel? What do different parts of my body feel? What's tense? What isn't?) or doing some light physical movement (rocking back and forth from the balls of my feet to my heels, finding a place I feel physically well-balanced) Some other options here (article on Seeking)

For grounding, I started off learning the fairly classic "Tree" approach, but sort of bounced off it. I do a lot of elemental association (for me, usually air or water) to get rid of excess energy or recharge. Longer explanation over here (also Seeking).  In a pinch, a little salt under the tongue, hugging a tree, lying flat on my back on the ground and thinking about energy osmosis, or eating a dense harder to digest meal all help.
Seek Knowledge, Find Wisdom: Research help on esoteric and eclectic topics (consulting and other services)

Seeking: first steps on a Pagan path (advice for seekers and people new to Paganism)

Eastling

  • Sr. Master Member
  • *******
  • Join Date: Feb 2016
  • Location: Seattle
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 698
  • Country: us
  • Total likes: 609
  • Love and be free.
    • View Profile
    • Mystermercury
  • Religion: Modern Dionysian hero cultus and heretical Judaism
  • Preferred Pronouns: He/him/his
Re: Grounding and centering practices
« Reply #2 on: October 19, 2018, 02:18:33 pm »
Does anyone know of any other, similar methods? Or do you prefer grounding/centering methods with a different structure?

I usually just take a deep breath and focus on feeling present in my body. However, I also have an additional routine for when I particularly need to calm down and focus: I take three slow breaths while visualizing the flow of energy through me in a specific way. This is something I developed for my nightly Feri-inspired kala ritual, but I've found it's useful for getting me into any ritual state of mind. Sometimes I add certain gestures at the end to direct the energy as I need it for whatever the task at hand is, and I've begun to find that I can actually feel this energy moving through my body. (I've been doing this for about six months now.)

This sounds like the polar opposite of the methods that are useful for you, I'm afraid. Countdowns tend to make me anxious and easily distracted.
"The peacock can show its whole tail at once, but I can only tell you a story."
--JAMES ALAN GARDNER

PerditaPickle

  • Staff
  • *
  • Join Date: Aug 2015
  • Location: UK
  • Posts: 2104
  • Country: england
  • Total likes: 641
  • It's all metta - at least, I believe it should be
    • View Profile
    • Portrait of Perpetual Perplexity
  • Religion: Druid-ish
  • Preferred Pronouns: She/her/hers
Re: Grounding and centering practices
« Reply #3 on: October 20, 2018, 06:40:16 pm »
I'm looking around for various different ways of grounding and/or centering, so I can try out which ones work best for me. I've found two so far that appeal to me:

One is a countdown using various senses (five things you can see, four things you can hear etc).
The other involves focusing on parts of the body in turn, starting with the toes and moving upward.

I think I like the sequential structure of these.

I think I like the sequential sound of these too - I've not really mastered grounding & centering yet, and I think it's because it's been a bit "abstract" for me.  So I think trying these out might work well for me.

Sorry, I don't have any additional suggestions (but maybe giving this thread a little bump will result in a few more...)

:)

Countdowns tend to make me anxious and easily distracted.

I think I can see why that might be the case for someone - I'm hoping this won't be the case for me, as you can imagine.

I think I should be okay, and I think it'll help me keep my concentration on what it is I'm trying to do.  I lack imagination so I'm not good at, for example, trying to do visualisations etc under my own steam.  I tend to need guided meditations and so forth.  I think the 'structured-ness' of the countdowns might help with it, for me.
“Radiate boundless love towards the entire world — above, below, and across — unhindered, without ill will, without enmity.” – The Buddha
(From the Metta Sutta)

My Portrait of Perpetual Perplexity blog

Sefiru

  • Senior Staff
  • *
  • Join Date: Nov 2013
  • Location: In the walls
  • Posts: 2569
  • Country: ca
  • Total likes: 891
    • View Profile
Re: Grounding and centering practices
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2018, 06:08:38 pm »
This sounds like the polar opposite of the methods that are useful for you, I'm afraid. Countdowns tend to make me anxious and easily distracted.

I can understand that. In my case, if I don't have some kind of progression to work with, my brain gets stuck going, "Is it working yet? Is it working yet?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Me on AO3 & Deviantart

Sefiru

  • Senior Staff
  • *
  • Join Date: Nov 2013
  • Location: In the walls
  • Posts: 2569
  • Country: ca
  • Total likes: 891
    • View Profile
Re: Grounding and centering practices
« Reply #5 on: October 22, 2018, 06:15:09 pm »
Centering for me is, fundamentally, knowing what's you and what's not you. Grounding is rebalancing your energy with the world around you - whether that's letting off extra energy, or taking in some to recharge (from sources that have plenty.) So for me, the two techniques you mention are centering, not grounding.

A useful distinction, I guess - though when I try these kinds of exercises, I tend to experience aspects of both. There's some conceptual overlap, I suppose?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Me on AO3 & Deviantart

Jenett

  • Senior Staff
  • *
  • Join Date: Jun 2011
  • Location: Boston, MA
  • Posts: 3743
  • Country: us
  • Total likes: 1235
    • View Profile
    • Seeking: First steps on a path
  • Religion: Initiatory religious witchcraft
  • Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Re: Grounding and centering practices
« Reply #6 on: October 22, 2018, 06:50:17 pm »
A useful distinction, I guess - though when I try these kinds of exercises, I tend to experience aspects of both. There's some conceptual overlap, I suppose?

I see them as things that are related, but not actually directly overlapping. One other model of explanation I've used is that centering is knowing where your center is, and effectively making a pitcher or container, and grounding is filling up the container (when you need more energy) or pouring extra out in a controlled way so it doesn't spill. The liquid/energy/whatever you call it isn't the pitcher, and the pitcher isn't the energy.
Seek Knowledge, Find Wisdom: Research help on esoteric and eclectic topics (consulting and other services)

Seeking: first steps on a Pagan path (advice for seekers and people new to Paganism)

Tags:
 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
3 Replies
2931 Views
Last post August 09, 2011, 04:49:34 pm
by benvarry
29 Replies
10488 Views
Last post November 16, 2011, 12:39:47 pm
by SatSekhem
0 Replies
15712 Views
Last post January 09, 2012, 03:48:10 pm
by GaiaDianne
7 Replies
2114 Views
Last post September 02, 2012, 03:07:13 am
by Sophia C
4 Replies
1583 Views
Last post November 02, 2015, 06:33:42 pm
by Gigi Kiersten

* Who's Online

  • Dot Guests: 188
  • Dot Hidden: 0
  • Dot Users: 4
  • Dot Users Online:

* Please Donate!

The Cauldron's server is expensive and requires monthly payments. Please become a Bronze, Silver or Gold Donor if you can. Donations are needed every month. Without member support, we can't afford the server.

* Shop & Support TC

The links below are affiliate links. When you click on one of these links you will go to the listed shopping site with The Cauldron's affiliate code. Any purchases you make during your visit will earn TC a tiny percentage of your purchase price at no extra cost to you.

* In Memoriam

Chavi (2006)
Elspeth (2010)
Marilyn (2013)

* Cauldron Staff

Host:
Sunflower

Message Board Staff
Board Coordinator:
Darkhawk

Assistant Board Coordinator:
Aster Breo

Senior Staff:
Aisling, Allaya, Jenett, Sefiru

Staff:
Ashmire, EclecticWheel, HarpingHawke, Kylara, PerditaPickle, rocquelaire

Discord Chat Staff
Chat Coordinator:
Morag

'Up All Night' Coordinator:
Altair

Cauldron Council:
Bob, Catja, Chatelaine, Emma-Eldritch, Fausta, Jubes, Kelly, LyricFox, Phouka, Sperran, Star, Steve, Tana

Site Administrator:
Randall

SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal