(noun)

- basic training or instruction in a subject
- a therapeutic technique that involves doing activities that “ground” or electrically reconnect you to the earth (also called earthing)
- a reference point in an electrical circuit from which voltages are measured
- a common return path for electrical current

Ooooo, ooooo, oooo - Day 6!

Grounding. Oh boy...get ready for metaphors!

First, let's talk about grounding in the architectural world. Mostly, it is discussed when we are talking about the electrical scope of a project. You may already know that your outlets in a bathroom or kitchen need to be grounded (or GFCI outlets - Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter) because of the proximity of water. Should the outlet get wet or the appliance fall into water, the GFCI will indicate there is an overload of "hot" current and will shut off the power, protecting you from electrical shock and/or fire. To get the outlet functioning again, you'll need to hit the reset button. Here is a photo and diagram of what that looks like:

Nerdy, right? I know, isn't it great?!

Here's the thing...that GFCI outlet that you have in your home is just like you. There is information coming in on a daily basis (your external influences) and there is information that you put out in the world (your responses and actions). Depending on how much energy is coming in, we could "overload" and default to shut down. Circuit tripped. No more function. Time to reset. Anyone out there feel like this happens on the regular? Me, too. So today, I'd like to chat about how we ground ourselves and investigate what that space looks like.

As we just found out, grounding for an outlet means that there is a safe pathway to release excess (or hot) electricity.

Unsurprisingly, grounding in alternative medicine means that you “ground” or electrically reconnect yourself back to the earth. Think about walking in the grass barefoot or sitting against a tree. Reconnecting with nature directly.

The way that I think about grounding is a bit of a blend between the two with one major adjustment...

I think of grounding as an interior spatial shift back to your own earth/source, whatever that means for you.

Let me explain...

On day 4, we talked about reflection and I mentioned that one of my home-based reflection spaces is my meditation space. For some people, meditation is a perfect space for grounding. And I understand why, I feel very centered when I meditate regularly. However, I know that when things in my life become stressful or chaotic, my meditation practice is the first to go. I don't intend to let it go but I find it challenging to sit when things around me feel like they're falling apart.

What grounds me back to my earth/source is movement in space, not a physical space itself. I need to feel my body moving, my energy connecting to nature, my breath moving inside me alongside others, or my brain being stimulated with ideas bigger than me in order for me to return to myself.

As a result, my go-to grounding spaces are often bodies of water, the forest, my yoga community, and witnessing art installations that manipulate space in some way (sound, movement, light, etc).

What I just realized this week is that I intuitively hold representation of my grounding spaces when I meditate. In the picture below you'll see some pieces I've collected over time that tuck into my palm when I sit and breathe:

- a pink quartz stone for self- and community-compassion
- a piece of incense from an art installation (it was given to me with permission, I promise!)
- a grey stone from the shore of Puget Sound with full view of the majestic Mt. Rainier
- an aquamarine stone for supporting communication with myself and others

It makes me even more sure that we all carry specific grounding requirements in us - what works for one will not work for the other. And I truly believe that you inherently know what grounds you, even if it is not a conscious thought as of yet.

Let's go in reverse for a second. If we can figure out the non-spatial items we need to ground ourselves, then we can access these in more physical spaces than just our home or a specific destination.

This is valuable to understand if the place that you feel the most grounded is no longer accessible to you because you've moved or a childhood home was sold, etc. Which, for many of us, is something we felt acutely in 2020. With everything shut down, our systems for grounding often disappeared suddenly and completely. And my guess is that most people are still trying to figure out how to get back to that space, that center, for themselves.

So maybe this will help.

Now, I realize that even though our goal with this series is to create space, many of you may not have the actual space to participate fully at the moment. That's ok! These emails will always be here for you to return to and maybe something will sink in even without you knowing it. However, if there is any day to take a minute to do the journal prompts, let it be today.

See if you can dedicate 5 minutes to document how you ground yourself. Make a voice memo or jot it down on the back of a receipt. It is probably simpler and more inherent than you think. Or take little moments to experiment - kick off those shoes and walk in the grass! Take a bath or shower in the middle of a busy day! And then see if you can integrate it in the smallest form when/if you need to during the next few weeks - regardless of location or environment.

You have grounded space inside you ready to be reset; this I truly believe. 

JOURNAL PROMPTS

• Take a deep breath and think about the last time you felt grounded. What senses were stimulated? Were you in motion or still? Surrounded by nature or art? With people or solo? List out anything that comes to you and just observe.

• What tends to go first when you are un-grounded? Is it exercise? Healthy eating? Reaching out to friends? (This often gives me a clue that I need to pre-ground, before I get the default shut down.)

• What is one little step you can take to ground yourself? Mine is moving my body every day. It could be as simple as touching your toes and letting out a deep breath.

• How can you support creating space for grounding in your life?

This wraps Day 6...thank you for taking time to explore spacemaking from a place of grounding!

If you feel inspired to share any takeaways, examples in your own home, or questions that came up for you, please access any Spatial Medium social media account. Please be sure to add #12daysofspacemaking and tag @spatialmedium so I can see what you post.