Grounding is the art of connecting with the earth, to bring ourselves stability, and help rid ourselves of negative or excess energies. Think of it like the earth wire in a plug, helping to provide against 'electric shocks' (or in this case the negative effects of excess or negative energies).
Centering is the art of being able to bring the energies within yourself into balance, to help yourself feel more focused and together. Grounding and centering often go hand-in-hand, first grounding, and then centering. However, you can just do one or the other if needed.
Grounding and centering is one of the fundamentals of practicing magick, and also to help maintain our health and well-being on a day-to-day basis. It can help you cleanse yourself of negative energies, feel more focused and in control, and help you better control and direct energy.
There are many different techniques. Like everything in magick, practice makes perfect. It may take a while to get the hang of it in the beginning, but the more often you practice it, the easier and quicker it will become. One method may work better than the others for you, so it is worth trying a few and seeing which is most beneficial.
Whilst there seems to be a difference of opinion on which should come first - grounding or centering - I personally recommend starting off with grounding and then moving on to centering.
Centering is the art of being able to bring the energies within yourself into balance, to help yourself feel more focused and together. Grounding and centering often go hand-in-hand, first grounding, and then centering. However, you can just do one or the other if needed.
Grounding and centering is one of the fundamentals of practicing magick, and also to help maintain our health and well-being on a day-to-day basis. It can help you cleanse yourself of negative energies, feel more focused and in control, and help you better control and direct energy.
There are many different techniques. Like everything in magick, practice makes perfect. It may take a while to get the hang of it in the beginning, but the more often you practice it, the easier and quicker it will become. One method may work better than the others for you, so it is worth trying a few and seeing which is most beneficial.
Whilst there seems to be a difference of opinion on which should come first - grounding or centering - I personally recommend starting off with grounding and then moving on to centering.
Grounding:
Grounding Method 1 - Roots Meditation:
With your feet on the floor, prepare as if you were going into meditation; that might involve taking some deep breaths, or putting on some music, etc.
When you feel ready, feel your feet against the ground, wriggle your toes, and really get a sense of how your feet feel pressed against the ground.
Now visualise roots gorwing from your feet. Strong and pure, these roots will connect you to the earth and allows energy to pass both to you and from your.
See the roots from your feet plunging into the ground. See them pushing down through the soil, spreading out, winding around the natural debris that lies beneath the earth. They cling to it, ready to soak up all of the energy, connecting you to everything. Feel that connection to the earth.
Once you have achieved this, visualise all of the excess energy flowing out through your body, down through your roots, and into the earth. I like to visualise it as a white light that starts at the top of my head and 'pushes' down through my body, forcing all of the excess energy out through my roots. You may see it as a different coloured light, or you may not see a light at all but just 'feel' the energy leaving your body. Some people like to visualise a waterfall of light washing down from above their heads, through their body and taking all of the excess energy with it. See it traveling down the roots, seeping out into the earth.
This may take a few minutes - it won't be immediate, but the more regularly you do it, the quicker it will be. How will you know when it has worked? Again, it is one of those (slightly annoying) instances of you will just 'know'. You will feel stable, at peace, and ...well, grounded! Remember, don't get disheartened if it doesn't work right away - practice makes perfect.
Grounding Method 1 - Roots Meditation:
With your feet on the floor, prepare as if you were going into meditation; that might involve taking some deep breaths, or putting on some music, etc.
When you feel ready, feel your feet against the ground, wriggle your toes, and really get a sense of how your feet feel pressed against the ground.
Now visualise roots gorwing from your feet. Strong and pure, these roots will connect you to the earth and allows energy to pass both to you and from your.
See the roots from your feet plunging into the ground. See them pushing down through the soil, spreading out, winding around the natural debris that lies beneath the earth. They cling to it, ready to soak up all of the energy, connecting you to everything. Feel that connection to the earth.
Once you have achieved this, visualise all of the excess energy flowing out through your body, down through your roots, and into the earth. I like to visualise it as a white light that starts at the top of my head and 'pushes' down through my body, forcing all of the excess energy out through my roots. You may see it as a different coloured light, or you may not see a light at all but just 'feel' the energy leaving your body. Some people like to visualise a waterfall of light washing down from above their heads, through their body and taking all of the excess energy with it. See it traveling down the roots, seeping out into the earth.
This may take a few minutes - it won't be immediate, but the more regularly you do it, the quicker it will be. How will you know when it has worked? Again, it is one of those (slightly annoying) instances of you will just 'know'. You will feel stable, at peace, and ...well, grounded! Remember, don't get disheartened if it doesn't work right away - practice makes perfect.
Grounding Method 2 - Grounding Into An Object:
You can try grounding and siphoning the excess or negative energy into an object. Something earthy and natural, like a stone from the garden or a crystal, works best for this.
Hold the stone in both hands and visualise the energy stirring up inside of you and running down your arms, through your hands and into the stone. Again you can visualise this as a white light (or any colour really) flowing out of your body, or you can just 'feel' the energy.
Once you have finished, place the stone outside (preferably buried, but appreciate not everyone can do this), to let the energies back into the earth, and visualise them being tranformed into positive, loving energies.
You can try grounding and siphoning the excess or negative energy into an object. Something earthy and natural, like a stone from the garden or a crystal, works best for this.
Hold the stone in both hands and visualise the energy stirring up inside of you and running down your arms, through your hands and into the stone. Again you can visualise this as a white light (or any colour really) flowing out of your body, or you can just 'feel' the energy.
Once you have finished, place the stone outside (preferably buried, but appreciate not everyone can do this), to let the energies back into the earth, and visualise them being tranformed into positive, loving energies.
Grounding Method 3 - Eating:
Nice and simple, eating can help ground you. Especially after rituals or if you are feeling a bit 'out of sorts', eating something small can help. A piece of chocolate, a slice of bread or toast for example can work wonders. However, I would recommend that this isn't a long-term method, and that you only do this is one of the above isn't working for you. In terms of your overall practice and magickal workings, mastering one of the above methods of grounding will help you more in the long run.
Nice and simple, eating can help ground you. Especially after rituals or if you are feeling a bit 'out of sorts', eating something small can help. A piece of chocolate, a slice of bread or toast for example can work wonders. However, I would recommend that this isn't a long-term method, and that you only do this is one of the above isn't working for you. In terms of your overall practice and magickal workings, mastering one of the above methods of grounding will help you more in the long run.
Centering:
Centering Method 1 - Roots and Antlers:
This is an extension of grounding method one, so follow the steps as outlined above, until you have visualised the roots coming from your feet and anchoring into the ground.
Next, visualise a pair of antlers growing from your head. They sprout and grow, reaching high into the sky. They pass the tallest trees and towers, and like the roots, see them anchoring you to the world above. As the adage goes, 'as above, so below'.
Now, visualise the energy coming from the earth, up your roots and into your body. At the same time, visualise the energy from the skies traveling down your antlers and into your body. I find that focus on this pull of energy on the inhale, and then releasing on the exhale work well. See this energy meeting in the middle of your body (round about the solar plexus chakra), and joining. You are perfectly balanced in the centre of the energy, connected to both the earth and the skies, the perfect point between above and below.
Centering Method 1 - Roots and Antlers:
This is an extension of grounding method one, so follow the steps as outlined above, until you have visualised the roots coming from your feet and anchoring into the ground.
Next, visualise a pair of antlers growing from your head. They sprout and grow, reaching high into the sky. They pass the tallest trees and towers, and like the roots, see them anchoring you to the world above. As the adage goes, 'as above, so below'.
Now, visualise the energy coming from the earth, up your roots and into your body. At the same time, visualise the energy from the skies traveling down your antlers and into your body. I find that focus on this pull of energy on the inhale, and then releasing on the exhale work well. See this energy meeting in the middle of your body (round about the solar plexus chakra), and joining. You are perfectly balanced in the centre of the energy, connected to both the earth and the skies, the perfect point between above and below.
Centering Method 2 - The Shrinking Duvet:
Again, settle down as if you were getting ready to meditate.
Now, visualise your energy spreading out from your body like a giant duvet. The centre of the duvet is connected to your body somewhere (I tend to visualise this spot being in the centre of my chest). This duvet flaps around you, as if caught in the wind. This is all of your personal energy.
If you are feeling centered already, you may find the duvet doesn't reach that far at all. If you haven't done it before or are out of practice, you may find the duvet is huge!
We will be using our breath to help us pull that energy back into ourselves. Take a slow, deep breath in, and as you do, visualise the duvet being pulled back into yourself through your power centre. As you breathe out, imagine it expanding again. Ideally, it should have shrunk in size. Keep doing this; pull the energy in as you breathe in, and release as you breathe out. See the duvet - your energy - shrinking as you bring it inwards a bit more every time you breathe in.
As you practice this, you should feel your own concentration becoming focused on your power centre, as you feel more balanced and still. The idea is to pull the duvet inside you completely, and when this has been done you should feel perfectly centered.
Remember, you might not get it right away, especially if this is your first time trying it. It may take a few goes before you really feel like you have pulled all of that energy inside of you into that one spot. Centering is a difficult concept to try and explain how to achieve, as it is quite abstract and is really defined by how you feel. However, the more you practice, the easier it will become. It might help if you place your hands on your centre point, to help solidify the visualisation.
Again, settle down as if you were getting ready to meditate.
Now, visualise your energy spreading out from your body like a giant duvet. The centre of the duvet is connected to your body somewhere (I tend to visualise this spot being in the centre of my chest). This duvet flaps around you, as if caught in the wind. This is all of your personal energy.
If you are feeling centered already, you may find the duvet doesn't reach that far at all. If you haven't done it before or are out of practice, you may find the duvet is huge!
We will be using our breath to help us pull that energy back into ourselves. Take a slow, deep breath in, and as you do, visualise the duvet being pulled back into yourself through your power centre. As you breathe out, imagine it expanding again. Ideally, it should have shrunk in size. Keep doing this; pull the energy in as you breathe in, and release as you breathe out. See the duvet - your energy - shrinking as you bring it inwards a bit more every time you breathe in.
As you practice this, you should feel your own concentration becoming focused on your power centre, as you feel more balanced and still. The idea is to pull the duvet inside you completely, and when this has been done you should feel perfectly centered.
Remember, you might not get it right away, especially if this is your first time trying it. It may take a few goes before you really feel like you have pulled all of that energy inside of you into that one spot. Centering is a difficult concept to try and explain how to achieve, as it is quite abstract and is really defined by how you feel. However, the more you practice, the easier it will become. It might help if you place your hands on your centre point, to help solidify the visualisation.
Centering Method 3 - Doodling Mantras/Mood Boards
This one doesn't rely on visualisation, so if you are having trouble with visualising then this method may be for you.
All you need is a piece of paper and a pen. Draw a dot in the centre of the paper; this is you.
Around the dot start to draw, anything you want! Tiny doodles will be best, of whatever you want. Try to clear your mind as you focus on your doodles; they don't have to be good, the point is to help you focus. Art naturally helps balance us and find our inner piece which is why it is a great medium for centering.
As you doodle, try and focus on your breath; make you inhales and exhales even length as you breathe in and out. Repeat a mantra in your head as you doodle, such as 'my mind is clear, my energy still. I am perfectly balanced'.
Once you feel ready, take the pen to the edge of the page. We are going to draw a large spiral, spinning inwards, until it ends at the dot in the centre of the page. As you draw the spiral, see all of your own personal energy, the energy inside of, spiraling inwards to your point of power, until you reach the centre of the page. At this point, you should feel the inner balance that centering brings. Again, repeat a mantra, such as 'My energy is within me, perfectly balanced. I am at peace'.
If you are a fan of mood boards, or even just have a particular image that you can look at, and it makes you feel calm, content and within yourself, then you can use these. Rather than drawing, look at them, meditate with them, and repeat the mantras until you feel all your energy centered within yourself.
This one doesn't rely on visualisation, so if you are having trouble with visualising then this method may be for you.
All you need is a piece of paper and a pen. Draw a dot in the centre of the paper; this is you.
Around the dot start to draw, anything you want! Tiny doodles will be best, of whatever you want. Try to clear your mind as you focus on your doodles; they don't have to be good, the point is to help you focus. Art naturally helps balance us and find our inner piece which is why it is a great medium for centering.
As you doodle, try and focus on your breath; make you inhales and exhales even length as you breathe in and out. Repeat a mantra in your head as you doodle, such as 'my mind is clear, my energy still. I am perfectly balanced'.
Once you feel ready, take the pen to the edge of the page. We are going to draw a large spiral, spinning inwards, until it ends at the dot in the centre of the page. As you draw the spiral, see all of your own personal energy, the energy inside of, spiraling inwards to your point of power, until you reach the centre of the page. At this point, you should feel the inner balance that centering brings. Again, repeat a mantra, such as 'My energy is within me, perfectly balanced. I am at peace'.
If you are a fan of mood boards, or even just have a particular image that you can look at, and it makes you feel calm, content and within yourself, then you can use these. Rather than drawing, look at them, meditate with them, and repeat the mantras until you feel all your energy centered within yourself.
