Grounding & Centering Techniques
Nature is our greatest teacher – but by and large, she moves at a different pace from that of our
human culture. Too often we find ourselves rushing forward, our goals firmly at the forefront of our minds,
and unaware of our surroundings.
In the practice of herbalism, it is important to slow ourselves down and ‘separate’ our
consciousness from the day-to-day activities we have grown accustomed to. Most holistic healing traditions
contain an element designed to elicit this altered state of consciousness, through ritual, drumming,
meditation, visualization, or simply changing the pattern of breath. These can be as simple or as elaborate as
you want them to be – the key is to subtly and consciously shift your awareness to a state that focuses more
on nature, plants, and the present environment rather than daily chores, worries, and plans. It is not a
question of eliminating those concerns from your mind (after all, they keep us alive!): just gently shifting
perspective to a quieter, more receptive state.
With just a little practice, this state is easy to achieve and can be elicited at will, for the purposes of
daily meditation, plant interaction, or sensitive listening / observing in a therapeutic context. Here are
some suggestions for developing your personal grounding / centering process:
 Breathing. Take air deep into your belly, expanding it outward with the ‘in’ breath, and then
contracting it on the ‘out’ breath. Don’t strain or alter your normal breathing – just move your attention
from the lungs to the belly. You might find, after only a few breaths, that things are starting to slow down a
bit!
 Stretching. Simple stretches can be very powerful aids in relaxation and grounding. Work on
calves, thighs, lower back, upper back, chest, neck, arms and hands.
 Meditation. This is a process that, although simple at first, is difficult to master. It is not right for
everyone. One of the simplest ways to begin is by using a breathing technique and focusing on your belly
moving in and out, while ‘watching’ your thoughts drift by as they come and go. With time and practice,
the mind will produce fewer thoughts, and it will get easier to stay focused on your breath.
 Visualization. There are two basic ideas behind this technique: first, to train the mind’s ability to
focus and observe; second, to elicit specific psychological / energetic states by using specific visualizations.
Although akin to meditation in its results (and sometimes confused with it), it is a much more ‘active’
process. Basically, you will want to close your eyes and ‘see’ a specific scene in your mind’s eye, and then
moving or manipulating what you see in a specific way. To get good at visualization, begin by looking at a
simple picture or photo, then close your eyes and recreate it in vivid detail, trying to remember everything.
Next, you can start visualizing real places, like a room in your house, or a garden, or a specific place in the
woods. Next, picture something completely foreign, new, or strange appearing in the specific place.
Picture it in the smallest detail, exploring it with your mind’s eye. The final step in learning this technique
is to be able to visualize with your eyes open. This is not necessary, however.
 Sound. Many people find that simple, repetitive sound can be an excellent aid in centering
consciousness. Sometimes one’s own voice is used (as with a ‘mantra’, for instance); other times a drum or
rattle can create that ‘separate’ state of consciousness. There are times when you will hear a specific tone,
sound, song or rhythm as you interact with nature and herbs: often, this is a special gift that can be used
successfully to re-elicit the state you were in when you first heard it.
Here is an example of a simple grounding technique that uses breath and visualization:
Begin by sitting quietly, preferably outside. Close your eyes. Breathe into your belly, comfortably, and observe
your breath rate slow down.
Once you are comfortable, begin to visualize your surroundings exactly as they appeared before you shut your
eyes. Picture the clouds and sky; the trees and grasses around you; the sun beating down. If you’re inside, try to picture
everything that’s in the room.
Visualize the sun (or moon, if at night) shining down onto your head (this works fine indoors, too). See and feel
this light slowly travel down from the crown of your head, into the neck, shoulders, back and arms, and finally into your
pelvis and legs. As the light moves downward, visualize it seeping into you and relaxing every muscle in your body, so
that once it reaches your legs, you are glowing from a now internal light.
With every out-breath, visualize this light reaching further down, into the soil and ground, while still staying
connected to you. With every in-breath, pause – and refresh your focus on the whole image. Reach deeper and deeper
down with every out-breath, like roots from a tree, until you feel you’ve gone far enough.
If you receive any interesting messages, acknowledge them and ‘file’ them away to ponder later. Now, reverse
the process of ‘reaching down’ by visualizing the light returning upward with every in-breath. When you’re done, slowly
open your eyes and keep breathing for a few moments.
Record any strong impressions, feelings, messages you may have received (if any – though there are specific
visualizations for receiving communications from nature, this one is more designed to ground, center, and slow us down a
bit).
It is important to remember that the above is just an example. Different techniques work for
different people. Some folks need to move, dance, sing, stretch, to achieve a relaxed, centered state.
Others will prefer visualizing a link with a specific plant ally, a sort of ‘gateway-herb’, rather than a link
with Earth as in the above example. Practice lots of different techniques: you will quickly find your favorite!