Grounding Practices for Balanced Reiki

Article by Angie Webster

It is really important to learn how to bring balance to your energy practices, and how to release excess energy. As helpful as Reiki is, it is also ungrounding and this can leave us off balance, particularly over time. Being ungrounded is a state of disconnection from the body, either mild or extreme. It can also be the feeling of excess energy running through the body, which can be experienced physically, emotionally, or mentally.

Being ungrounded can bring several issues. It can cause fatigue, vertigo, dizziness, or headaches. In some, it can create a feeling of floating or of being in a bubble. Most are familiar with this feeling from having a cold or the flu. It can also cause over-sensitivity to the environment, noise, light, or the emotional energy of others. Being ungrounded from an excess of energy can cause anxiety and nervousness. It can also cause static shock when touching objects. Ungroundedness tends to be worse in the winter when it is more difficult to get outside. Being outdoors naturally helps ground our energy.

When we are completely connected to our physical bodies, the Earth, and this physical dimension, we are able to collect energy from the Earth and also drain away any excess energy that our systems draw in or raise. This is called grounding. It brings balance to our energy system, especially when we have been in high energy situations (such as Reiki practice, or an argument), have been stressed, or overthinking.

Learning to ground by connecting to the physical realm, our bodies, and the Earth can bring stability to our lives, our healing process, and our practice. Reiki works so much with the upper chakras and high levels of upper dimensional energy, bringing awareness back to the lower realms is important to keep a healthy level of balance. Below are some practices you can incorporate that will help you reduce ungroundedness and bring in more balanced energy.

1. The simplest technique of all: notice your body. Scan your body, noticing different parts. Notice your breathing. Take a moment to feel what it’s like to be fully in your body, all the way to your toes.
2. Notice 3 things in your immediate environment. Maybe 3 things you can see, or 3 things you can hear or smell. Or one of each. Touch is very helpful for grounding, too. Run your fingers across the surface of something and notice the way it feels.
3. Go outside for at least 15 minutes a day. Offer Reiki to the trees and the Earth. If you are feeling an excess of energy, direct that into a tree, perhaps placing your hands on it and asking the tree if it can help you to release the energy.
4. Lie down or sit on the Earth for a few minutes to restore your own energy and release excess energy.
5. If you do yoga, stand in mountain pose for a few moments, connecting to the Earth. As you finish, hold one palm toward the sky and the other toward the Earth, allowing the energy of the sky and the Earth to replenish you.
6. If you have a tendency to be ungrounded, consider not having a lot of crystals in your home or on your body. Some people find that many crystals increase their ungroundedness and that removing them helps them feel better. In particular, crystals that work with the upper chakras may create issues for those who have problems with grounding. Some crystals have the opposite effect and actually help you to ground and balance. My favorite stone for grounding excess energy is Black Tourmaline. My favorite for bringing overall balance is Amethyst.
7. Do some form of physical movement. Yoga can be helpful, as can walking or dancing. Find something enjoyable, that really helps you to connect with your body and your breath, rather than something that you simply want to endure and be done with quickly.
8. Tai Chi and Qi Gong are excellent for balancing the energy and grounding. Even if you don’t want to do these practices as your regular exercise, consider learning a few of the breath and movement techniques, as they can help you understand how to connect the upper energies with the lower energies and vice versa.

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Angie Webster made a significant contribution to the Reiki community, with a particular focus on Animal Reiki, which she had a deep affection for. As a knowledgeable Reiki Master Teacher and Author, she conducted online courses on energy healing, herbalism, flower essences, and personal growth.
She is the author of “Animal Reiki: How it Heals, Teaches & Reconnects Us with Nature” and “Reiki from A to Z”. Currently, Angie has decided to retire from her professional life to devote more time to her health, family, and the little joys of life.