Ultimate guide to crystals and stones - Uma Silbey 2016

Grounding
Personal Preparation for Crystal and Stone Work

When preparing to do any crystal work, the next step after centering is to ground ourselves. Grounding creates a secure attachment and connection with the earth. It permits the flow of energy from the earth to move through the soles of our feet and up through our bodies, filling us with the subtle energies of the earth. When we are grounded, we will feel more relaxed and calm, as if we are held in the arms of Mother Earth. If we send our awareness down deep enough into the earth, we not only draw on the strength of every rock, but also from the molten core of our planet itself. To be grounded is to be strong but not rigid, for rigidity is based on fear and can only create weakness. If we aren’t grounded, we often feel spaced out, nervous, hyperactive, or fragile. Without grounding we are far less effective in our daily life because we’re often scattered or tired. With grounding, because we aren’t wasting our energy on “holding it all together” through rigidity, inflexibility, or other such attempts, it is much easier to relax. With relaxation we can concentrate. Only when rooted into the earth can we partake of its revitalizing energy.

There are many methods to use stones or rocks to ground ourselves. Wearing or having a smoky quartz crystal with us will help. As opposed to the clear and opaque gems and crystals, any dense or dark colored rock will help us be more grounded as it interacts with our energy field. We can wear them, carry them, or place them in our environment. We can either let it affect us passively, or more actively by actually interacting and working with it.

This next practice is a good one to use for grounding:

GROUNDING WITH ROCKS, STONES, OR CRYSTALS

1. Sit or stand upright, head forward, with your feet flat upon the ground.

2. Hold a solid rock, stone, or earthen colored gem or crystal in each hand, making sure the stones are similar in size. (If you are using clear quartz crystals, envision them to be filled with earthen colored light.) Hold your hands down by your side. If you are using crystals, point their tips downward into the earth.

3. Shift your attention to your heart center, feeling as if your breath flows into your heart with every inhale, and out through your navel center, about two inches below your belly button, with each exhale. Breathing naturally, using long, deep breaths, relax more with each exhale. Relax your jaw, your shoulders and stomach, the small of your back, the front of your thighs, and the back of your knees.

4. Now, on every exhale, feel as if gentle, earth colored streams of light flow from the tips of your fingers, the bottom of your spine, and the bottom center of your feet. Visualize the same stream of light flowing down from your stones, anchoring you deeply into the earth and helping amplify the streams of light flowing downward as roots into the earth.

5. When you are through, and feeling well connected to the earth, shift your attention back to your heart, feeling like your breath is flowing in and out of this center. After a few moments, either clear your crystals and stones, or keep them with you so that the effects of this grounding practice will continue.

Although the crystals amplify this process, grounding can be done anywhere, with or without our stones. As we walk about in our daily life, we can continue to remain aware of the connection of our feet to the earth. We can take a moment to relax our hands and feel as if streams of energy flow down from our fingertips. We can wear stones that are grounding as anklets or as downward pointing crystal pendants worn below our heart centers. We can carry a grounding stone in our pockets.

Grounding creates a secure attachment and connection with the earth. Any dense or dark-colored rock will help us be more grounded when it interacts with our energy field. This black agate grounding stone provides security, strength, and balance. The golden crystal band within the black agate helps bring willpower and vitality.

Other than color, there is no one type of stone that is more grounding than another. Nor is there one type of marking that makes a stone grounding or not. Ultimately, the stone we are attracted to as a grounding stone is the one to use. If we listen to it, it will reveal its grounding ways to us.