Benefits of Grounding and Tree Hugging
As we started soaring higher and higher using the wings of technology, somewhere in between we lost touch with the ground. And that’s when human collective, forgot that they need to honour both the earth and the sky for their wellbeing. But Dipika Sharma a forest bathing Guide in India and Founder of Forest Therapy India believes it is never too late to return back and connect to mother earth. She runs Forest bathing Walks in Delhi and Noida on the weekend mornings. She explains the importance of grounding and earthing.
Grounding or Earthing is one such natural healing technique which helps us in reconnecting with the earth’s magical potential and cast out the negative energies residing in our bodies in the form of aches, pain, anxiety, sleep disorders etc. To understand this ancient technique, lets dive deep into the era when we walked bare foot, slept on the ground and were in constant touch with the “Ground energy”. Our bodies were capable of much more back then because we could absorb the infinite potential right below our feet. So, the spiky running shoes provide momentum during jogging but have also disconnected us from the Source. Being isolated from Earth due to materials such as rubber and plastic shoes, wood, tile, carpets etc leaves us with an unhealthy feeling.
Science behind Grounding: We are nothing but energy and our cells are made of atoms and molecules. Atoms are a combination of positive and negative charges called protons and electrons respectively. Many health atoms tend to have a negative charge because they posses more electrons. Some of these atoms might have electrons stolen from them which as a result makes them highly reactive to other atoms present in the body. In this reactive state they are called as “Free radicals”. An increase in the number of these damaging free radicals leads to deterioration in health and modern science calls its “Sickness”. When we practice grounding, our bodies, which are good conductors absorb the negatively charge electrons from the ground to replenish the deficit and thereby neutralizing the destructive free radicals.
Grounding Benefits: Its true that our bodies are capable of self-healing and there is nothing that our immune system cannot fight. But we do not live in an ideal world and the kind of electromagnetic upheavals our bodies are subject to on a day to day basis is beyond imagination. Therefore, the necessity for the healing powers of nature becomes increasingly important. Being in connect with nature itself has so many therapeutic benefits. Forest bathing or Shinrin Yoku for example is another ancient technique of practicing mindfulness while basking in the glory of nature. Idea is to make direct contact with nature by either immersing our feet in sand and water or hovering our toes over wet grass, slowly allowing the divine nature to make way through us thereby cleansing all our impurities such as:
Inflammation/Infection
Pain
Stress/Anxiety
Cholesterol
Sleep Disorder
Tree Hugging: Where else would you find someone who would listen to you endlessly without even judging for a split of a second? There is a reason they say that talking to trees and even hugging them makes you happy.
Science behind Hugging a tree leads to a substantial increase in Oxytocin which is the same hormone that your body produces during moments of intimacy or emotional bonding. So, the next time you are feeling low or unloved, just go and hug a tree or at least be in the vicinity of trees. Trees are symbiotic to mankind because they produce oxygen which is the life force to us. Isn’t this one reason enough to spend more and more time in the forest. The green colour is also said to lower the systolic blood pressure and keeps the heart rate in check. Trees emit phytoncides which when mixed into our blood streams through absorption via skin or normal breathing leads to increased activity of the Natural Killer cells that kill tumour and virus infections.
Most of the modern ailments are Nature Deficit Disorders and can be cured only by practicing mindfulness and spending time with nature. It’s for the same reason that children who participate in outdoor activities and go for picnics and nature hikes are sharper and cheerful than the ones who spend most of their times indoors with gadgets. It’s time we connect with something greater than ourselves by realising the importance of abundance of trees and wildlife in our cities for a healthy and happy life.
To experience a Forest Bathing walk in India contact www.foresttherapyindia.com