There is so much churning around already! It feels like we are halfway through the year, and it is not even February yet. I believe it is going to be quite a potent year. Can you feel it?
I have decided to do a series of blogs on being a “Healthy Healer”. This subject has come up several times in the last month, so it feels timely.
And given the challenging list of clients I have been given this year it feels timelier. Don’t get me wrong, I love challenging clients. I learn a lot and they keep all my channels fine-tuned. This means that I, as a practitioner, need to be awake and mindful to the many things I am going to talk about.
Those of you who have already studied with me know this is a topic that is near and dear to my heart, mind, body, soul and purpose.
Being in the role of healer comes with unique challenges. Whether or not you call yourself a “healer” is a topic for another newsletter. There are some strong views on this one. But, for now, I will use the word healer to mean those who are in service to others – LMT, therapists, energy workers, it could be the role of carer to an elder parent or child.
One of the most vital aspects of sustaining a long and successful healing practice is maintaining one's own health—both physically and emotionally.
Perhaps you know the statistic that most LMTs leave the profession after only 5 years – due to burnout or injury. Crazy!!
Caretaking takes energy and it is easy to overdo for many, many reasons. We will dive deeper into reasons in future newsletters.
Let’s start at the foundation.
The Ground. In my opinion, I think THE most important aspect of maintaining your health as a healer is to be grounded.
It sounds so simple – but many healers are resistant to this. Perhaps they prefer the feel of celestial energies (they can be very juicy). Maybe they believe the angelic/cosmic realm is of higher value.
Sometimes they are uncomfortable in their own physical body. Grounding does encourage embodiment. So, if one has had trauma or has judgment about their body, there is some territory to navigate to be in the body.
Perhaps they are in the habit of being empathic. (This will be a big topic in future writings. Stay tuned for that.)
There might be many more reasons…. Got one?
I have been in this profession for almost 40 years. I have worked with many healers and have seen a variety of unhealthy patterns. A common foundational pattern is that they are not grounded. Often this leads to weak boundaries – energetically and behaviorally. Remember that 5-year burnout statistic? (boundaries are a topic for future writing). I have personally cultivated my ground, and I believe it is why I have longevity in this field.
Why is grounding so important?
Grounding brings your attention and awareness back to the here and now – to the present moment. Many good things come from being in the present moment – a sense of peace, inner calm, clarity, discernment.
It helps you be a better listener – with your ears and with your channels of perception. Being grounded, open and listening allows you to make informed decisions and offer appropriate healing approaches and techniques for your client.
Grounding helps healers find and maintain stability and balance in their own energy systems. They feel anchored. Rooted. Unwavering in their presence. And if they do waver, they can quickly stabilize.
It helps you to take a seat in who you are – which then helps you sense when, or if, other energies are co-mingling with yours. (another topic for future writings!) Grounded presence says “Here I AM. I can hold you and your pain.” It does not mean that I take your pain. It means I can sit in me and hold the space for you and your healing. It is clean and it is not energy draining.
Yes, sometimes it is challenging when a client or loved one is in pain, anxiety, sorrow, rage. It is important to remember that it is not our job to take their pain away. But we can compassionately hold space for them and for ourselves simultaneously.
Grounding helps to drop one’s energy and attention inward and downward. Down from the swirly head of thoughts and anxieties. It is easy to get a bit lost and overwhelmed – lost in your thoughts or emotions, or caught up in a big decision or life situation. There are so many life distractions tugging at our attention. Grounding can help you feel less scattered.
Grounding helps healers establish clear energetic boundaries, protecting you from absorbing or being overwhelmed by negative or excessive energies. It can prevent energy depletion.
If we have been traveling into higher realms in a session, we are more sensitive to picking up on the energies around us. If we have established our root, we will have a healthy resting place to come back to. Some healers worry that grounded and astral travel are mutually exclusive. But I have experienced the opposite. I can land home in a healthy clear space – with no residue.
If we personally deal with anxiety and stress and worry, grounding is a great tool to quickly bring you back to the here and now to calm the mind and our emotions. There are many ways to ground oneself. I will share some of my favorite go-tos.
Taproot Meditation
The practice that I have cultivated the most is that of the “taproot”. I guide my students through this practice every day of class.Imagine a beautiful rich flexible taproot growing downward deep, deep, deep into the earth. Once your root has gone as deep as it can, then invite rich earth energy to rise and rest in your belly. Keep resting your attention and awareness here. Notice.Likely your attention will drift away but keep gently inviting yourself back to establishing your root. As you cultivate this practice you will notice a certain inner stability that you can trust.Some like to visualize their favorite tree growing and spreading roots into the ground. Some like a grounding cord where they feel plugged in. Whichever you choose, take it deeeeeeep.
In the world of Open Focus Brain, placing your attention onto space, such as the low belly (lower Dan Tian), heart or space between your two ears can bring you into the present moment rather quickly. I prefer placing attention to the low belly because it combines the benefit of present moment and grounding. Feel your energy in your low belly/dan tien so you feel weighted and full in your belly (and please try not to go down the rabbit hole of ‘my belly is fat’).
Do you remember Weebles? Weebles are these little toys that kinda look like little people.
They are narrow at the top but wide and weighted at the bottom. You could knock them over, but they would right themselves back up. The song went “Weebles wobble but they won’t fall down”.
That is how resilient we want to be. When life knocks us, and it will, we can right ourselves because we are grounded.
Walking on the earth is a great way to ground. If you can find the time and space to be barefoot, even better. But it is winter here….. I have found the practice of walking while being mindful of each step - my feet making contact with the earth – brings me very present, aware and grounded.
Breath:
Attention to the breath is a great way to regulate your nervous system and bring one into the present moment. If you accentuate a long slow exhale, it will help to ground you.
Adding the French Press can be helpful.
Do you know those French Press coffee makers? I often use the analogy of a French press coffee maker – the plunger (our attention) pushes the coffee grounds to the bottom of the carafe (our low belly/ground) making for a good brew.
This looks like a classic Qigong move. Stand (or sit). Raise your arms up over your head with an inhale. As you slowly exhale, slowly press your hands toward the lower part of your body as if you are pressing your coffee grounds to the bottom of your container. Land your hands on your low belly. Repeat until you feel more grounded and experience a drop in the tone of your nervous system.
Nature: any time you spend in nature is grounding and clearing. And if you do it mindfully and quietly the effects will be more profound.
Hug a tree. Sit at the base of a tree.
Getting bodywork! Especially with your favorite grounded practitioner (and can you tell when your practitioner is not grounded? Very different effect, yes?)
In the world of Craniosacral Work (or other bodywork), working with the SACRUM can be very grounding. Or work that includes the sacrum, pelvis and legs and feet. Many parasympathetic (calming, rest and digest) fibers live in the sacrum and this can be very calming.
Try out all of these tools for grounding. Notice which ones are most effective for you. I probably use most of these tools throughout my week, depending on the situation of the moment.
I find it helpful to have a tool that can be nurtured and cultivated over time such as taproot meditation, and also a quick short cut when I notice that I am feeling ungrounded.
My future writings will address various ways to stay healthy as a healer. Our services are so important, and in our current world of unstable times, I think it is important that we as healers are a grounded stable presence for ourselves, our clients, family and friends.
Make a commitment to being healthy healer. You are worthy of your love, kindness and attention.
Thank you for your service! Enjoy the journey!
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