Spirituality & Grounding: Reconnecting with Your Higher Self

We prayed for comfort, sought guidance in scripture, and believed that turning to anything outside of God was unnecessary—or even blasphemous. Practices like grounding and meditation were unfamiliar to me and, for a long time, felt wrong.

However, in 2016, I found myself searching for a deeper sense of healing, peace, and connection. As someone who had experienced the wounds of multiple sexual violations since the age of five, I struggled with the weight of it all. I was told to lay my burdens at the altar, but I didn’t fully understand what that meant. Talking about trauma, especially in the African American community, was often avoided. Not only was the conversation energetically dense, there was also no language to begin to help people heal. 

Was I not feeling healed because I hadn’t prayed enough? Should I pray more? And once I had finished praying, what was I supposed to do next?

I had heard of meditation before at the suggestion of my therapist. Not really knowing what it was or how to do it, I was intimidated by the thought of implementing it. I then stumbled upon grounding as I was scrolling social media one day. While I was equally as clueless about its benefits, I was intrigued with the thought of connecting with earth. What could be wrong with connecting with the earth? I decided to give them both a try feeling desperate to feel centered. What I discovered was that grounding and meditation didn’t take away the pain, but they helped me face and deal with it from a space of empowerment, feeling fully supported by the earth under my feet. Just like prayer, these practices are tools—modalities for the collective—to assist in the healing process. The more I studied and incorporated grounding and meditation into my life, the more I realized that these tools weren’t leading me away from God. Instead, I was able to intentionally connect with my pain and allowed me to access a more healed version of myself.

What is Grounding? 

A Path to Spirit and Reconnecting with Your Higher Self

Grounding, also known as earthing, is the practice of making physical contact with the earth, such as standing barefoot on the grass or walking along the beach. Grounding allows us to reconnect with the natural world and align our energies with the earth’s frequencies. However, beyond its physical benefits, grounding helps us spiritually reconnect with our higher selves and the knowing that we can alchemize our own pain.

For those who’ve experienced sexual trauma, grounding is particularly powerful. Trauma often leaves us feeling disconnected—not just from the world around us, but from our own bodies and minds. In the aftermath of trauma, survivors may dissociate from their bodies to cope with the pain. Olivia Guy- Evan’s MSc provides a thorough explanation for disassociation in Simple Psychology in an article titled,  What is Dissociation?, Types, Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment. This disconnection can manifest as numbness, detachment, or feeling “out of body.” It may also bring feelings of confusion, anger, and worthlessness.

Grounding offers a way to gently reconnect with yourself and your environment. It allows you to experience the feeling of safety in your body again, which is crucial for healing. By grounding, you remind yourself that you are present, you are safe, and you are capable of effectively feeling even the things that hurt.

 

What does grounding feel like? 

Overcoming Disconnection 

When I first started practicing grounding, I realized just how disconnected I had been from myself. I wasn’t merely walking barefoot on the ground; I was reconnecting with the parts of me that had been shut off due to trauma. For those healing from sexual trauma, this sense of disconnection may feel permanent, but it’s not. Grounding can be the first step in reclaiming yourself—your emotions, your physical presence, and your mind.

Grounding teaches us that healing happens in the present moment by not denying the past but facing it. When you’re grounded, you’re able to feel your emotions without becoming overwhelmed by them. This process can be both terrifying and freeing, but it ultimately empowers you to move through the trauma, instead of letting it control your life.
 

Grounding Techniques for Healing

Incorporating grounding into your wellness routine offers you a beautiful opportunity to observe and feel in a safe way. From a psychological perspective, grounding allows one to observe their feelings without judgement, and opens the door not only to self exploration but to raising your self confidence and vibrational imprint. Diana Raab Ph.D., an author in a post in Psychology Today describes this concept in great detail in a post titled, What Is Centering? What Is Grounding?

If you’re new to grounding, here are a few simple techniques that I have found particularly effective for reconnecting with my emotions and/or my higher self: 

Setting an Intention Before Grounding
Before I engage in grounding, I always set an intention. Whether I’m seeking healing or clarity, I invite my higher self into the process by aligning my thoughts with the absolute highest intention stepping into my divine power. Setting an intention allows me to focus on what I need in that moment. For trauma survivors, intentions could be as simple as: I am safe or “I am healing. As I place my bare feet on the earth, I visualize releasing the pain and emotional weight into the ground, trusting that the earth—part of God’s creation—can absorb and transform that energy.
 

Beach Grounding for Healing
One of my favorite grounding practices is walking barefoot along Coronado beach. The ocean’s energy is cleansing and soothing, and as I walk, I focus on each step. I feel the wet sand beneath my feet and visualize any lingering tension or pain leaving my body, being absorbed by the earth. This practice allows me to reconnect not only with the physical world but also with my inner self.

 

Grounding Meditations

Quieting the Mind and Listening to Spirit

Meditation, much like grounding, is another powerful tool that supports healing. It allows us to quiet our minds and listen for the still, small within. For those who have experienced trauma, especially sexual trauma, the mind can become overwhelmed with racing thoughts, fears, and anxieties. Meditation provides a space to observe these thoughts with grace, releasing them making room for healing.

When I meditate, I focus on my breath- in the nose and out the mouth, which brings me into the present moment. I allow myself to observe the thoughts that come up—whether they are related to fear, pain, or healing—without clinging to them. I trust that because I have been guided to these thoughts and emotions the healing has already began to take place.

Incorporating Grounding and Meditation into Your Healing Routine

The beauty of grounding and meditation is that they are practices you can incorporate into your daily life. They don’t replace prayer, nor do they diminish the role of belief in the healing process. Instead, they complement it. Grounding and meditation invite you to participate actively in your healing which is vital for your growth and restoration.

These practices can also help you become more aware of your triggers. For example, as I meditated and grounded myself, I started noticing what caused me to feel unsafe or anxious. By acknowledging these triggers, I could release their hold on me, and choose to rather absorb and energy that better aligned with who I was becoming.
 

Healing from Sexual Trauma with Grounding and Meditation

Reconnecting with Yourself

Incorporating grounding and meditation into my life has not only transformed my personal healing journey, but it has also become essential in my work with others. I’ve found that many people, especially survivors of sexual trauma, benefit from these practices. They allow individuals to reconnect with their bodies, find peace in the present moment, and reestablish their relationship with their highest possibilities.

Through these practices, you can begin to feel the safety and presence that trauma may have stolen from you. You can reclaim the parts of yourself that were lost or buried, returning to the truth about yourself after sexual trauma.
 

Conclusion 

Healing Through Divine Tools

Grounding and meditation are not in conflict with faith; they are tools that can help us step into our power of the human experience. For anyone who has experienced sexual trauma, these practices offer a way to reconnect with your mind and your body. They allow you to participate in your own healing in a way that is gentle, nurturing, and beautifully guided.

As you explore grounding and meditation, trust that healing is a journey—one that doesn’t end with a single prayer but continues with the daily practice of reconnecting with yourself. These practices are sacred gifts, helping you release the weight of your trauma and find peace in the present moment. Healing is not only possible but already happening within you.