I've been experiencing panic attacks recently, as I think I mentioned, and I'm looking for some good ways to practice grounding techniques. I already use the technique in which I imagine myself being rooted into the earth's core, bringing energy up from the core, into my body, and out of the top of my head. Can anyone recommend other techniques?

Hi, EN. I'm really sorry to hear you're experiencing panic attacks ... they're not fun at all.

Here's a grounding technique I like to use some times:

1. Close your eyes and imagine yourself laying on the ground in a natural scene that comforts you.

2. Imagine as many details as you can, making the scene as real in your imagination as you can.

3. Imagine whatever you want to get rid of slowly seeping into the earth and the earth caressing you with love. If you're having trouble letting go, you might try imagining the earth gently pulling it from you until you can let it go.

4. Imagine breathing in the peaceful, calming earth.

5. Breathe deeply while you're doing this. The 4/4 breath would be great for this.

Here's how I put it all together:

I'm feeling stressed out, a little negative, and kind of flighty. Time to ground myself.

I close my eyes and start breathing deeply.

I imagine myself laying on the ground in an ancient forest, surrounded by tall beautiful trees.

I imagine the soft moss bed below my back caressing me as it supports me.

I imagine the moist earthy air filling my lungs.

I imagine the wind blowing gently through the tops of the trees, the gentle rustling of their branches.

I imagine myself surrounded by the love of the forest. I am safe ... the forest itself watches over me and gently cradles me.

As I exhale, I imagine all of the stress, negativity, and excess energy seeping out of me into the ground. The earth gently pulls it down and away from me.

I do this for several breaths, until I feel I've released everything I need to.

I take a deep breath, imagining the peaceful, calming energy of the earth filling my entire body.

I do this for several breaths, until I feel calm and centered.

I thank the forest for helping me and open my eyes, ready to go.

I hope it helps, EN.

It can help to say 'NO!' firmly when a panic attack starts, to prevent it escalating; imagine you're talking to a dog/animal and be firm. That's worked for me!

Also besides the Quantum Touch breathing/running energy, which is incredibly grounding, I find sometimes accepting myself "even though I'm feeling panicky... I accept myself." Also imagining you're a tree, or looking at a tree, helps - ask the tree for help! Ask to be shown how to ground yourself. Most of the things that really help are ones we find ourselves through asking (higher self, nature, God.) It's not a nice feeling but it's really a habit of your nervous system driven by thoughts or associations with past events. I make a healing tool with a symbol for love and calm on it, which also helps when held to the heart chakra or solar plexus!

Hi EN

I still get some panic attacks, and recently worked out that grounding helped subdue the symptoms (I've done a lot of energy psychology on them too, still working on it!). Apart from the grounding as you describe, there are a couple of hand mudras that I've found very useful:

Gyan mudra is superb for stress, anxiety, and feeling ungrounded: (thumb and index finger tips touching gently, no pressure)

and

No Fear: for feeling strength and courage when anxious: (palm facing away from you)


I also repeated some afformations (Why do I feel so calm even though I am {in this situation}) before the panic-provoking situation (a meeting) took place, which helped me feel less anxious - I avoided the normal GI distress - and the mudras and grounding kept me almost completely calm during the meeting.

Hope this helps!

Thinking of grounding and especially the technique you describe here, what do you think of this description from The Emerald Tablet? (http://www.templeofsolomon.org/Etablet.htg/emerald_tablet.htm) Sounds very like learning to sweep and breathe and connect to life-force energy to me!

And as all things are from One, by the mediation of One,
so all things have their birth from this One Thing by adaptation.
4 The Sun is its father, the Moon its mother, the Wind carries it in its belly, its nurse is the Earth.
5 It is the father of all perfection, or consummation of the whole world.
6 Its power is complete if it be turned into earth.
It ascends from earth to heaven and descends again to earth, and receives the power of the superiors and of the inferiors so thou hast the glory of the whole world and all obscurity will flee before you.
9 This is the fortitude of all fortitude, overcoming every subtle thing and penetrating every solid thing.
10 This is how the world was created.
11 Hence were all wonderful adaptations produced in this way.

One thing I've been doing is to say, "No, we're not having any of that." (By the way, this has been working when I use it on the abdominal pain!)

I've used the thumb/forefinger technique, which is very useful. I love this site!

Here is a grounding technique I recently came across.It is quick and easy to do anywhere any time.It is said to pull our souls back into our bodies immediately.

1. Imagine that when you inhale, your breath comes in through the top of your head and stops at your hips.

2. As you exhale, the breath goes down through the center of your legs into the earth and wraps itself around a tree root or a stone or anything in the center of the earth.