Earthing: Becoming Grounded

“The way to live is to be connected to the Earth – grounded as much as possible – because being connected is like pulling a switch that enables your body to function more naturally and efficiently. Your body works electrically. You are a bioelectric being, and you need connection with your natural electric source – the Earth’s electric energy. It establishes the most natural state of your electric body. It nourishes every cell.” - Clint Ober

When I was four years old, my parents left England for South Africa, where we lived for eight years. It was a wonderful time – we lived in a beautiful home with a pool to swim in and an orchard full of trees to climb – the perfect environment for a tomboy like me. My best memory and greatest pleasure as a youngster were ditching my sturdy brown lace-up shoes after school and taking off into the great outdoors, totally barefoot. The weather was much like that of Southern California, which meant that I was able to go barefoot year-round, as did all my playmates. I recall that my health was very good throughout my childhood years. Little did I know then that I was positively affecting my overall health at every step! When I was twelve, my parents returned to the UK, and as was customary at the time, I was enrolled in a private live-in boarding school. In addition to the dreary weather and spartan lifestyle, we were expected to wear the most hideous, clunky shoes imaginable, plus heavy boots for our outdoor activities, which included playing hockey and lacrosse in the English rain. Of course, I frequently ditched this footwear as often as possible too – at the risk of punishment and the inevitable judgment that I was some kind of strange ‘flower child’– in order to go walking on the lush, green daisy-strewn grass. Even then, I instinctively knew that I felt better – less anxious, less stressed, calmer and clearer – when walking barefoot outdoors in Nature. To this day, I love to slip off my shoes whenever I spend time in a park or at a beach, enjoying the stimulating and liberating sensation of the Earth beneath me imparting a stream of electrons into my body through my bare feet. In addition to feeling like a kid again, Earthing or grounding never fails to provide me with a sense of deep relaxation, an improved mental outlook and increased peace of mind.

To understand the concept of Earthing as it applies to our physical health, it is necessary to appreciate that the Earth beneath our feet is our foundation in every way. The Earth provides spaces, structures and surfaces to stand, sit, run, walk, climb, play and build on. We now know that the Earth itself is a giant battery, a repository of free electrons that can be absorbed by the human body whenever our skin or bare feet come into contact with it. About sixty miles above the Earth lies the ‘ionosphere,’ an intense zone where the rays of the sun split the ions into negative and positive charges. Negative charges are transferred to the Earth as lightning, leaving positive ions up in the ionosphere. This accounts for the uplifting sensations we experience after a thunderstorm, or when waves crash on the beach, creating the same effect. Negative ions are critical for our health, in the same way that we need fresh air and sunshine to flourish.

In the 1960’s, technology made great leaps in the production of cheaper, moldable plastic components, which soon overtook the use of rubber, leather and other natural materials in the manufacture of all types of footwear. Americans became enamored of sneakers and athletic shoes of all shapes and colors, many of which completely encased the feet in layers of synthetic materials, totally insulating our feet from the Earth, a trend that is even more dominant today. Even at home, we wear lightweight shoes or slippers and rarely go barefoot: to spend any length of time barefoot nowadays seems almost unthinkably primitive and out of sync with our modern lifestyles. Our homes and offices are constructed of steel, concrete and wood and are often built high above the ground, further cutting us off from the Earth’s free supply of electrical energy. Unlike our ancestors, over the past few decades we have become accustomed to the ‘norm’ of wearing shoes throughout the day, and we rarely, if ever, slip off our shoes to exercise and soothe our amazing feet, which contain half the bones in our body, as well as 42 muscles, 33 joints, 50 ligaments, 15,000 nerve endings and 250,000 sweat glands, and have been designed to absorb the Earth’s energies ever since man first stood upright.

As humans, we are always immersed in electromagnetic activity. In addition to insulating ourselves from the health-giving electrons provided by the Earth by constantly wearing shoes with synthetic soles which electrons cannot penetrate, we also absorb large quantities of electromagnetic radiation from our many devices – Wi-Fi, smartphones and other household electronics. Using a voltmeter, readings as high as 20 volts have been measured in those using many devices constantly. This imbalance of negative and positive electrons in the body creates conditions unfavorable to our health, as homeostasis depends on a stable bioelectric environment within the body’s entire system. The transfer of electrons that occurs when you place your bare feet on the ground is known as the ‘electron transport chain.’ The free electrons act directly on the cellular mitochondria, stimulating the production of ADP, or adenosine triphosphate, which generates bioelectric energy that is considered to be the ‘life force’ of the body.

When you are injured, white blood cells known as neutrophils produce inflammation in the body, releasing damaging free radicals into the injury site. These free radicals or ‘reactive oxygen species’ are unstable molecules that react with other molecules within the cell. A buildup of ROS in the cells can lead to damage to RNA, DNA, and vital proteins, and can even lead to cell death. If there are not enough free electrons available to reduce the free radicals, the latter will ‘steal’ an electron from a healthy cell, damaging it and creating a cascade of other neutrophils that can attack healthy cells and cause a chain reaction that undermines healthy immune function. The area of the injury is known as the ‘repair field,’ and if there are enough negative electrons within the body, they quickly surround and engulf the damaged cells, stripping them of their electrons, neutralizing them and effectively preventing free radicals from leaking into surrounding tissue and causing more damage. An abundance of negative electrons can signify or predict that a healthy person will not fall victim to the increasing buildup of silent inflammation caused by ROS, which is the undisputed cause of all our major diseases – cardiovascular disease, arthritis, diabetes and cancer, to name a few.

So, who came up with the concept of ‘Earthing,’ or ‘grounding,’ as it is often called? Is it actually true that such a simple process as walking barefoot on grass, dirt or sand could really influence our health in a positive way, quenching inflammation and eliminating pain? The founder of the current Earthing movement is a brilliant yet humble gentleman named Clint Ober. Clint grew up on his parents’ farm in Montana , where as the oldest of five children, he spent his childhood tending the bean and beet crops barefoot. He spent time with members of the neighboring Cheyenne and Crow tribes and became familiar with their beliefs about the sacredness of Mother Earth and her power to heal. He witnessed powerful healings that the indigenous people seemed to take completely in stride, leaving a deep, lasting impression on the young farm boy. After moving to the ‘big city’ in the 1960’s, Clint established a successful thirty-year long career in the cable TV industry. He was one of the first to pioneer cable modem and satellite distribution of digital services via cable to PCs. Later, he developed CATV systems, broadcast television properties and microwave distribution systems throughout Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Clint then went on to form another company which accumulated distribution rights to every known wire service in the world, including UPI and the Associated Press, as well as national Russian, Chinese and Japanese agencies. While engaged in the cable TV industry for all those years, Clint had always fully understood the need to ‘ground’ cable when installing cable service to homes and businesses, to prevent the buildup of static electricity which not only caused TV sets to lose picture clarity, resulting in ‘noise’ and snowy, wavy screen images, but could potentially cause fires or explosions. Grounding took away these risks and offered a safe way to enjoy the proper use of electrical power.

After a life-threatening health crisis, Clint took a year to recover and then determined to retire from his successful cable career. He became fascinated with the concept that human health was in some way affected by the electromagnetic field that surrounds us. Sitting on a bench in Sedona, Arizona, and pondering this issue, he suddenly had an ‘Aha!’ moment when he saw dozens of people file off a big tour bus, all wearing their new Nikes and similarly thick-soled athletic shoes. Could it be that, without even knowing it, they were insulating themselves from experiencing the benefits of being ‘grounded’ and absorbing free electrons from the Earth? Clint decided to experiment by taping a grid of metal duct tape to his bed and attaching a wire which he ran through the bedroom window and attached to a grounding rod inserted into the earth outside. For the first time since experiencing the after-effects of previous back surgeries that had left him unable to sleep properly without painkillers, Clint slept peacefully through the night. Excited, he began to ‘ground’ anyone who was interested, noting their reactions: better sleep, reduced lower back pain, fewer arthritis flare-ups. Hundreds of Clint’s grounded subjects provided accounts of how grounding was helping them. Neither a medical doctor nor a scientist, Cliff knew the language of his electrical profession well, but had no idea how his concept would be received by the doctors and scientists who would be needed to validate his findings. As is the case with many inventors’ discoveries, Clint’s first approaches to the medical world resulted in a lot of ridicule and rejection. Doctors failed to understand how “wrapping a wire around someone’s toe” (as one doctor described it) and attaching the wire to the ground outdoors would have any effect on sleep or pain. Nonplussed, Clint decided to conduct the necessary tests and studies himself. Twenty-one published, peer-reviewed studies later, many doctors, scientists, physiologists and Ph.Ds. have come around to recognize and validate Clint’s work, which has since gone mainstream.

Among one of Clint’s early supporters was Dr. Stephen Sinatra, a famous cardiologist who opened Clint’s mind to the nature of ‘inflammation,’ which was receiving great interest from the medical and scientific communities at the time. Silent inflammation in the body was, and still is, seen as the greatest threat to overall health, as it is seen to be the main precursor to so many of our current Western disease states. Over the past century, we have seen an unprecedented rise in the numbers of people suffering from diseases mostly associated with inflammation, which also plays an undeniable part in chronic pain states. Dr. Sinatra explained to Clint that the body is composed of collagen molecules – the most abundant protein building blocks of all tissues – and that this collagen is embedded in a gel-like surface area of large proportions located throughout the body, through and in which the electrons play out their aforementioned ‘war games,’ a constant battle to attack and neutralize reactive oxygen species by healthy cells, themselves at risk. Genetics, lifestyle and nutrition also factor strongly into this ongoing scenario, and unless we are fortunate enough to have inherited or developed a powerful, well-functioning immune system, we can fall prey to the relentless buildup of inflammatory markers. Dysfunction begins to surface with the aching neck, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, locked-up wrist, arthritic fingers, painful lower back or hips, or numb feet or hands: the list of potential inflammatory ailments is almost endless. By then, silent inflammation has built up in the body to the point where painful conditions almost feel ‘normal’ and inevitable, and opioid medications and surgery seem like the only options for relief from pain. To think that these painful conditions can be ameliorated by simply getting outside and standing or sitting with your bare feet planted on the ground for up to thirty minutes a day seems almost like a fantasy, but it is reality – a reminder that everything needed for ongoing healthy life on Earth is always provided for and available, if only we have an open mind and the desire to try out this unique, free form of therapy for ourselves.

Walking barefoot may seem quaint and outdated in our modern world, but consider this. For centuries, Buddhist monks and Indian wise men have walked barefoot, and the notion of a barefoot lifestyle is almost synonymous with one of longevity, simplicity, clarity, spiritual enlightenment, and reverence for the Earth. Why do monks almost always walk barefoot? Historically, Buddhist monks were allowed only four possessions – a rice bowl and three robes – shoes and sandals were not part of the monastic code of the time. Minimalism is key, and monks strive to be free of distracting worldly possessions. Practicing Buddhists themselves must remove their footwear before entering any temple or sacred site to keep the area as clean, pure and germ-free as possible. For most monks, walking barefoot is a spiritual practice that ensures that they stay grounded and in touch with the Universal Spirit all throughout their day. Walking barefoot makes us intimately aware of our own ‘roots’ and our ancient, ancestral connection to the greater energy Source that surrounds us. Spending just thirty minutes a day with your bare feet touching the ground can be the perfect time to integrate meditation or practice mindfulness, whether walking, standing or sitting. Walking slowly on fresh grass or a sandy beach is truly pleasurable and is very conducive to a practice of self-awareness and gratitude.

To date, Earthing has revealed itself to be a valuable therapy to research if you are looking for a solution to ongoing pain or discomfort. Often integrated with immunotherapy and medical thermography, grounding is gaining momentum as a safe and transformative therapy that accomplishes the following:

• Increases the availability and uptake of free electrons through the skin

• Neutralizes free radicals (ROS) and provides a strong antioxidant effect

• Lowers cortisol levels and creates relaxation and alpha wave stimulation

• Protects the brain and nervous system from neural inflammation

• Reduces the onset and development of ‘silent inflammation’ in the body

• Improves blood viscosity and discourages blood cell clumping

• Lowers blood pressure and relaxes smooth muscle in the arterial system

• Reduces stress, anxiety, depression, anger, fear and fatigue

• Boosts the immune system and strengthens resistance to disease

• Improves the microbiome to increase gut health

• Helps reduce insomnia, fosters better sleep patterns

• Produces a clear, calm and balanced perspective on life’s challenges

• Relieves pain states (both acute and chronic)

Electromagnetism holds our entire Universe together and governs many aspects of our physical and mental health. Knowing that we are each the owner of ‘the body electric’ can transform our thinking and offer us some clues as to how to address and resolve lingering aches and pains in the body. Earthing reminds us how simple and profound such an awareness can be, and how easy it is to integrate into our lives. The pain epidemic, which has fostered the opioid epidemic, is a national crisis, but the brilliant aspect of grounding is that it does not require a doctor’s prescription, endless cycle of pharmaceutical drugs or unwanted surgical intervention. Getting in touch with the Earth beneath your feet is your birthright! Animals that live in the wild, with their paws in constant connection with the Earth’s surface, live and survive instinctively, while our domesticated pets, trapped in our homes and apartments for most of the day, fall victim to many of the same diseases experienced by their humans. So, when you decide to sit, stand or lie down in the grass on a sunny day, don’t forget to take your pet with you - grounding is for everyone and for every living being on our planet Earth!

For more information on the practice of grounding, Clint Ober’s book ‘Earthing’ is an excellent guide, as is “The Earthing Movie: The Remarkable Science of Grounding” which you can see at www.EarthingMovie.com. The Earthing site also offers grounding products and equipment, including voltmeters and continuity equipment which can measure the amount of electron activity in the body, and grounding mats, pads, sheets, blankets and pillows which bring the benefits of Earthing directly into your home.