5 Easy and Practical Ways to Ground Yourself and Others During Investigations

What is this grounding I speak of? Is this a mystical term only known in the psychic realms? The short answer is, no. It's an exercise that helps you by bringing your mind and your body back into alignment with eachother. Ever been to a party where you just couldn't help but being caught up in the atmosphere, even after it was over? Maybe a sports event where the high of your team winning and the crowd roaring and cheering is still giving you a buzz long after the stadium lights are off? Well, this is where your body is so caught up in a form of vibration that is not its normal state that it finds it difficult to connect with your mind as normal. You might feel light headed, heavy, like swimming in mud or even nauseous, with murky thoughts and in general not being yourself. All in all, you don't want to be sitting in dark, dank buildings in this state and you definitely don't want to get into your car to drive home after a night of intense investigation.

Here are some ideas on what to do when you notice that either you or someone else in your company is "off with the fairies" as I say.

1. You can take the term "grounding" very literally. Having as much bodily contact with the ground as possible is an excellent way to get grounded. Go outside and lie down on the ground. If not possible to go outside, just get onto the ground where you are. For maximum effect, turn the palms of your hand downward. Visualise a flow of energy  from your body down into the earth until you feel like you're back to your normal self. Get up very slowly. First just sit up for a few minutes, then get slowly back onto your feet. If you can't lie down, just sit on the ground and focus on the contact point between the floor and the base of your spine. Use it as an energy highway to ground any excess and unwanted energy.
2. Another excellent way to get back into your body, and this works wonderfully after séances, trance sessions or even lone vigils, is to have a list of information you recite. This allows your thoughts to come back to the present and your everyday being. This list can comprise of simple things such as your full name, address, names of children or friends, your car's number plate, your favourite movies, basically anything that relates your day to day life. If you're helping to ground someone else with this method, just ask them open ended questions about themselves that require simple and routine replies. Eg. list five things in your wallet right now, what do you have in your toolbox, what is your favourite TV show etc. If they have trouble answering those questions, it may very well be an indicator that they are not "fully back" to themselves and further grounding is needed.
3. For those who are into crystal, I can recommend using stones such as black tourmaline, clear or smokey quartz or even hematite or citrine. You should carry at least a few of these in your kit as people may react differently to each stone. I must admit I am somewhat partial to black tourmaline and I find it works best for me. I keep it in my kit away from sunlight and moisture and pop it into my pocket or bra for use during situations when I need some extra oomph with grounding.
4. A much more mundane however sometimes inconvenient way to ground is to sit down for a meal. Digestion and the unavoidable social interaction that comes with eating is a good way to bring the energy down and somewhat force the mind back into alignment with the physical body. Best to avoid foods with any sort of stimulant such as caffeine, sugar or alcohol as they will have a counter-effect to what you want to achieve in the first place. Lots of water during investigations is always a good idea to keep up your electrolytes. You'll thank me for that the day after any investigation. Trust me, been there, done that, bought the t-shirt.
5. And last but not least, if you can, do some physical exercise. Even brisk walking will do the trick if done long enough. Stop for a few minutes during investigations when you feel like your loosing your connection and have the symptoms described in the first paragraph. Play a game with your team that will require some physical exertion, laugh, move your body, even if just a little. Remember to hydrate well during and after.

As always, observe safety while investigating and use common sense when deciding whether to continue an investigation or not. Safety first, be it psychic or physical. Happy hunting folks!