idiot_stimpy Posted March 5, 2012 (edited) When it comes to meditation, I hear people say you need to stay grounded. But what does being grounded mean? Does it mean being grounded in the 5 senses? And if this is the case what of the highest meditation that dictates one should go beyond the senses? Edited March 5, 2012 by jconnar Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RiverSnake Posted March 5, 2012 (edited) Imagine a close friend is hanging out with you and your both are laughing and having a good time. However, your friend suddenly gets angry at something you casually said. Your friend jumps to his feet and starts yelling and cussing at you and telling you that your a worthless pile of shit and he even threatens to fight you? What do you do? Do you get emotional and angry? Do you start to yell and curse back? Do you try to start a fight? The grounded person stays calm and whatever action he takes he does so consciously and non-reflexively. The grounded person is stable, nothing can topple him. He is like the earth and the mountains...always experiencing hardships of all kinds....snow, rain, thunderstorms, tornadoes, earthquakes....but still he grows and flourishes, still he continues on the path that he knows in his heart is right for him. IMO that is what it means to be grounded and these are qualities you can gain from practicing meditation and also qualities that complement your meditation practice. -My 2 cents, Peace Edited March 5, 2012 by OldGreen Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chang Posted March 5, 2012 Grounding can mean more than this. It is also a case of meditation being balanced by action. It is two sides of a coin. In meditation we turn inward and this has to be balanced by an outward turn where we enter into worldly affairs. It is the balance of Yin and Yang. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Creation Posted March 5, 2012 When it comes to meditation, I hear people say you need to stay grounded. But what does being grounded mean? Does it mean being grounded in the 5 senses? And if this is the case what of the highest meditation that dictates one should go beyond the senses? I think the term comes from an analogy with electric circuits. It can happen that you build up a huge charge of energy through meditation, and get into a seriously altered state, especially if there is a lot of energy in your head. Grounding is important after meditation so that you don't only halfway come back to ordinary reality. The stereotype of a meditator who goes around with his head in the clouds all the time is an example of an ungrounded person. Now, staying grounded during meditation means not allowing the charge to build so strongly that you "blow a fuse". So you would want to train in a way that gradually builds your systems ability to handle increased voltage, so to speak, and develops your system's ability to "ground" excess charge in real time. Usually this involves the downward flow of energy into the earth, like a lightning rod. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jetsun Posted March 5, 2012 I think it is about feeling connected with the earthly realm we are living in, with many mind forms of meditation it is easy for your mind to wander off and go somewhere else which is ungrounding because your consciousness is not rooted in your body, so then at the end of the meditation you can feel oversensitive and less able to deal with the world. But with body and moving practices like Tai Chi you are bringing your consciousness into your body which brings your mind into the realm we are in so you will end up feeling more connected with the world after your session so more grounded. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
idiot_stimpy Posted March 5, 2012 Appreciate all your replies, all have been helpful. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
