Right now you will hear channels, astrologers, and teachers who closely track energetic shifts on the planet all saying something similar. The language is different around “what” exactly is occurring, depending on who is doing the talking, but most agree that we are in a peak period of energetic adjustment and rapid change.

What bottom line advice is everyone giving? Ground. Ground.

Astrologers call this eclipse season. Twice a year, with more or less intensity depending on the nature of the eclipse(s), for a period of 6- 8 weeks (a new moon eclipse is followed by a full moon eclipse two weeks later, preceded by a 4-6 week build up period). Imagine a bell curve with sloping acceleration and peak times. This is a period of accelerated awareness and change. Big leaps can be made in our consciousness. We may receive big news and/or make big changes in our lives around this time- especially if the eclipse aspects our natal chart. News, awareness, revelations, insights are revealed because we are finally ready to deal with what is. We are ready to step more fully into Truth. There is a (normal) tendency to perceive the intensity of this period as a sign we are stuck or moving back into old habits a) because we can see them and b) because it feels intense. It IS intense. Keeping all this in mind can help.

My very first astrology teacher, Stephanie Austin, impressed upon her students the importance of meditation and time spent in nature during eclipse times. Over the years this has never steered me wrong. When the energy feels different from what we’re used to, staying grounded, and in our own energy field, is vital.

Grounding

Energetically, eclipses are challenging. Anxiety is higher. Our minds work overtime in attempt to process the influx of different energy, and “thinking” always ungrounds us. Our bodies need more support, too. As we cope with more change we may find physical/health sensitivities return.

How does ungrounded feel? Floaty, I am more in my head than normal, more easily confused, anxious, forgetful, or spacey, and my thoughts jump around with no clear anchor or direction. From that place: it is easy to make decisions that I’m truly not aligned with, I am vulnerable to picking up the external energies of other people, and it’s very easy to pursue and get caught up in a line of thinking that gets me nowhere fast.

I recall the moment when I began to take “grounding” seriously. I was in a state of extreme anxiety. I felt untethered, fearful and totally unclear about how to deal with the feeling. I stood up and felt my feet on the floor. I asked for Earth energy to connect to me, and felt myself coming back down to Earth.  Anxiety dissipated. All I needed to do was ground!

For your sanity, for your health, it’s time to double down on grounding. Specific food choices, physical activities and energy practices can help. (I’m doing all of these daily right now)

Ground yourself with an energy practice. Here is a grounding technique:

1. Put your feet on the ground. Set the intention to ground.
2. Invite and allow Mother Earth to ground you.
3. Allow your thoughts to be there but don’t pursue them.
4. Wait for it. Then wait a little longer than you think you need. Wait for the sensation of energy to move through you. You might feel warm energy pool around your seat, thighs, lower legs, and feet especially. A fullness of energy, of coming back into your seat of power, into your energetic body and connection with physical earth.
5. Sit with this for a few minutes. Allow the Ego to get used to this present and calm feeling.

Physical activities in nature can be extremely grounding. Activities like going to the beach, swimming, hiking, being in the garden. That heavy in-your-body feeling you get after a day at the beach, or after hiking in nature, is some of the best grounding there is. Spending time with pets and animals is also very grounding.

Your food choices can help you ground. Whole foods are grounding. Chips, snack, sugary processed foods are not. Ancient astrologers suggested consuming solar foods during solar eclipses (oranges, lemons, all citrus; foods resembling the Sun) and lunar foods during lunar eclipses. Lunar foods are those that grow underground, buried and in the dark, like root vegetables, and foods that resemble the Moon (onions, potato, watery/juicy foods- like apples).

Tune into your own body. It’s always on trend to think things like green drinks and wheatgrass juice is healthy. Of course greens are so healthy, but sometimes even they can be too energetically “light”. Maybe brown rice feels grounding.

Finally, this is a time to pull inward and rely on your own inner guidance. This morning, while deciding whether a second cup of coffee was good for me (since I’ve been experiencing a little irritation in a certain area), I breathed into my yoni first and felt her fill with energetic presence. Then I asked the question. That’s the answer I trusted (which was different from the first answer, when I had been in my head and not connected to my energy body). To connect with your feminine wisdom on any issue, use this technique of pulling into your own yoni (or what you prefer to call her).

You may find it’s very easy right now to be in this spin-out mental energy of ungrounded-ness. That’s a red alert, or check engine, light. It’s time to pull your energy within and ground!