When We Are Rooted, We Rise: Grounding, Nurturing, and Self-Expression

When We Are Rooted, We Rise: Grounding, Nurturing, and Self-Expression

Grounding isn’t just about breathing deeply or sitting still—it’s about presence. It’s about truly inhabiting your body, being here now, and connecting to the energy that holds you steady. When we breathe deeply, we pause, slow down, and regulate our nervous system. Research shows that deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress and promoting relaxation (Harvard Health, 2020).

When we walk into someone’s home and our shoulders drop, our guard comes down, and we exhale with a sigh, we are in the process of grounding. This happens when we feel safe and welcomed as we cross that doorway.

When we sit down, place our feet firmly on the floor, and take a deep breath in, we create space in our energetic field. Our feet become an anchor. As we inhale and exhale, we can imagine that breath traveling downward, settling into the ground with a gentle heaviness. With each exhale, we root more deeply.

We can even visualize roots extending from our feet, anchoring us further. When we do this, we connect to the lower half of our body, allowing tension to release. That heaviness we feel in our feet brings us back to ourselves, back to our presence.

To be grounded is to not be airy. It is to not feel like we are floating, unsteady, or on our tippy toes. To ground ourselves, we can stomp our feet, feeling the solid support beneath us. We can squat, allowing the natural pull of gravity to draw us downward with deep breaths pulling our energy towards the ground. Each of these small but intentional actions reconnects us to our body, shifting us into a state of awareness.

As the saying goes, "Like a tree, we must be deeply rooted to grow tall."

Grounding & Nurturing Go Hand in Hand

The more I explore these simple practices, the more I see how grounding intertwines with nurturing ourselves. Because the truth is, we cannot be fully grounded if we’re not tending to our basic needs—both physical and emotional.

What I didn’t realize before—but have now come to understand deeply—is that grounding isn’t just about stillness or breathwork. It’s not just about calming down or feeling centered.

Grounding is also nurturing yourself at the most fundamental level.

Dr. Stephen Porges, the creator of the Polyvagal Theory, emphasizes that feeling safe is essential for regulation and connection. When we nurture ourselves, we create that safety internally.

Because if we aren’t nourished—physically, emotionally, or spiritually—how can we expect to feel stable? How can we expect to be present?

The truth is, grounding requires nurturing.

When we are depleted, running on empty, or constantly giving without replenishing, grounding becomes impossible. Instead, we feel scattered, disconnected, and overwhelmed.

Nurturing ourselves isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity. It’s how we create stability within so we can move through life with clarity and confidence.

But when we nurture ourselves—when we feed our body, mind, and soul—everything shifts.

We nurture ourselves when we:

• Eat real, nourishing food that supports our well-being.

• Create space for creativity, passion, and joy.

• Surround ourselves with people who make us feel seen and supported.

• Spend time in nature, allowing the earth to steady us.

• Move our bodies in ways that feel good.

• Give ourselves permission to rest—without guilt.Slow down, breathe deeply, and listen to what we actually need.

Grounding isn’t just a moment of stillness—it’s a way of being. It’s something we cultivate through the way we live, the way we care for ourselves, and the way we connect with the world around us. It is the presence we embody when we are connected to our subtle—and not-so-subtle—being.

Because when we nurture ourselves, we don’t just function.

We flourish.

And when our cup is full… when we are grounded, present, and deeply nourished, life aligns.

From Grounding to Self-Expression

As we navigate the flow of presence, grounding, and nourishment, we make way for our self-expression to be fully seen. As humans, we often play small. We don’t want to disturb, to make waves, or to be seen as different or going against the current. We’ve been shaped by societal norms that encourage us to stay within the lines, to fit in rather than to expand.

But what if we became rooted so deeply in our being, in who we truly are—honouring our roots, our ancestors, our connection to self, our nurturing ways, and our authentic expression? What if we accepted our presence exactly as it is?

What could we express from that conscious part of ourselves?

Too often, we dim our light. We shrink ourselves, making our presence smaller so as not to disturb others. We hesitate to show our full power, fearing that our brightness might be too much for someone else to receive. When we hold ourselves back, our self-expression retreats. It hides. It shrinks. It minimizes our creativity, our voice, and the impact we could have on the world around us.

Yet, when we ground ourselves deeply—when we are nourished, present, and unshaken—we naturally step into our fullest expression. We become the energy of expansion.

Grounding allows us to rise.

Nurturing allows us to shine.

And when we stand fully in our being, honouring our presence and our voice, we no longer ask for permission.

We simply become.

As Carl Jung once said, "The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are."

When we are rooted—deeply nourished, deeply present—our self-expression flows from a place of authenticity.

And that is when we RISE.