Being present or being Grounded, wait, which...?

The catch 22 phrase of psychotherapy, alternative therapy, spiritual therapy and all other therapies and philosophies, far and many in between, is to "be present". By being present you increase your (self) awareness, thus are more grounded. Huh?

It's suffice to say that I am not an expect on being present or on grounding, but I do have real, life experience in facilitating this curiosity. Are being present and grounding the same thing? No.

Being present has very much to do with self-awareness and living in the moment. An example of a person being present is when they wake up every day and do what ever they can to feel joyful, engaged and satisfied with that day. So, beginning with a wonderful, fulfilling breakfast of oatmeal (with nuts, dried fruits and honey), to the fantastic opportunity to listen to great music on the (long) drive to work, to being more responsible at the work place, each activity experienced throughout the day is given respect and seen in the best possible light. Even realizing that your job is just not a good fit for you and accepting that, along with a quick look on Craigslist for potential new employers, embodies the spirit of being present. It calls for self-realization, doing what you can at the moment and having as much fun as possible. Now, it is not mandatory to have fun while being present--and I will get philosophical here--but then you would be denying the magnitude of your existence. Please skip to the next paragraph if you don't want the mini philosophy lesson. The logical conclusion of life is to live to your fullest, thus receiving joy from every breath. Even though there is a natural balance to life (good, evil, yin, yang), the "good" sentiments, emotions, actions, will always lead to satisfaction and authenticity. Being "bad" serves only as a comparison point of what not to do because then "I don't feel good about myself". It's a learning experience. However, fundamentally, if you live only in the "bad" you are denying your expansive existence and thus are not being present.

Being grounded refers to the capacity you have to understand life and it's experiences. Grounding is the process that allows you to integrate information in a manner that can help you grow. Say that you are not getting along with a co-worker. The grounding process would begin with an analysis of what gets you about the co-worker and why it gets you (seriously, popping gum is no biggie). This analysis only leads to a better understanding of your needs (and your actions-reactions). Then you can integrate this information into your life experiences. Next time your co-worker annoys you with that gum popping, you will immediately recognize that it reminds you of your brother when he was younger. Now that you are much older there is no need to perceive your co-worker as an annoying child but rather let bygones by bygones. Or, you may want to tell them that you can't get the image of your annoying brother out of your head and ask them to be more mindful of their popping (I'm just saying).

I hope that this short entry brings you one step closer to having a clearer and firmer grasp of being present and being grounded.

Adriana Kugman is a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist and Energy Therapist that works in the East Bay, CA. To practice grounding or to learn how to be more present, visit http://www.spiritbeyond.com/.